After 15 years of living with NMOSD, I’ve found that the best way to be strong and to be human is to find other people to depend on. If we are all human, we can always band together to support and empower one another. There will be bad days, but there will also be good ones—but having other people who are willing to meet me where I’m at means every day becomes a good one.
This idea of meeting someone where they are at requires two crucial things. The first is community connections, like making friends, relying on family, and being willing to meet new people in and out of the community who will be willing to help you pursue the life you want to pursue, without strings attached. The second thing is self-set boundaries. Without self-set boundaries, someone may discourage you from doing something because they think that you can’t, or may tell you that you should be able to do something when you know you can’t. Your capacity on any given day is not other people’s decision—it’s yours! So if you encounter someone who is breaking that boundary, remind them that you set your own boundaries and limitations based on how you’re feeling.
Having both community connections and self-set boundaries means you don’t have to rely on just yourself. You can find strength in numbers when you rely upon your community, doing whatever you need to to make yourself feel empowered while not being afraid to have moments of vulnerability and weakness with others.
Remember that you are NOT alone, and that there are so many people just like you out there. We will see you next time for issue 3 of 2025’s SRNA Magazine: Disability & Resilience.
