The definition of Adapt is: "becoming adjusted to new conditions". This word has such a deep and special meaning to me, and it is my mantra. It has helped me get through all the extremely rough times in my life and journey with Chronic Lyme Disease; it has helped me get to where I am today. I feel like this word can apply to every single person. I am writing this, to hopefully give whoever reads it, hope in their dreams and comfort in whatever situation they might be dealing with.
"New conditions" can mean something different for everyone individually. Whether it be a big change or a small change in your life, change can be difficult or have you feeling lost sometimes. For me, the hardest and biggest change was getting diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease, it had changed my whole life; or so I thought. I am going to be honest, doing the whole "trial and error" with treatment options, dealing with the side affects of treatment, and not going to school my senior year of high school was difficult; I was scared. I was at a really low and confused point in my life, then my amazing mom shared with me the eye-opening meaning and definition of Adapt. I felt hopeful. Even though what I was going through was completely new to me, and something I never had done before or dealt with, I realized it was just a change in my life. This new change wasn't the end, yes it caused limitations and difficulty, but this change could not stop me from adjusting to it, continuing on with my life, and achieving my goals.
It helps me to try and simplify, in my mind, what I am going through; to think of new change as something I need to get used to, or an addition to my life that will not be so difficult once I adjust to it. The road to adjusting may not be easy, and can be frustrating at times, but if you believe in yourself and your dreams, you will get there. Don't let anything stop you from reaching your dreams. If you have a chronic illness, that illness is not who you are, yes it is something you have, but it is not you. You are still a person who has interests, goals, and a future. I try and think of my illnesses as things I have, not who I am, and I try to focus on my interests and what I want to do in life (travel, school, etc.), and then work towards those things. I found out, that this is the only way to move forward with my life. If I just focus on my illnesses and how I am feeling, that is where I would stay in life. Yes, it is tricky to manage treatments and symptoms along with school, but it is not impossible.
Having Adapt as my mantra has helped me create the future I want, and have belief in myself that I can achieve anything I put my mind to. I am so proud of myself and how far I have come already; I still can't believe I am at my dream school and am moving towards my dream life. You should be proud of yourselves too, no matter what you are going through, big or little, you are making it work. Believe in yourself, and don't let changes detour you from you dreams. Keep positive and Adapt.