You've just been handed two words, multiple sclerosis. Now what? Let's have an honest conversation around the whirlwind of emotions, questions, and fears that come with a fresh diagnosis. This isn't just another medical rundown. This is an unfiltered, heart-to-heart conversation about the raw truths and emotions that often aren't talked about. Whether you were diagnosed days ago or supporting somebody who was, this episode is a lifeline. Let's face MS together. And just as a reminder, my fellow MS sisters, if you want a more personalized approach to creating your MS diet and lifestyle, check out my private coaching program. It includes a comprehensive assessment, personalized strategies, and lifestyle support. Each month, I accept only three new clients.

I'm your host, Alene Brennan. When you're diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, you're often faced with decisions you don't feel ready or qualified to make. Questions like, which medication should I take? Are the side effects going to be worse than MS? Should I just start with diet? Is this diet even legit? You're making life-altering decisions at a time you can't even think straight. You're trying to wrap your head around what is happening to your body and make major decisions about your future. When I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in 2016, I remember thinking that I had been living in this body for 36 years. Now it feels like a complete stranger and one that's betraying me. My immune system is really attacking my brain?

You still look the same on the outside, but the MRIs and the spinal tap, they tell a completely different story, right? Personally, I never considered myself immune to the troubles of this world. But I also never expected to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. And I'm guessing you didn't either. But now it's part of your life. For the rest of your life. And as you're making all of these medical decisions, There are worries on your mind that your doctor isn't talking about. And because for the first time in your life, you likely don't have a single friend or family member who can truly understand what you're going through. You don't know who to ask. But the questions and the fears that surround it builds.

You're scared that MS is going to change the person you are today and rob you of the person you've always envisioned for yourself for the future. I don't know the specific questions running across your mind but mine went something like this. Will I still get married? Will I still be able to get pregnant and be the fun, active mom that I've always wanted to be? Will I still be able to take that dream trip to Italy? Maybe you're wondering, will I still be able to run that 5K or half marathon? Or do I now just need to be grateful for the ability to walk? And what about my career? Will I still be able to climb the ladder or will my diagnosis cap my dreams?

And do you ever wonder if people will start to look at you differently? You're probably thinking, will I always be that person with MS to others now? Listen, I'm not sharing this to be doom and gloom. I'm sharing this because we need to give voice to acknowledge these very real worries and emotions that happen when you're diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. There is an undeniable stage of grief that happens after a diagnosis. I had to mourn the confidence I had in my health and in my future. I had to mourn the image I had for myself. I was a nutrition coach, a yoga instructor, and personal trainer. Being healthy wasn't just a lifestyle. It was part of who I was. And what did this mean for me now that I had MS?

I started to question how much MS was going to change me, not just physically, but how much it would change the person that I was. Right? Like, do these questions ever run across your mind? You're scared that MS is not just going to take over your body, but it's going to take over your life and your identity. You're scared it's going to change the person who you are. Listen, I know this is a heavy topic we're talking about today. And if you know me, I am the queen of silver linings. I'm always looking for the positive in a situation. This is far from my normal, upbeat tone and personality. But I want to keep it real with you because when you're diagnosed with MS, having someone just try to push you into the belief that everything will be fine doesn't feel good. I do believe everything will be okay, not just for me, but for all of us, especially when we can come together and support one another and lift each other up. But when someone tries to downplay how I'm feeling, I find myself resisting even stronger.

Maybe even for the first time since your diagnosis. I want to help you give yourself permission to not be okay in this moment, to have the courage to acknowledge how you really feel, but also to know you don't have to get stuck in this mess either. You can move forward. Your life is not over because you have multiple sclerosis. MS is a chapter in your story. It is not the ending. You get to decide where you go from here. You get to decide the meaning that you give your diagnosis. MS doesn't get to take away your identity, the heart of who you are. No diagnosis can do that. Now, I know everyone is at a different place with MS, not just from a diagnosis standpoint, but from an acceptance as well. So how we each address this will be different. But today, I want to help you to create a bridge from where you are today, exactly as you are, to the place of acceptance and genuine hope for your future.

