Lessons from colitis... my love/hate relationship with colitis...

 

It's been three years since colitis tried to take my intestines, my light, and quite honestly, my life... I won, and am still winning, most days anyway! 😉💪🏼

 It is so true that you don't know how to stand up until you've been knocked down.  I've cried, laughed, grown, and learned so many lessons on my way back up.  

Here's some of them in no particular order...

1. You're always stronger than you think... and every struggle is a chance to be brave. 
2. You find out who you're friends are... not everyone's going to get it, you don't need those people.
3. Nothing is worth sacrificing your health.... NOTHING!
4. Trust your gut...that bitch knows what's up!
5. Food is the best medicine or the worst poison... you choose.
6. Pain equals perspective...
7. Tell your story... you never know who you are inspiring, or saving.
8. Always, always, always find the silver lining.
9. Listen to your body before it has to scream at you.
10. Stress destroys you... manage that shit! 
11. It's ok to rest
12. Never underestimate the power of some deep breaths.
13. Gutsy girls can still drink red wine, and tequila too! 😘
14. I knew you didn't need gluten, but you don't need dairy either... in fact it's kinda gross! 
15. Lettuce is so overrated... eat some real leafy greens!
16. Happy girls are not only the prettiest, they're the healthiest too.
17. You need to take responsibility for you own health and save your own little self.
18. A medical degree doesn't necessarily a doctor make... find a real doctor that you trust and gets you and your health goals.
19. Salt water has the power to make everything better... need to find yourself and your power again?...head to the beach!
20. A punching bag is a necessity... gutsy girl life can be frustrating!
21. If you don't have enough energy to punch... that's ok, get on your yoga mat instead!
22. Makeup makes your illness invisible, which can be good or bad.
23. It's ok to say no, not today, or not ever.
24. Invest in your health or later you will be forced to invest in your illness.
25. Yes, it always could be worse, BUT... you don't always have to be thankful that you don't have it worse... some days it gets you, and that's ok... let it, and try again tomorrow.
26. Most people walk around feeling like total shit and don't even realize how amazing they could feel.... IF they ate the way their bodies needed them to.
27. Green smoothies make everything run a lot smoother.
28. Parts will just keep breaking if you don't fix the real problem.
29. Your digestive system fuels your entire body...If it's not functioning, nothing else is!
30. Nutrition and digestive health have an insanely profound effect on mental health. 

So yes, #fuckcolitis and the way it changed my life... 

However; remember, always find the silver lining... so at the same time; be grateful for colitis and all the ways it changed my life! These are lessons my stubborn little ass wouldn't have learned if I hadn't been forced to... so for that I am forever thankful.