When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2016, my thoughts were all over the place. I worried about every decision I made regarding treatment. I worried about the future and whether the worst-case scenarios would come true. And I worried day and night.
Of course, all that worrying did not make things better. It only added more stress to an already stressed-out body. I needed something to help me manage my thoughts in a healthier way. So I wrote an anthem.
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Why I Wrote an MS Anthem
This anthem became my personal battle cry. It gave me something to hold onto in the chaos of those early days and helped me stay focused on hope rather than fear. It was something I could return to again and again when I needed to ground myself.
Today, I want to share that anthem with you. If it resonates with you, you can download your own copy at alenebrennan.com/anthem so you can print it, post it, and repeat it as often as needed.
The Power of a Positive Mindset with MS
In a previous episode, we talked about the importance of mindset when living with a chronic illness. After my diagnosis, I learned that the emotional side of MS was just as important as the physical. Research shows that our thoughts and emotions directly impact our health.
Stress, anxiety, and fear can suppress the immune system, making it even harder for the body to manage a disease like MS. In other words, stressing over our health can actually make us feel worse.
While it is completely natural to feel overwhelmed, it is also empowering to know that our mindset can influence healing. Studies have found that a more positive mindset can lead to quicker recoveries, reduced pain, and even longer lives.
Why This Anthem Matters
This is a short episode because I want it to be something you come back to often. It is a reminder that you are more than this diagnosis. That you have power, choice, and strength even when MS tries to convince you otherwise.
Whether you are newly diagnosed or several years in, this is for you.
My MS Anthem
I am resilient.
I am empowered in my healing and in my world.
I nourish my body, my way, knowing there are healing choices available to me.
I have good days, I have bad ones. Neither fully define me.
I am not swayed by the inevitable peaks and valleys, not giving away my peace or power to either.
Despite how my body feels in this moment, I honor where I am.
I contradict what MS expects of me, what the world expects of me.
I am on my own path and it won’t look like everyone else’s.
I decide when to rally and when to rest.
I am not a stigma or a symptom. I am a story.
I refuse not to be seen amidst this unseen disease.
I am not a label. I am liberated to have a voice, to have a choice, to go beyond anyone else’s definition of me.
I hold hope like a lantern, lighting a path through a million shadows.
My experience may be standalone, but I do not have to stand alone.
I am more than MS.
I am MSIndependent and today I take my world back.
Let This Be Your Reminder
Use this anthem whenever you need to reset your mindset. Save it, share it, and speak it over yourself until it becomes part of your daily belief system. You are more than your diagnosis. You are strong, capable, and healing every day.
Want More Encouragement Like This?
Tune into this week’s special episode of My MS Podcast: 🎧 My Personal Anthem for Healing
Listen now to My MS Podcast
When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2016, my thoughts were all over the place. I worried about making the right decision when it came to my treatment in those early days. I worried about the possibilities of the worst-case scenarios coming true in my future. I worried day and night. And of course, it wasn’t productive because it only led to more stress in my body. I needed to do something to manage my thoughts. So I wrote an anthem. This was my battle cry, if you will, for getting through those early days of a diagnosis and holding on to hope for the future. So, in today's episode, I want to share this anthem with you, in hopes that it can help you too. And if you'd like to download a copy of the anthem, you can print it, post it, and repeat it to yourself.
Episode. There are 1 million people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the US. So, that makes you one in a million. And you have a special purpose in this world that no diagnosis can take away from you. So, if you are ready to reclaim your body, mind and life from multiple sclerosis, welcome to my MS podcast. I'm your host, Alene Brennan. In our last episode, we talked all about the importance of developing a healthy mindset when it comes to living with a chronic illness like multiple sclerosis. We all have those runaway thoughts and sometimes they feel like they'll just never end. They feel like they never end. I experienced this firsthand when I was diagnosed with MS. Then as I was doing some research online, I saw that several studies had shown a strong connection between our mental health and our physical health.
Stress, anxiety, and negative emotions can weaken the immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off illnesses and manage chronic conditions. Hello, MS. So you're telling me that stressing over my health is making me more sick? Thanks. Appreciate that one. I don't think that it's realistic to not be emotionally affected by a diagnosis like MS, but I do think it's important to acknowledge the importance of managing our emotions. Research indicates that maintaining a positive mindset can lead to faster recovery from surgeries, reduced pain perception and even enhanced longevity. This is a topic that I could share so much on, and I'm actually considering doing a whole season on mindset. So if that's something that you're interested in, let me know. I always love hearing your requests and what you are most interested in. But today I'm going to keep it short and brief. I'm doing so because I'm hoping that this episode is one that you download and save so that you can play it often, daily if you need it.
So my friends, this is my MS Anthem. I hope you enjoy it. I am resilient. I am empowered in my healing in my world. I nourish my body my way, knowing there are healing choices available to me. I have good days. I have bad days. Neither fully define me. I am not swayed by the inevitable peaks and valleys, not giving away my peace or power to either. Despite how my body feels in this moment, I honor where I am. I contradict what MS expects of me, what this world expects of me. I am on my own path and it will not look like anyone else's. I decide when to rally and when to rest. I am not a stigma or a symptom. I am a story.
And I refuse not to be seen amidst this unseen disease. I am not a label. I am liberated to have a voice, to have a choice, to go beyond anyone's definition of me. I hold hope like a lantern lighting a path through a million shadows. My experience may be standalone, but I do not stand alone. I am more than MS. I am Miss Independent, and today I take my world back. My friends, if you enjoyed this anthem here, again, I encourage you to print a copy out at Alenebrennan.Com/anthem, or simply download this episode to your phone. Play it on repeat. Get this in your thoughts on a daily basis. And of course, my hope is this helps you reclaim your body, mind, and life from multiple sclerosis. 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.
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