Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode Ashley and Rebecca talk about the question of: Who am I? So often we identify with our job, our diagnosis and other titles and labels. We talk about how this can limit your perspective of yourself and it can be beneficial to be curious about our authentic selves.
Rebecca talks about how she has been putting herself out there more and trying to be friendly and connect with strangers and neighbors. She acknowledges that she can't control their reaction and talks about a time that someone wasn't responsive to her attempt to connect and she tried not to take it personally. We ask each other: Who are you, outside of your IBD and your roles? Rebecca said that she is focused on her relationships with others, views herself as an advocate and that she is passionate about speaking up for herself and others. Ashley talks about how she has always enjoyed the simple things in life, such as cooking, enjoying nature, and spending time with her family, who all have a great sense of humor. Ashley also mentions that while she is an introvert, she is very focused on her purpose of supporting those with IBD, so she steps out of her comfort zone often in order to connect with others. Ashley talks about how sharing her own personal struggles, though difficult, can help others feel more supported and not alone.
Being in tune with our authentic selves can allow us to have better connections with others. We have found that investigating the question of who we are, finding what works for ourselves and being ok with the fact that other people may operate differently, have all been helpful.