How I Maintain a Positive Attitude With Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Being positive is one of the hardest things in the world to do. It’s much easier to be negative and listen to those negative things we hear daily.

People who are always positive in any situation used to annoy me because I was so comfortable with my negative energy. I would always see the negative in everything and speak on it until I realized it was no longer serving me. I didn’t know how my attitude was so detrimental to my physical and mental health until I was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy.

A change of attitude

I realized that I had a choice every day I woke up whether or not to be negative or positive. So I chose to start thinking positively, but I didn’t come to this conclusion without help.

After being hospitalized, I decided to go and speak to a therapist. She taught me how to maintain a positive attitude, and now I’m going to share it with you.

Accepting and navigating my diagnosis

Acceptance is something that most of us, if not all of us, struggle with when we are diagnosed. In my case, I was so depressed because I was diagnosed at 25 years old, and there were so many things I couldn’t do. Limitations were placed on me, and I started on a medication regimen. It was too much for my mind to handle.

There were days when I would just lay in bed feeling sorry for myself and thinking, "How can this be my life?" I ate a healthy diet, and I was an athlete at the collegiate level, but here I was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy.

I hadn’t come to terms with this new life that I was supposed to live, so it was challenging trying to navigate through the uncharted territory.

Homework from my therapist

After every session, my therapist would give me a homework assignment:

Leaving yourself positive notes
The first thing my therapist taught me is to post positive messages or quotes on the entryways of places you walk to in your house, like the bedroom or at your desk. The best way to start having a positive outlook on life is to start with this step, because it forces your brain to use positive reinforcement.

Repeating affirmations until you believe them
The second thing that my therapist told me to do was to write down affirmations, but I found it was more effective for me to read them out loud in the mirror. It makes you feel empowered and gives you a sense of pride. In other words, you will start to believe in what you are saying.

Creating lists of things you like about yourself
She also told me to create a list of 5 positive things about myself before I leave the house every morning; that way, I'm less likely to start thinking negatively.

Keeping a gratitude journal
Gratitude journaling is also another way to maintain a positive attitude. Simply writing down what you are grateful for helps you see life from a different perspective. No matter what we are going through, chances are someone else is going through the same things. 

Establishing a self-care routine
Last but not least is getting into a self-care routine. Whether that looks like a walk, reading a book, sitting outside, meditating, or getting a spa treatment, make sure you make time for yourself, because you will likely start to feel better.

Thinking positively is a work in progress

Thinking positively is difficult, and it is a work in progress in my life.

Once I started feeling better about myself, I began to realize that I’m blessed, and I should start treating every day as a gift, because there are people still in the hospital fighting for their lives daily. I know there is stigma around seeing a therapist, but you should never be ashamed to seek support from a therapist. Your mental health is just as important as your heart health.

Have you found therapy helpful in coping with your CVD diagnosis or caring for someone with a CVD condition? Share with us in the comments below, or submit a story by clicking the blue button below.

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