grumpy ass would rather be sip-
ping mimosas and eat tacos until
my soul feels better or I explode,
whichever happens first. Seriously,
if Lupus were that easy to cure,
I (along with the estimated 1.5
million Americans and 5 million
worldwide who have Lupus, 90%
of which are women) wouldn’t be
hobbling into the doctor’s office
for another round of treatment.
I know that people are trying to
help, but they almost always end
up being insulting. Assuming my
diet is so piss-poor that if I just
changed it, I would be cured is
an insult no matter how well-in-
tentioned. As is the assumption
that I don’t exercise enough, I eat
clean and exercise as much as I
can when my body can tolerate
it. However, I do love my sweets
(tacos, donuts, and champagne), I
won’t apologize for that.
Growing a business isn’t easy with
a chronic illness. When a flare-up
hits, I need to put on the brakes
and take care of me first. However,
flare-ups aren’t ever on my “to-
do” list, so I am learning to work
with my illness and not against it.
Listening to my body is key, I no
longer try and push through when
my body says rest. I have hired an
assistant who kicks major ass and
understands that sometimes my
illness means I need to take an
unscheduled day off. She has been
extremely patient and helpful
which I am very thankful for.
The biggest lesson I have learned
is that asking for help is always
okay! We are conditioned to think
that asking for help is a weakness,
but in truth, it is a mark of wis-
dom. Knowing how and when to
delegate out tasks and seeking the
advice of someone more experi-
enced is what makes great lead-
ers great. We as business leaders
need to make learning, sharing,
and teaching an everyday aspect
of our business, but that can’t be
achieved if we are too proud to ask
for help when we need it.
Those five letters don’t define me,
but they are a part of who I am.
They implore me to accept me as I
am. They teach me to listen to my
body always (this I still struggle
with a bit), and they remind me
that I have a community of men
and women who are living healthy
lives with Lupus every day. I am
not alone in this.
Love
Understanding
Patience
Unity
Support
There you have it, my five letters
that have become my five words
that have managed to change my
life.
About the Author
Jeanine is a small business consultant for creative entrepreneurs
(just call her Yoda, young Jedi). Her years of business management
experience will help you lay a solid business foundation to build
upon. With her ingenuity, passion for business, and customer-service
focused approach to consulting she can help any creative slay the
entrepreneurial game.
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