US 
I have been guilty of not appreciating my life, most of my life I have been back and forth with my feelings. After surviving a disease that has quite a significant mortality rate I occasionally feel survivor’s guilt, so often I have been told how lucky I am to be alive, but at times I have felt the unluckiest person in the world. I still struggle to accept that I will never have a completely ‘normal’ life but I have learned to appreciate the life I do have and having a stoma does have its perks at times.
I think you can only fully appreciate life when it is so close to being taken from you. On my bad days I just think of the journey I have had, so many people fought for me on that very first day when the odds were stacked against me and so many have helped me since then.
Sometimes it can be hard for anyone to appreciate life, we are so distracted we forget how lucky we are to simply exist. Getting to grips with a stoma can be really tough, it’s so easy to be overcome by emotion, the thought of ever enjoying life again can seem millions of miles away. Each day I am reminded of how beautiful the world is, without my stoma I would never have had a chance to experience everything it has to offer.
Small achievements matter!
We constantly compare ourselves to others, it’s hard not to.
When I had my stoma re-sited in 2022 I felt left behind by all my peers, I was at a standstill whilst they had their ‘big wins’.
Bigger goals feel unrealistic and exhausting, not achieving them leaves me feeling down and unmotivated and sets me in a downwards spiral. Setting smaller goals such as reading a new book, getting to bed earlier, picking a healthier meal keeps me motivated and achieving them lifts my confidence.
Finding joy in life
I look for joy in so many places, I love to look up at the stars and the moon. I love the feeling of sunshine on my skin but also the cold of the snow. I enjoy the sensation of swimming underwater and grass under my feet.
Without my stoma I would never have had the joy of meeting my dog and loving her for 12 years. I would never have had the chance to go to University, to fall in love and to help other people.
Making positive shifts
I’ve spent a long time not looking after myself properly, letting the weeks go by and wishing the days away through tiredness and lack of motivation. Since having my stoma re-sited I have developed better habits, I am eating better, doing more exercise, meeting friends and family more regularly and being more consistent with self-care. I have learned not to be hard on myself, some days feel impossible but after a good meal and sleep I wake up feeling like I can take on the world again.
My advice
To make positive progress, pick milestones that are most important to you and achievable. Society milestones can feel arbitrary, sometimes unrealistic and putting a timeframe on your life can be stressful. Life isn’t linear, there will be setbacks, and small achievements help towards the bigger goal. Celebrate every small win and the big wins will follow.
There is still so much to look forward to, just take your time to recover both physically and mentally. Lean on your family and friends and let all emotion out whenever you need to.
If you are ever struggling to appreciate life with a stoma just take a moment and smell a flower or throw a ball for your dog, feel the grass on your feet or look out to the stars, I promise this will remind you how precious your life is and how important it is to put your stamp on the world.
Having a stoma makes me appreciate life each day, without this little organ poking through my belly I wouldn’t be here enjoying myself.