Your Illness Does Not Mean You Are Hard to Love

I used to think people would have to love me in spite of my illness.

I used to see my illness as something some people might not be able to “handle” and I assumed it was the baggage I carried around with me.

For a long time I believed my illness could be the cause for someone else’s unhappiness.

It felt like some people who stuck by me repeatedly made me feel like they were doing me a massive favour by being with me.

They made me feel like I was hard to love, and because of this I often allowed some people to not treat me okay.

Obviously I don’t feel this way anymore, but I did for a long time.

It took me years to realise the people I now allow and keep in my life don’t love me in spite of my illness, because on top of everything else, they love me as a result of my illness.

They love the person I’ve become.

They love how my illness has not only changed me, but changed them and their perspective on life.

They love how my illness has bought us closer.

They love being able to support me through both the good and bad times.

To put it simply, they love me as a whole being; all illness and non-illness parts included.

To feel like your illness is a burden to others is a trap to so easily fall in to, and even now I can find myself getting caught.

Your illness should never make you feel unloveable or unworthy of love.

Your illness should never feel like a burden you bring to a relationship or friendship.

Yes, inevitably it may bring some difficulties, but if your situations were reversed, wouldn’t you want to stay by their side?

If you don’t have a problem with your illness then neither should they.

Don’t ever allow anyone to use your illness against you.

Don’t ever let anyone make you believe that you are unloveable.

Find people in your life who will make you question why you ever thought that in the first place ❤️

(Originally posted on @mindfullyevie Instagram and Facebook)