The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) hit me like a freight train, slamming my life into a whole new dimension; a lot of adjusting was needed. Suddenly, I found myself reevaluating just about everything. It’s an odd sensation, realizing that there are definite limits, and those options you thought were wide open are narrowing by the day.

Of course, I always knew that life is finite. But this time, the limits took on a palpable form, and the possibility of many of the things I hold dear coming to a screeching halt became all too real.

In a nutshell, I’ve come to grips with the stark prospects of life. It’s made me realize that I’ve got to live it better, make the absolute most of it. Two things have crystallized as my focal points: first, do whatever it takes to avoid ending up in a wheelchair or worse, and second, squeeze every drop of life out of the moments I’ve got.

Can MS Bring Something Positive to My Life?

Now, that might sound like a no-brainer, something I’d probably scoff at just yesterday. But this newfound perspective has set a wildfire under my feet. All those plans that had been idling in my head, left simmering on the back burner, I’ve finally taken the plunge. I’ve put together a diet plan and a workout plan, and I’m actually following through with them. I’m also embracing some long-held dreams and catching up with old friends.

Before the diagnosis, I hesitated to take these steps, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. Maybe it was the fear of failure, or perhaps the thought of coming across as too assertive to some friends, who might not have responded well. Maybe, deep down, I worried that they weren’t such great friends after all.

But you know what? I don’t have the luxury to care about all that anymore, do I? Time’s ticking away, and I refuse to let it slip through my fingers. In the end, this whole MS ordeal, it’s given me something I should have embraced long ago—direction, energy, and a renewed sense of purpose. MS has managed to awaken something positive in me, something I probably should’ve found on my own, even without the diagnosis.

Read more about adjusting to life with multiple sclerosis here.