Better Me – Thank you, Health Union

One year ago, I became a contributor to Health Union. I'm going to be honest, and tell you this was one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life. You see, I am not a social person. I am awkward, I say the wrong things at the wrong times, and I have a tendency to keep all my thoughts and feelings to myself. I tend to bottle things up until I'm like a shaken soda and feel like I will explode. This is just how I have always been. Not only that, when it comes to my personal health, I don't want to feel like a bother or burden talking about what is going on inside my body.

Being able to be part of this amazing company has helped me in so many ways. I have been able to take my personal experiences with IBS and really think about them. Putting into words how I am feeling or have felt in the past has made me a better friend, partner, and mother. I have not only bettered my health mentally, but the more I write and share, the better I feel physically.

Being part of the IBS community

I come from a family that isn't affectionate or vocal. We weren't the ones who would sit down and talk about stuff. We just aren't, and that is okay. It never was an issue and something I never realized until I was older. It did make me into who I am today. Being part of this community has greatly changed that for me and made me such a better person.

Just knowing that I am going to sit down and take the time to put my thoughts into actual physical words has been almost like therapy for me. Seeing and documenting what is working and what isn't has been life-changing. I was never one to keep a diary or journal anything. To be honest, growing up, I always felt it was a waste of my time, but the older I got, the more I realized I was wrong.

Sharing my voice

Taking the time to put my thoughts, symptoms, physical and mental, on paper has been eye-opening for me. Validation is the word that comes to mind for me. Setting aside time every week to sit and focus on me, something I have never been good at, was the biggest thing that came from being part of Health Union. Knowing that I am not alone in this great big world, no matter how small and insignificant I feel, and knowing now what I am doing could possibly better someone else's life has been my motivation.

Health Union has given me part of my life back I never knew I was missing. The part that understands that even though I am a mom, partner, sister, and daughter, sometimes I have to put my needs first to be a better person for them. By doing this, I am teaching my daughter that her voice counts!! She is learning that even something as small as me writing about my bathroom issues could help make me a better person and possibly help someone else's life.

Health Union, thank you for helping me be a better me.