Does how we talk about our illness change the trajectory of our illness? I’m Annette Leonard of https://www.annetteleonard.com you can find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theannetteleonard Often when faced with illness we speak in violent metaphors: being a warrior, tackling, battling, fighting. We talk about me against the disease. We think of it as a fight. This seems logical. It seems like I'm working against something that's working against me. As the pandemic proved out, we talked about how the virus was attacking us. It seems like second nature and something we don't even pause to question. However, I think it's worthwhile to pause and consider. Especially for those of us with prolonged illness. Many masters have taught the idea of "that which we resist persists." I've talked here before about how learning to have peace and have acceptance about my illness have brought different kinds of benefits to me. We also have lots of research about how our mind/thoughts impact our experience. So if my thoughts are on pathologizing/battling, what does that mean? When I'm sick for a long time, what does it mean if I'm not fighting? Am I giving up? Giving in? I think there's a lot of benefit to making peace with our illnesses. I can journal and ask "what do you need illness? What changes could I make that could quiet you? How could I invite you to calm down?" These battle metaphors aren't the only options. My next Chronic Wellness Conversation will be with Jake Eagle, author of "The Power of A.W.E." on October 12 at 11 am PST on IG Live. Join us!