I am approaching the one year anniversary of my blog. I have grown a lot over the past 11 months. I have made many wonderful new contacts. I have learned to be more open and honest about my health – with myself, and with my family and friends. I understand more about the causes and contributing factors of Fibromyalgia. I could go on and on about my growth, but this post is not about me. This post is a celebration of you.

If you were to ask me the most important thing I am taking away from this past year, I would say YOU. From the members of my Meetup support group, to my blogging buddies, to my facebook friends and to my twitter team – everyday I am amazed by the quality people stricken with chronic illness – my chronic community.

You are not a passive bunch, you are passionate. Passionate to learn, and to share, and to heal. Passionate about your craft and your creativity. Passionate about your friends and family. Passionate about your causes and your concerns. And I want to honor your passion. Some of you may have read this list before, but I think it is worth sharing again. We can all use a reminder every once in a while about how valuable we are. And you are valuable – each and every one of you. Valuable, and so much more.

Who You Are

You are survivors.

You are scientists.

You are strong.

You are seekers.

You are smart.

You are sensitive.

You are stoic.

You are resilient.

You are resourceful.

You are artistic.

You are intuitive.

You are compassionate.

You are genuine.

You are proud.

You are beautiful.

You are passionate.

You are brave.

You are creative.

You are wise.

You are empaths.

You are private.

You are each different.

You are complicated.

You are connected.

You are givers.

You are a community.

You are family.

You are friends.

You love life and want to live it to the fullest.

You seek knowledge and understanding.

You appreciate empathy.

You have great senses of humor.

You have hope.

You are real.

You are much, much more than your illness.

Everyday you show me how valuable we all are. Everyday you impress me. Everyday you overwhelm me. And everyday you remind me that we are so much more than our illness. But just in case you do not always remember this yourself, look back over the list and take in all that you are. Pick out the ones that apply most to you, and really think about them. Focus on them for a few minutes. Say them over and over again in you mind. Be proud and say them out loud. Spend some time focusing on all that you are, not on all that you can no longer be. Your illness may be invisible, but you are not.

From The American Pain Foundation:

September provides a unique opportunity to highlight the work organizations and individuals do all year to improve pain treatment, raise awareness, dispel tragic myths and spark much needed change in order for people to get the pain care they deserve.

The first ever National Day of Action for Pain Awareness will be held on Saturday, September 26th, 2009.   On this day, we hope you and your community will join together, share your stories, take pictures, and show the country that together we can make a difference.

This charge is being led by APF’s Power Over Pain Action Network (POPAN). Please visit www.popactionnetwork.org to learn more about the network, the leaders in your state, and visit the Events page to get involved in or post activities happening near you!

Get involved. Sign the petition. Become an advocate for the elimination of the undertreatment of pain. Click on the events page and browse the 40 events scheduled across the country or check out their Action Toolkit and schedule your own event.

If getting involved with the American Pain Foundation is not right for you, how about participating in the Virtual Conference over at Invisible Illness Week? National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is September 14 – September 18.

From Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries and creator behind National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week:

Regardless of where one’s spiritual ties are, there is an fundamental human desire to feel understood, to feel like those you love have some idea about what you are going through. One of the most difficult adjustments to illness is that you feel life is passing you by and no one around you even realizes it. We hope through our conference we can provide a place where people find the true source of being validated in their pain, how to live joyfully despite their illness, and of course, we want to increase awareness about how many suffer silently. Like our theme says, ‘A Little Help Gives a Lot of Hope.’ It really does.

In her continuing effort to make a difference Lisa has scheduled four speakers per day giving special presentations and taking calls from you on the phone for an interactive, encouraging, and educational forum that will leave you feeling refreshed and hopeful that chronic illness doesn’t have to define who you are!

But wait, there’s more…

My 30 Things About Me post was another way I am participating in all of the activities Lisa organized and promoted for Invisible Illness Awareness week. And on Monday September 14, my blog post will also be dedicated to increasing awareness of invisible illness. Do you have a blog? Would you like to participate? Sign up at Bloggers Unite and commit yourself to the cause.

Isn’t it encouraging to learn about these efforts to improve our chronic pain and our shine a light on our invisible illness? Even if you are not capable of getting personally involved, take comfort in knowing there is a movement toward progress and change.