Many years ago, I wrote a newsletter article called, 10 Things I Want You To Know about What it’s Like to Live with Chronic Illness and published it for my New Year’s Day edition. I later included it in my Career Thrive Guidebook, Make It Happen: the Who, How and What when chronic illness stops you from getting your job done. It remains one of my favorite pieces that I’ve written because it addresses an issue that those of us living with chronic illness face.
Over the years, this article has gotten more mail than any other single thing I’ve written. Thinking back over the past year, the ONE thing that I hear people that they’d like others to understand is:
Just because I live with a chronic illness, I’m really no different from you. Although you can’t see how my health varies and I can’t predict it, I still get more done and get it done well than most of the people around me. Even if it’s not always in the same time frame or maybe in the same way, I bring tremendous value to what we’re doing here.
Is this true for you? What’s 1 thing you want people at work to know about what it’s like to live with chronic illness — so they might understand your experience better and be less likely to make incorrect assumptions?
Rosalind
MD says
If I were to choose one thing, I would say “Chronic illness can affect me both physically and emotionally. So there will be times when I will be slow, or irritable, or both. I will do my best to minimize those problems. I recognize that it affects people around me, and I am grateful for their help and patience. In return, I do everything I can to make a valuable contribution to the team, and so far I have been able to do this effectively, despite the issues I have.
Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com says
Hooray for you, MD. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
maria says
If I can pace myself based on what I know I can do, I will be a better employee for you in the long run. Know and trust in my abilities- don’t be blinded by the words “chronic illness”. I am not lupus – I merely live with it.
Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com says
Nice! I love every word of it…
stellenangebote berlin says
Gut!