Over the course of the last year I was challenged to write a blog each week about my journey. I was encouraged to be truthful, raw and to describe my ailments and their affect on my life. This in itself and the possibility to help another, led me to say yes.
All of my pieces are about how I’m feeling, an experience I have had, my opinion on my own journey and how it pertains to life in general. It’s been in the form of poems and short stories and I have had the greatest experience doing so. When saying yes to this I knew it would be a great opportunity to help others and myself. So every week as I power through my struggles I am inspired by what I am going through and how much this can teach someone else. Each week I would write when I was in pain, when I was up late, when I was feeling down because each week is dramatically different. There were times when I wasn’t able to complete a blog and I would be so upset with my ailments and the fact that I felt like I failed, it would cause me more despair. But when communicating with the founder/and or social media director and my peers instead of being reprimanded and deminished like have in the past, I was always validated and reminded that I can try again the next week.. Something I am not used to when it comes to a job or task of any sort. This encouraged me to continue writing and volunteering and it would also remind me that my ailments are natural and never my fault. No one one should be made to feel like it is their fault.
I’m saying this to encourage any of our readers to think about volunteering when new positions become available. We are always expanding and for now we welcome you all to continue sharing your stories and following us in our journey as well, while we try to create change for those like us. We are all so important to this movement, myself included. Volunteering for me has been so eye opening and fulfilling. I have also had the honour of reading my peers stories as well and learning how different we all are yet how much we have in common.
This month is my one year mark with IW and I’m so proud of myself and how much I’ve been able to accomplish. I’m also so proud of my co-members and volunteers. To see where this movement will go is something I look forward to and I’m so very proud to be a part of something beyond myself.
If you are thinking about joining! Try it. All Are Welcome. If you have a condition.. that’s even better. We want real people, telling real stories trying to make real change.
Anyways, that’s been my year with IWM and I hope this encourages others.
-Belinda
@thechronicallyillqueen