Why You Need a Coping Box + How to Create Your Own
Having a chronic illness like epilepsy, MS and kidney disease can throw your life off balance – physically, emotionally and practically.
Our bodies have a natural tendency to maintain inner stability while adapting to our ever-changing circumstances. For example, when your blood sugar levels get too high, your pancreas will release insulin to bring it down to healthy levels; and when your body temperature rises, you will start to sweat to cool down. Whenever something disturbs our inner balance, our bodies try to return to certain set points.
But this process of homeostasis can get disrupted by chronic health problems, like diabetes or hypertension. More so, we’ve all experienced how something small – like doing one extra activity or catching a cold – can cause a physical imbalance, resulting in a flare-up of symptoms or post-exertional malaise.
And living with chronic illness can also leave you feeling unsteady emotionally. After all, it’s challenging to feel completely zen when you’re constantly experiencing abdominal cramps, breathlessness or intense tiredness. What’s more, you have to deal with the emotional rollercoaster of a fluctuating health, uncertainty about the future, and grieving your old life and all you’ve lost.
Not knowing how you will feel one day to the next also makes it hard to live a balanced life in the practical sense. No matter how well you plan, you may have to cancel plans last minute when you feel unwell. Or you have to go all-in on improving your health or keeping your job, leaving you no room for socializing or doing something you enjoy.
How can you still find balance in your life when you’re chronically ill?
A balanced life will look different for everyone, and you will never reach a perfect state of harmony, even if you do get better. But there are some things you can do to experience more peacefulness more often.
First of all, what would a balanced look like to you, how would it feel? Identify the different areas of your life that you want to pay attention to, like ‘health’, ‘relationships’, ‘finances’ or ‘work, ambitions and goals’.
Next, explore how you can fill all your cups – even if only a little bit or in a modified way. Finding balance does not mean you have to fit equal parts of everything into one day, or even into one week. You just aim for a rhythm or routines that allow you to feel whole, to express different sides of yourself. Because even though the exact happiness ratio is debated, we do need to balance out the negative experiences of chronic illness – pain, hospital stays, medical gaslighting, losing jobs and friends – with some positive input.
Whether you have limited energy or a busy schedule, you can create a better ‘work’-life balance by combining key aspects of your life. Listen to your favorite songs while doing chores, or ask your friend to join you on a walk, so you get your movement and your socializing in at once. Turn commutes and long waits into ‘me-time’ with audiobooks, or cook together with your kids to chat, lighten the work load and teach them valuable life skills.
At the same time, you have to prioritize and set boundaries. Nobody can do it all, so you have to say no to certain commitments and (fun) invitations in order to be able to focus on the activities and people that matter most to you. That’s not easy, but hopefully these strategies to simplify life with chronic illness will provide some support.
Also learn to recognize the warning signs of your body and mind that you might be getting off balance. Maybe you tend to become anxious, indecisive or irritable, or you struggle with increased pain and sleepless nights. Being aware of your triggers and red flags helps you to stop and rest before you burn out.
And finally remember that balance lies within you. Even in unpredictable situations, you can hold some steadiness in your heart – an unshaken belief that you are able to handle whatever comes your way. Like Deepak Chopra says, “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” You can keep your calm in the chaos by making time for relaxation every day, practicing mindfulness and meditation, doing breathing exercises and minding your thought patterns.
Take inspiration from these 15 balance quotes to steady yourself again when you’ve lost your footing.
What helps you to find balance while living with a chronic illness?
For more advice on balancing health, obligations and relationships, check out ‘How to Work on Your Recovery from Illness in Everyday Life’ or get inspired by these ’17 Slow Living and Simplicity Quotes to Embrace Your Limitations’.
