15 Inspirational Chronic Illness And Pain Quotes
Chronic Illness And Pain Quotes
Living with chronic illness and pain can be a challenging and lonely experience. It can be extremely difficult to find the strength to keep going, when you feel like you are in a constant battle against your own body. These 15 quotes offer words of encouragement and remind you that you are never truly alone in your struggles.
1) “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free.
There is a mistaken assumption when we are young that life will become easier as we age, but the alternative is usually the case. Life only becomes more complex as we age. This is especially apparent when facing chronic pain or illness. Life is an ever evolving acceptance of where we are, as we are.
2) “The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived.”
― Robert Jordan, The Fires of Heaven
This quote so eloquently demonstrates in a simple way the need to adapt and adjust to our life and the “weather” we experience. Rigidity and the need for control will only harm us more.
3) “Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it’s less good than the one you had before. You can fight it, you can do nothing but scream about what you’ve lost, or you can accept that and try to put together something that’s good.”
― Elizabeth Edwards
I love the way this quote shows us that even if we are unaccepting of our reality it will not change it. The sooner that we can come to a place of acceptance, the quicker we can move forward into a more joyful life even alongside illness and pain.
4) “If your heart is broken, make art with the pieces.”
― Shane Koyczan
We are never truly broken and we are so much stronger than we ever imagined. Lean into the unique strength your “brokenness” is gifting you.
5) “Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.”
― Gever Tulley
There is so much gained through facing all that you do each and every day. It only makes you better prepared to meet the next challenge.
6) “It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.”
― Dieter F. Uchtdorf
It is our reaction to everything in our life that defines how our life evolves. We have very little choice over a lot in our lives, but we always have agency to react in a way that is supportive of our goals and life.
7) “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
― Maya Angelou
I completely agree with Maya. No matter our life circumstances, they do not have to define us as a person.
8) “She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
― Elizabeth Edwards
Life is ever-evolving and changing. The quicker we learn to expect difficulties in life, the sooner we can get to refocusing our attention on living our best life.
9) “No matter how bleak or menacing a situation may appear, it does not entirely own us. It can’t take away our freedom to respond, our power to take action.”
― Ryder Carroll
We always have the choice in how we respond and react to the challenges in our lives.
10) “On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin.”
― Gregory S. Williams
It truly is the most difficult times in our lives that give us the greatest strength, not the easy times.
11) “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
― Helen Keller
The world is full of those that are suffering, but persevering anyway.
12) ”You are not your illness. You have an individual story to tell. You have a name, a history, a personality. Staying yourself is part of the battle." - Julian Seifter
You are more than your condition and have a unique story to tell.
13) ”Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." - Haruki Murakami
While we may not be able to control the pain we experience, we can choose how we respond to it. Suffering is a choice, and we have the power to choose to focus on the positive aspects of our lives and find joy alongside our pain.
14) ”The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us but those who win battles we know nothing about." - Unknown
We never truly know what battles someone else may be facing. It's easy to assume that someone who appears strong and put-together on the outside is not struggling, but the reality is that many people are fighting invisible battles every day.
15) ”You are not a burden. You are a human being with challenges that are valid and real." - Unknown
It is okay to ask for help and support when dealing with chronic illness and pain. It's easy to feel like a burden on others when we need extra help or accommodations, but the truth is that we all have challenges and limitations. It's important to remember that our struggles are valid and real, and that we deserve compassion and understanding from ourselves and others.