Sometimes You Just Gotta Laugh…

Having IBS is like having a younger brother or sister annoy you every time you’re on the phone with your high school crush. It’s like visiting the country-side and hearing the roosters crow nonstop at 5am on a Saturday morning, which obviously forces you to wake up in a very grumpy mood, ready to throw a boot out of your window aimed at the darn bird. My point is that IBS interrupts us at the most inconvenient moments, and therefore it’s hard to stay productive, be intimate, or even relax; and, man, can it be hilariously-infuriating sometimes.

How is IBS "hilariously-infuriating?"

I say “hilariously-infuriating” because sometimes you must look back and just laugh at your circumstances after you’ve gotten over the anger. I don’t mean laugh in a demeaning way but laugh in a way where you can appreciate how far you’ve come. In hindsight, I can’t help but giggle at the times when IBS would interrupt me in whatever I was doing because although my condition is very serious, I’m learning to not take it that way all the time anymore so that I don’t keep falling into depression like I used to. For instance, a phase in my life that I can look back and laugh at are the many times my IBS would get in the way of me holding on to my past jobs. All of which were jobs that I didn’t really care about to begin with because they were never careers I felt satisfied in. The reason why I can laugh now is because going through those experiences forced me to not only put my health first, but also put myself first. I can proudly say that I’ve accustomed my life that works best for me and my condition, and although I’m still adjusting to this new learning curve, I am in a much better mental space than I’ve ever been. So, I’m grateful for the knowledge and experience I’ve gained as a sales rep, however, I certainly don’t miss wearing a worn-down uniform while stressing myself to sell cell phones for a company that thought I was dispensable. In other words, my IBS may suck but it has forced me to create a life for myself that I can truly be content with from here on out.

Positivity

When I write about IBS, I try to provide different perspectives, and I do my best to keep it in a positive light. Don’t get me wrong, I have my moments when IBS gets the best of my emotions, check out by articles entitled “Venting Session Volumes 1-4.” It’s definitely a challenge to always show a bright side to something that negatively affects the quality of lives of millions of people around the world. Nonetheless, I am always willing to take that challenge no matter what because I’ve had a phase in my life when all I did was choose to see the negative and allow that moment in time to dictate my entire life. I would give too much power to my condition and gave it permission to make me depressed, affect my relationships with people I care about, and affect my overall health. Having a negative outlook on my condition, or life in general, will only hold me back from achieving greatness and true happiness within myself, regardless of my shortcomings. So why should I dwell on my circumstances and be miserable? Sometimes you just have to look back, laugh and appreciate how far you’ve come and will continue to go.