6 WAYS TO LIVE A FULFILLING LIFE AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS

I thought it was a stomach bug because I had always been healthy prior to that, other than having an occasional cold every one to two years. I was shocked and in complete disbelief that both of my kidneys were no longer working!

No Spare Left

I was only 19 at the time. “How did this happen?” Other questions started to roam around in my mind after receiving this life-altering news: “What did this mean for my life? What would my life look like while pursuing my career to become a doctor? Would I still be able to pursue this career that I had always envisioned for myself? How would I pay for my medical bills?”

There I was, a sophomore in college who had recently migrated with my mother from Jamaica to the U.S. to start college. This move was in pursuit of my mission and vision to serve the health of others by becoming a physician. I knew I wanted to be a doctor from a very early age. My love of the sciences, my passion for dance, my curiosity about the amazing functioning of the body, and my strong roots in wanting to help others all influenced my desire to serve in the health and wellness field.

We are born with two kidneys yet only need one functioning kidney to survive. When both kidneys no longer work, like in my case, only two treatment options were available to replace their function: dialysis treatments for the rest of my life or a kidney transplant. My only option then was to do dialysis treatments because a kidney transplant was not readily available.

Everything Happens For A Reason

After the initial shock of my diagnosis, there was this inexplicable inner feeling of conviction and passion for continuing the path of my dream to become a doctor.

From childhood, I always knew I was on a spiritual journey with my mother, who served as my spiritual guide and teacher. So although this new diagnosis was drastic, it was easy for me to realize that this experience was happening in my life for a reason. It was for me to grow deeper into my spirituality and serve others more meaningfully and expansively.

The 6 Ways To Live A Fulfilling Life After The Diagnosis

Experiencing end-stage chronic kidney disease for almost 20 years, I have learned many lessons along the way as both patient and doctor, which I am sharing with you in this article.

Regardless of what the medical diagnosis may be, here’s how to continue living a fulfilling life:

1. Ask The Right Questions
When faced with a challenge, in this case, a medical diagnosis, it is important to ask yourself the right questions after the initial shock.

Instead of asking yourself, “Why is this happening to me?” ask, “What am I to learn from this experience?” and “How can I grow into a better version of myself after experiencing this diagnosis?”

Shifting how you view your medical condition and having a solution-oriented mindset are keys to living well.

2. Accept The Diagnosis
The second important lesson that I learned was to accept the diagnosis and understand the shifts that were taking place in my mind, body and spirit.

Along with that was the importance of evaluating how I managed my overall health by asking, “What is the current relationship that I am having with my health — in mind, body and spirit?” and “What is the relationship that I would like to have?” Asking yourself these questions will allow you to plan and act according to your health goals.

As a Family Medicine physician turned health and wellness coach, I have always practiced medicine from a holistic perspective. I am a big proponent of being aware of the connections made with the mind, body and spirit because those connections influence all aspects of life, including health, relationships, work and finances.

3. Treat Yourself Well
We live life disconnected when we are not intentional about making the holistic connections I previously spoke of. This brings me to my third essential point: making sure you live your life by intentionally practicing to treat yourself well.

This surpasses eating the “right” foods and exercising or moving your body in a healthy way. It also includes being mindful of what you are mentally, emotionally and spiritually consuming.

Are you surrounded by a negative environment that makes you feel angry, sad or anxious? Or do you have a strong support system that will uplift you, especially when things get tough?

Are you reading, listening and watching content that drains your energy, or are you consuming positive and inspiring things? These things are crucial to evaluate and will definitely affect your overall well-being.

4. Be Okay With Asking For Help
Another key point related to your support system is being okay with asking for and receiving help. I learned this lesson almost immediately after receiving the news about having end-stage chronic kidney disease.

As a teenager at the time and excited about my independence as a soon-to-be young adult, I realized that so many people cared about me and were ready to support me on the challenging journey I was to embark on. I had to learn very quickly that it was okay to ask for and receive help without feeling embarrassed, ashamed, unworthy, or that I was being a bother.

Building a community and feeling a sense of belonging is a part of human nature. Most people love to give, especially when there is a need. Think about your family, your friends or your work environment.

We need each other — learning, teaching, giving and receiving — in order to thrive in life. Animals, too, are the same. Most must work together to hunt for food and be safe. Once I became okay with asking for and giving help, the energy exchange of giving and receiving was so beautiful to witness and experience.

5. Harness The Power Of Giving
One of the things that my mother taught me about giving and receiving was that when you stop someone from giving, you stop their energy flow from receiving. So even if you may not like what they are giving you, you can accept it and then choose to do something with it, for example, give it away if you don’t find any use for it. This way, the energy flow of giving and receiving continues for both the giver and the receiver.

This lesson highlights my next point: the power of giving. Giving is crucial when you are in a place of need or hardship. My point above about continuing the energy exchange shows how important it is to keep the energy flow moving.

Similarly with giving, if you feel you are not receiving, that is the signal for you to give, whether it is time, advice, love, prayer, forgiveness, or a physical item.

In addition, when you give, you take the focus off of yourself and your problem, and your energy has now shifted to something more positive and meaningful. Do you agree that it is impossible for you to give something with the kindness of your heart and simultaneously be upset, angry or sad? Exactly, you can’t — not at the same time.

6. Be Grateful
This is also true about having an attitude of gratitude, which is my sixth major point.

There is no way that you can be grateful for something and at the same time feel down in the dumps, frustrated or hurt. No, there is just no way. I stress the tremendous value and reward of starting our day filled with gratitude to the clients I coach. This could be thinking about what to be thankful for, going for a gratitude walk, or writing thankful thoughts in a journal.

The Whole Of Mind, Body & Spirit

Becoming a patient before becoming a doctor has taught me so many things, allowing me to become a better doctor and a more spiritually aligned individual.

Now, as a holistic health and wellness coach, I can teach my clients these and many more core principles they can apply in their lives. These principles allow them to thrive within their bodies and become more wholesome in mind, body and spirit, even though they each have a medical condition.

A Happy & Purposeful Life

My journey of experiencing a chronic illness for over 20 years has been nothing short of magical! I see the magic because of how I look at life: growing, learning, and becoming more in tune with myself. I practice what I preach, and I lead by example. I am a living testimony that taking care of one’s mind, body and soul can evolve into a happy, meaningful and purposeful life despite a diagnosis.

“You Are Greater Than…”

If you leave with nothing else after reading this article, leave with this, “You Are Greater Than…”

Everything that you could ever need or desire already lies deep within you. You just have to find a way to let it out. Be still and silent to hear the answers to the questions, knowing that the answers will also arise from the same place, that is, from within the core of your being.

You can go from trial to transformation to triumph with any diagnosis or challenge you have in life. So begin to allow your beautiful light to shine even brighter by showing up in life so that you can truly GLOW Up!