Hello everyone!
I wanted to reach out and hear about how others on here practice gratitude and remain optimistic despite the current circumstances you find yourself in. Personally, I’ve been terrible at this. However, I’m trying to remember and focus on the good in my life, regardless of how small it may seem in comparison to the fear and uncertainty.
My fiancé and I recently adopted two kittens, and they’ve helped me a lot in regards to staying out of my head. It’s surprisingly difficult to be lost in my thoughts when I have a sweet kitty curled up in my lap! I’m grateful to have the opportunity to talk to you all, and hopefully make some meaningful connections as well!
What practices, habits, hobbies and people help to give you gratitude and positivity? I’d love to hear them! 
Kittens: Mother Nature’s antidepressants. Good choice!
On dark days, I try to remind myself of the saying: ‘Don’t wait until your problems go away before you decide to be happy.’
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Hi! One thing that helps me is knowing that biotech & medicene has progressed so much in the last 10 yrs and will do in the next. I’m no expert on what breakthroughs there might be in the next few years and refrain from reading too much on the internet…but the above thought makes me grateful (for access to meds) and keeps me optimistic!
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I agree. Tysabri has kept a lid on my very aggressive RRMS for 15 years now, and I am grateful for that every single day. The prospects for those being dx now rather than 25 years ago (as I was) are so much brighter and getting brighter all the time.
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Hi, I have SPMS, diagnosed 18yrs go, straight in at this, neuro did say I’d lived with RRMS for 17yrs before diagnoses with just mild symptoms, so I’m grateful for that, as I didn’t know I had it, so enjoyed my younger years, I was 47yrs when told I had it, middle aged, but still with a life ahead of me, so many plans…squashed GRrrrr sadly no meds for me, so just get on with it. I’m also grateful to my amazing hubby, who helps me no end and makes my life enjoyable and worth living, I’m still optimistic about our future, on the whole I don’t let the MS get me down, yes I have day’s but don’t we all MS or not. I love to read, do puzzles book stuff, do a bit of sit down exercise, fatigue allowing and when possible like to go out for coffee and cake. So what I say is…do your best, because that’s all we can do.
Take care,
Jean x
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Hi @imissfeelingokay
I’m grateful for family support, helping to ferry me to hospital appointments, moving at a tortoise pace nowadays means it’s not as easy as before. 
I’m also grateful for the Kindle, gifted to me. Being housebound most days, I now get to read all the books I intended to read, but just never made the time. 
Best regards,
JP
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They definitely have been a blessing for sure! Even though they’re getting older and have now started being naughty sometimes. 
I love that saying! It can be so hard to see beyond the bad at times. You can end up missing everything good around you by being so lost in the negative emotions and feelings our mind creates. I’ve been trying to rationalize my catastrophic thinking lately, and I came across a poem by Shannon Barry that I fell in love with. I believe it’s titled “Grief”, and it made me think differently towards grief and the loss I feel with it. The last few lines are my favorite. 
I met grief when I was
twenty-two
through a mutual friend.
I thought the pain might
extend to his
doorstep but no further
and was surprised when
every night
grief followed me home.•
“you don’t belong to me”
I said
and grief said nothing.
the next night there were
familiar footsteps
but when I turned to face grief
I saw that it was
just love
in a heavy coat.•
“you can leave that at the door”
I said
and was just as surprised
when I invited love inside.
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That’s a great point! I’ve been stuck in a negative way of thinking for a long time now, so it’s been difficult for me to feel very hopeful that things will change drastically for those suffering from MS. I would absolutely love for progress to be made towards treating more progressive forms of the disease, and the thought of a genuine remyelination treatment potentially being on the horizon is exciting to think about!
I spent months poring through any scrap of information I could find on the internet to try and figure out what’s going on with me. My anxiety was and still is insatiable. Definitely would not recommend Dr. Google/binging forum posts. 0/10 for me 
The future is definitely brighter now than it used to be! Hopefully medical advancements can continue to make discoveries that can make life better for us all.
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Hi Jean!
I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis! I am glad that you were still able to enjoy your younger years at least. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll be stuck in limbo forever, or if my body will finally get it’s act together and let doctors figure out what’s going on.
The grief from knowing that your life and plans are going to change is…a lot. Right now, the farthest I can look ahead is maybe a month, but I usually choose not to think farther out than the nearest weekend. I know I should technically be happy that my imaging has come back normal so far, but my anxiety takes over and creates all of these what if scenarios involving my biggest fears instead.
I love that you have such a supportive husband! I don’t know what I’d do without my fiancé and my supportive family members. It worries me to think that one day I may have to face whatever this is alone. I’m not sure I can do that and also live a happy life to be honest. That won’t stop me from trying though!
I’m so happy to hear that you’re still optimistic about the future! I hope I can get to that place one day. Right now I’ve been getting sad every time I see a couple my age with children. I always wanted to be a mom, but right now I’m not sure I’ll ever get the chance to. It would be lovely to be able to dream about the future again.
You’re absolutely right; we all have bad days regardless of what’s going on with our bodies. Someone I once knew said, “Everybody has something crappy they have to live with.” I’ll have to remind myself of your saying, since I’ve been a perfectionist for my entire life and struggle to accept that sometimes, my best may only be a fraction of what it used to be. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, filled with all of your favorite hobbies and people!
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That is a beautiful poem. Thank you.
Hi JP!
I’m so glad you have a supportive family! I can imagine that they can help provide you with some peace of mind regarding attending various appointments. Coming from someone whose family is less than ideal, that support alone can mean the world!
I love Kindles! I had one when I was younger, and I remember reading all of the original Grimm’s fairy tales on it. 
Reading was always my escape from reality, and it gave me a pretty good imagination to boot! I hope you never run out of beautiful stories to read. What’s been your favorite novel so far?
You’ve given me some motivation to pick up crocheting again. I’ve been neglecting it for a while, but it makes no sense to keep trying to put aside things that bring me joy.
Take care!
C
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Hi @imissfeelingokay
I like to take comfort in a poem by, W. E. Henley, Bric-a’-Brac:
What is to come we know not. But we know
That what has been good - was good to show,
Better to hide, and best of all to bear.
We are the masters of the days that were:
We have lived, we have loved, we have suffered… even so.
Shall we not take the ebb who had the flow?
Life was our friend. Now, if it be our foe -
Dear, though it spoil and break us! - need we care
What is to come?
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Hi @muchthesamemuchness
I love it! It reminds me a bit of the practice of stoicism, which is something I admire (but haven’t mastered the art of yet). I heard a theory once, that every moment we live is forever captured in time. Although the future may hold trials and tribulations, every single moment of love, joy and triumph you’ve ever had is and forever will be etched into the fabric of the universe. It can never be taken away or undone. In a way, we are infinite, and that helps remind me of the beauty of it all.
Hi missfeelingokay, I’ve a good feeling you’re going to be ok, you come across so well…yeah you’ll be fine…in time, take care and try to keep smiling,
Jean x
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Thank you Jean! I’m sure I have more dark days ahead, but just have to do what I can for now and hope for the best. I hope we’ll all be able to be okay in the end!
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