But the truth is, ignored emotions resurface. They always resurface. And when they do, they resurface as resentment, procrastination, and they often build into anger and anxious thoughts. And that can affect your relationship and your outlook on life. They can literally change how you go through life. So to suggest that we can just ignore any emotions around our diagnosis, it's just not true. You need space to process this diagnosis and start having some compassion for yourself for what you've gone through. Again, this is not about being doom and gloom or having a pity party for yourself. This is about keeping it real with yourself and with your emotions. This is about learning how to manage your emotions. Why? What's the payoff?

Giving yourself permission to get out of the fear and be able to not only regain hope, but to remind yourself that MS does not get to change who you are. That is worth it. I need you to hear something, and I need you to hear it not in your head. I need you to hear this in your heart. MS is a chapter in your life. It is not the ending. You will figure this out. MS does not need to be, nor does it get to be, your new identity. You want your life back, a life where you can make plans for your future and make them with confidence. You want a life that has purpose and meaning and contribution, and you can still have all of that. We may need to make some adjustments along the way, but you have the ability to create the best case scenario for yourself. And being part of this community right here can help you get there. And I'll even pause here for a second to share. Even as you're listening to this today, if you're realizing how much of a difference mindset can make in your life and you feel like you need a mindset reset, I have the perfect tool for you.

Internal processors and others are external processors. How do you like to process things? Do you like quiet time by yourself or do you find comfort in talking with somebody? Maybe it depends upon the situation. That's how it is for me. Sometimes I need a journal and a pen. Other times I want someone who will listen. I'm often not looking for their advice. I just want them to be with me in that moment and help me talk through everything that's weighing on my mind and on my heart. And other times I love a good counseling session. I want to just dump everything out there and have somebody else help me understand the deeper meaning. What am I really struggling with? Here's what it looks like on the surface to me, but I know that's just a facade.

Help me understand what's actually going on underneath all of this. They all have their place. And I don’t know which of them is the best fit for you and which of them is the best fit for you today, because it can change over time and throughout the different seasons of life and healing that you go through. But I want to share some ideas with you to hopefully spark some inspiration for you. First up is journaling. If you don’t know what to write, write the first thing that comes to your mind. Just start getting words on a page. Get feelings on a page.

Personally, it helps me get through the relentless thoughts. That are constantly on replay in my mind it helps me get them out of my mind and onto paper Write down your fears, your hopes, even the questions you're not ready to say out loud yet Just get it out, my friend Get it out It can feel so good And maybe you decide to burn it afterwards and never look at it again Or maybe you revisit them weeks, months, or even years later and see how far you've come It's your practice You get to decide But if you haven't done so already, get a notebook It can be one that is in your junk drawer It can be a fancy one

Now, I'm a Jersey girl, so my heart is fully free when I can take a walk on the beach Walking along the water's edge, hearing the waves crash on the shoreline, smelling the salt air That is my ultimate place of calm. But I don't live at the beach. So my day-to-day is just walking around the block. And the funny thing is, most times I have to psych myself up to do it. I am rarely excited to go for a walk. But I always feel better afterwards. Going for a walk is a chance to escape, to reflect, and even to find a new perspective. In a weird way, it almost feels like each step on my walk is another step forward in healing, in life, and a reminder that life goes on.

So try it today. Go for a walk. Maybe it's to the end of your driveway. Maybe it's to the mailbox or around the block. Or if a walk isn't in the works, maybe you're just sitting by a window and allowing yourself to take some couple deep breaths of fresh air as you look outside, see the trees, see the sky, see the sun if it's out, but just allow nature and your breath. Alright, next up, getting on your yoga mat. It's funny, as a yoga instructor, so many people come to class to address physical ailments, tight hamstrings, a bad back, tension in their neck and shoulders, but they always walk away with so much more, so much more. Yoga is far from just physical stretches. It's far more than physical stretches.

