Health.
How Having Health Challenges Helps with Growth
I remember hearing for the first time that I had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer.
I had never imagined myself being in this position. I always thought cancer was one of those things that you see in movies, or that you hear about… but it would never affect me. Pretty naive of me to think, right? Wrong. The truth is, none of us have the capacity to fully comprehend health challenges like this until it becomes our reality.
Throughout my life I have had the opportunity to work through pretty severe mental + physical health challenges. I say the word “opportunity” because I believe that every health challenge I have been faced with has opened up doorways for me to learn and grow in ways that I would have never imagined in my early 20’s.
We grow immensely when we have to demonstrate an insane amount of courage. Things like going through chemotherapy, taking calculated career risks, telling someone “I love you” for the first time, etc. are all part of the growth pattern we experience.
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Most recently I underwent a PAO surgery for Hip Dysplasia.
What is Hip Dysplasia? The Mayo Clinic defines it as: “Hip dysplasia is the medical term for a hip socket that doesn't fully cover the ball portion of the upper thighbone.”
My journey with Hip Dysplasia came about after beating Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer 5 years ago. I started experiencing hip pain that led me down a rabbit hole of doctors’ visits, X-rays, and injections, all to find out I was a candidate for a PAO surgery. I am 3 months out from my first PAO right hip surgery and will be having my left hip PAO surgery in a couple months.
I will never forget my first (and only) tattoo artists looking at me as I was in pain and saying, “it hurts to be a badass sometimes.” I feel as though that statement rings true especially to those going through health challenges. The mental + physical toll it takes on a person is too strong to not classify anyone going through health challenges as a total 100% “badass.”
You know what’s really neat about health challenges? Having these kinds of challenges allow you to empathize with others on a completely different level. When you go thorough something as ugly as cancer, severe surgeries, or even mental illness, you unlock a new life skill of being able to feel a deeper connection with people you know who are going through the same things. Additionally, you are able to potentially be someone else’s survival guide along the way.
I won’t pretend that having health challenges is fair or easy though. They are incredibly draining, emotionally and physically. They can send you into spirals of depression, wear you out, and place you at rock bottom. But I will tell you that having health challenges can change you as a person and help you grow more strength, resilience, and grit. These things can be differentiating factors for you in life. Use them to your advantage.
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Remember the time you got a common cold and felt like sh*t, but eventually became better and for the next week you were so grateful for your health? That’s a powerful tool. You can use gratitude for your health to inspire you to try new things or be brave and not pass up opportunities. When going through health challenges, it can seem like a never-ending dark hole. But when things start looking up, and glimpses of your health begin to come back, you start to feel a new-found appreciation for your life. And this appreciation can be amplified and turned into new ways to view your career, your relationships, your dreams, etc.
I think the real question becomes:
“What would you do today, if you knew tomorrow wasn’t promised?”
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Every setback and every inevitable health challenge I have faced has helped me push for more in life. I continue to aspire to grow. From launching my own boutique marketing agency, to leaving companies that undervalue me and advocating for myself. Growth has become part of my mindset in life, and I truly believe that is because of the health challenges I have faced.
Next time you are going through an unfortunate situation with your health, try this exercise:
·Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and breathe out for 8 seconds. Do this 3 times.
·Say 3 things that you are proud of yourself for. Focus on what you are going through and find space for yourself to feel your pain, while actively acknowledging your triumphs or “little wins.”
·Write down where you see yourself in the next few months. Get detailed on where you want to be with your health, how you envision your life, your relationships, etc.
·Find stillness in your body and mind for 5 minutes and thank your body for how far it has gotten you and recognize that whatever health challenge you are currently going through can turn into a growth opportunity if you let it.
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Thank you for reading this. Thank you for holding space for my thoughts and ideas. I hope that you can find strength through hard times in your life.
Forever rooting for you on your life path,
Brescia
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hip-dysplasia/symptoms-causes/syc-20350209