Friday Musings—29/11/24

What's new with me

This week I had my appointment with the specialist for my ulcerative colitis. He explained that we need to increase the medication dosage for at least a year to get the symptoms into remission. If I start feeling better, there’ll be no need to escalate further—the next step would be immunosuppressants, which I really hope won’t be necessary! After a new colonoscopy in a year, we’ll reassess.

I have a follow-up appointment with him in January, and he assured me I can email him if I have any questions or concerns. Most importantly, I now have a plan—something I’ve been lacking for so long. Having a clear action path and a timeline makes me feel much more proactive and hopeful.

Desire and acceptance

After my visit with the gastroenterologist, I did a yoga class that was exactly what I needed. The teacher ended the class by sharing a quote by Mark Manson: "The desire for a more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one’s negative experience is itself a positive experience".

I wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of taking stronger medication, but this perspective helped me come to terms with it.

What's the silver lining?

As a segue to the previous point. One thing that’s prevented me from accepting all that’s happened to me over the past five years—acne, hair loss, a knee operation, pelvic floor pain, and, most recently, inflammatory bowel disease—is my constant focus on everything I was losing: my looks, agility, and energy. On top of that, it felt profoundly unfair to face these new challenges after 25 years of eating disorders.

We’ve already established that life isn’t fair, so I won’t dwell on that! What I want to explore now is our tendency to only see the negatives. Let’s be honest, no one would celebrate dealing with so many health issues. But it’s also true that I’ve gained something from each of these experiences. I’m not saying I’d ever voluntarily choose these challenges, but since I have to deal with them, it’s better to find the silver linings, however small they may be.

Recently, I came across a video from a young Italian guy who’s in his 20's but wise beyond his years. He’s financially independent, runs his own company, and lives in a lovely house in Portugal. What struck me is how grounded he is—he doesn’t show off but shares insights into the mindset that’s helped him achieve his goals. Two things stood out to me.

First, he emphasized believing in the possibility before worrying about the obstacles, which is something I've already discussed here. Second, he talked about finding the silver lining in every situation. For instance, he’s short, and while this caused him grief for years, he eventually decided to list both the disadvantages and advantages of being short. He realized it makes travel easier (no issues with plane seats!), studies suggest shorter people live longer and have lower cancer rates, it motivated him to strengthen other areas of his life, like working out regularly, and so on.

In my case, I’ve found unexpected benefits in my own challenges. My knee operation led me to a physiotherapist who not only treated my torn meniscus but also helped with my neck and wrist issues, as well as improving my overall posture—things I’d likely have ignored otherwise. Similarly, pelvic floor pain pushed me to work with a pelvic floor physio who uncovered other issues I’d never have known about. As a result, I’ve likely prevented future problems.

Hair loss prompted me to take a course where I learned about my hair type, proper brushing and washing techniques, protective hairstyles, and reading ingredient labels on haircare products. While I don’t have the best mane of hair, I’ve seen improvements, and gained knowledge that will serve me long-term.

Acne has been the hardest. Losing my clear skin has been incredibly painful, and it’s still holding me back from posting on YouTube (working on it 😅). That said, acne has forced me to uncover serious hormonal imbalances that affect my overall health. It’s also made me proactive about my reproductive health—something that’s been negatively impacted by eating disorders. Without acne, I might never have addressed these issues. Finding a good endocrinologist isn't easy, but that’s a topic for another musing!

Have you ever found an unexpected benefit in a tough situation? Please share in the comments or feel free to hit reply, I'd love to hear your story.

What is art?

As a non-segue, I'm sharing this piece, which sparks an age-old question: what is art? Also, as many have asked, have we all lost our minds?

Maurizio Cattelan’s conceptual piece Comedian—a banana duct-taped to a wall—recently sold for $5.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York. Whatever one may think, it’s undeniable that Cattelan has an extraordinary ability to spark discussions—not only about his works but also about broader cultural dynamics.

More generally, I’m in awe of people—artists or otherwise—who seem especially attuned to the zeitgeist. Individuals who manage to do what they do "in a more interesting way, at the right time, in the right context and understand what they’re doing better than others". 

Do you think modern art like Cattelan’s banana is meaningful or have we indeed lost our minds?

Quote of the week ✍️ 

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses."  (Alphonse Karr)

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Which musing resonated with you the most? Are there any topics you’d like me to explore in future newsletters? Have suggestions or insights to share? Let me know in the comments or send me an email. And if you think someone else might enjoy this, don’t forget to share it with them!

Enjoy your weekend and TTYS

ML