Are you ever at home in your own skin when you have eczema? Honestly, some days I'm good "in my skin" and others not so much. As I am starting up my business to help parents of children with eczema, I have been transported back to life as a child with this condition.
It's been an interesting few weeks, I started coaching a small group of parents, trying out a concept I have. What I didn't expect was all the questions and emotions it would bring out of me. I have connected to my parents on a much deeper level since starting on this venture. Sharing my perspective on what went on when I was younger and them sharing their side of the story. It's amazing to me the different perspectives we had.
I've also realised that so many of my personality traits can be traced back to me learning to cope with this condition. When you can't control how your skin is on a daily basis, or the face you present to the world, you look for other ways to control things. For me anything I can control I will, I have never been spontaneous! Holidays are planned to within an inch of their life, dinner is planned a week ahead...I need to chill out...
At 35 and after many years of feeling out of control when I was younger I now have the tools to know it will be okay. I occasionally get flare ups on my hands, eczema is in my family line on both sides it seems, but I never dreamed that I would have skin like I have now. I haven't used moisturiser for over 6 weeks now and all is well! I will continue to experiment with things, my body is mine to figure out, and after all this time I am just starting to appreciate all the things it has taught me.
It's now time to hand down this knowledge to another generation so they don't feel as lost as I. If you know any parents with young children with eczema please forward this blog to them! If you have kids with eczema come and join my facebook group to start to learn some of this stuff!