If you’re reading this post and have ever felt suffering in your life, I want you to brace yourself for a second. Because what I’m about to share may be hard to swallow and may be even hard to relate to.
But let’s walk through this together, shall we?
When I was diagnosed with psoriasis 25 years ago, I was only 10 years old and was certain that my life had just been ruined. Although psoriasis is a common skin condition, the version I got completely covered my body — from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. It made it impossible for me to participate in sports — I had to quit most after-school activities. Sleeping over at a friend’s house was a nightmare rather than a nice thing to do on a Friday night. And going to the pool where I once loved swimming lessons was now a place that I dreaded for fear of people staring.
So even though most people think of psoriasis as just a skin condition, it ended up being the sole focus of my life, defining every move I made. For many years, I felt sorry for myself, was deeply frustrated and believed that this was punishment for something I’d done as child. That last part about being punished — I think it’s something that a lot people feel when something negative or traumatic happens in life.
We immediately think: Why? Why did this have to happen? Hop on over to She Knows to see how I worked through this major challenge plus how you can work through any challenges that come up in your life! You so got this.
This post is in partnership with SheKnows.com