Being Fearlessly Authentic - Living with Chronic Illness
I have been chronically ill since 2004. Satya, in Sanskrit, means truth. I wasn’t living my truth. I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t and trying to make everyone happy except myself. I was raised being told that self-care is selfish. After years of trying to make everyone else happy and taking care of everyone but me, I got sick, really sick. I went from doctor to doctor searching for answers, searching for a cure, a magic pill, a quick fix. Then I realized, there is no magic pill or quick fix, but the answers were within me and that I had the power in me to heal myself.
I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Epstein-Barr Virus, Fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, Psoriasis, Diabetes Insipidus, Sjogren's, Ehlers-Danlos, Orthostatic Tachycardia, Mast Cell Disease, and finally Masthenia Gravis. In the beginning, I was told it was all in my head. My doctors and counselors blamed me for being sick. I worked 60-80 hours a week as a hairdresser and worked with chemicals. I was born with defective genes, but the toxic environment I was in, made me sick. My illness is real, but there is no cure.
I was told by my doctors I should be in a wheelchair, but in 2007, I discovered Yoga and the healing power of nature, and that began my journey to Wellness. I am not “cured” and never will be. I am not claiming to have the answers. Everyone must discover them for themselves, as the answer is different for everyone. What I can do is help you discover your strengths and help you live your best life.
I believe in Life Style Medicine. Food is medicine, meditation is medicine, nature is medicine.
Unfortunately, there are many frauds out there selling supplements and programs, claiming they can heal you. There are many people that claim to be sick, they pretend to be sick and then claim they have the cure. I pretended to be healthy. Being fearlessly authentic is my mission. For years, I pretended not to be sick and kept pushing myself until I would literally collapse. Then, I had the ah-ha moment that I could not pretend anymore, that I needed to honor my body and come out of the closet about my illness. I have not “cured” myself, but I have learned to accept my illness and live as well as I can. By sharing my story with you, I hope I can inspire you to be your best self.
In Love & Light