It’s Ok to Need a Break

I had a day recently where I just could NOT talk about MS anymore.

I had attended some informational sessions about MS, which I enjoyed and found helpful, but it was taking a toll on me. Between getting more education and info on my condition, dealing with symptoms, working on my blog, scrolling social media, and writing for WebMD, it was just too much MS.

When I went through the Patient Leader Certification program, there was a section specifically about managing burnout and recognizing “advocacy fatigue.” When you dedicate your time to patient advocacy and helping others – as well as just the everyday reality of managing a chronic illness – burnout is real.

I’ve definitely felt this before, and I’m learning how to balance my advocacy goals with just living my life. I’m always happy to answer questions about MS and I want to do all that I can to advocate and help others – sometimes though, I need a break.

Rich coming from me…sharing on my MS blog…about needing a break from talking about MS.

But for real, we all need time away from talking about it and thinking about it. We live it every day, so it’s not always possible, but even taking those small moments to think about something else helps.

This doesn’t mean that I’ll stop writing or advocating, or even that I’m stepping away. I’m not! I’m just trying to take purposeful micro-breaks every once in a while, to remind myself that even though I have MS, it’s not my entire identity.