It connects the breath to movement, which is just healing in a way that's really hard to describe in words, but feels so good. Yoga can help to calm the mind. It's your space, you, your breath, and your mat. I remember when I first started practicing yoga, I always felt so good after class, but it would surprise me that I actually started to feel more calm and relaxed between classes too. It wasn't just that post-yoga, like high, so to speak, that you would get, you know, kind of like that quote-unquote blissed-out feeling right after class. I really started feeling more calm and focused in my day-to-day;

or listen to the instructor in class and start moving your body, connecting the movement of your body to your breath. And there are so many different levels to yoga as well. There's so many different styles of class, really. When I would teach, I would always remind students at the end, you took one class from one instructor in one style of yoga. I hope you enjoyed it. But if you didn't, try another class, try another instructor, try another style of yoga. There's vinyasa, which is a little bit more active. There's restorative, which is definitely more calming.

But yeah, just getting on your yoga mat, it just feels so good. And again, on the surface, the focus is the physical body. But in doing so, you're also working your way through the emotional body as well. So perhaps yoga is the one that's resonating with you now. But let's move on to this next one here, listening to music. And of course, this is one that you can overlay with some of these other ones. You can be listening to music on your walk. You can be listening to music during a yoga class. But music has the power to heal and to uplift. Ask yourself, what music speaks to your heart? What music can you put on and it just feels like it's speaking to your soul? For me, it's worship music.

It's the music and the message that helps me process emotions. But what is it for you? Can you start playing some music when you're eating dinner instead of watching TV? Can you start listening to some music that relaxes you in the evening before you're getting ready to go to bed? Can you create a playlist that uplifts you? So when you feel like you need a little boost during your day, when you're feeling down or unmotivated or whatever it may be, and you just need that little bit of encouragement and you keep looking around for that encouragement to come from another person and that keeps falling short, create a playlist for that moment. There are so many things within our control that can help us process these emotions and can help us move forward to reclaim.

So if music speaks to you, if music is healing to you, bring more of it into your daily life. All right, now we are diving into one of my favorites and one of the most simple ways to process emotions. I'm talking about breathing-Deep breathing, that deep exhale kind of breathing, that breathing that helps you not just fill your lungs, but it helps you declutter your mind. Living with a chronic illness like MS, we will have a lot of ups and downs and everything in between. So to have the breath, deep cleansing breaths. Something that is always available to us is powerful. No matter how many times you think you're getting off track or going down a rabbit hole of disaster, every moment, every moment is an opportunity to begin again.

And it begins with a single breath, something you always have available to you. Let's take one now together. If you wherever you are, if you can close your eyes, great. If you can take a soft gaze onto the floor, if you're driving, keep those eyes open. But maybe just start by taking a deep breath in, roll the shoulders up towards the ears, relax them down the back. Good. That helps to broaden the chest, open the lungs. And let's take a deep breath in here together. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Good. Let's do two more of these together. Deep breath in, fill the lungs, fill the belly. And then full exhale out, exhaling out longer than you think you can. Nice. Good. Final breath together. Here we go. Deep breath in.

Full cleansing breath out. Oh golly, that feels so good. It feels so good. It's our breath. It is with us at all times. It's free. It's simple. And nobody else needs to know what we're doing. You can do it in the shower. You can do it in a doctor's office appointment. You can do it when you're driving. You can do it whenever. Keep breathing. If you're like me, you can very easily hold your breath when you get upset or tense or fearful or frustrated or whatever it is. But remind yourself to exhale, remind yourself. To deeply exhale and let it go. Now each of these methods that we talked about today has its own magic. And remember, it's not about finding the perfect way to cope. But discovering what resonates with you in each moment.

Because some days you might need a walk. Other days you find yourself wanting to pour everything into your journal. Other days, you just want to put on some music and take some deep breaths. Whatever it is, you have options. And you can choose what feels best for you in any given moment. Be gentle with yourself and have fun with it. And always remember, MS changes your life, but it doesn't change who you are. Your identity, that runs deeper than any diagnosis. Your spirit, your character, your personality, it's all still yours. I see a life of meaning, purpose, and contribution ahead for you. Let's get there together. Well, my friend, we've reached the end of this episode. Pick one lesson from today's discussion and put it into action now. It's time to reclaim your body, mind, and life from multiple sclerosis. And for more resources, events, and programs, head over to aleneBrennan.com. See you on the next episode of my MS Podcast.