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Celiac disease impacts many aspects of life, even still, you are more than celiac disease. Celiac disease does not define you. Your autoimmune system overreacting to gluten and damaging your small intestine, does not define you.
You are more than celiac disease and it’s important to understand that.
When you start identifying as a “celiac”, it’s easy to start to let it control every aspect of our life.
It makes it easy to say “I can’t” instead of trying to figure out how you can. It starts to allow celiac disease to dictate your life instead of keeping you in the drivers seat.
For example, it could be the difference between feeling like you can’t travel and preparing/planning safe trips.
Celiac disease does impact and influence a lot but it doesn’t have to control you. You get to decide what defines you.
A motto I like is “don’t let celiac disease win” and understanding you are more than celiac disease is a great way to start living by that motto.
I could keep the list going but instead, I challenge you to make your own list of who you are beyond celiac disease.
Think about who you were before your diagnosis and what has and hasn’t changed since. Think about your personality and what kind of friend/family member you are.
You get to decide what defines you.
I can’t say you’ll fully understand how you are more than celiac disease overnight, but I can say it gets better with time. With that being said, I do have some tips on letting go of your celiac disease identity:
If you’re struggling with finding who you are beyond celiac disease or struggling with getting back to who you were before celiac, I dedicate an entire week and more to helping you explore just that in the 10-week Celiac Disease Wellness Journal. Grab a copy by clicking the link below to explore more in-depth who you are beyond celiac disease.