Everyone Has Something

One of the easiest traps to fall into after a scoliosis diagnosis is believing that everyone else has it easier than you.

You look around school and see people who seem confident.

People who seem comfortable in their bodies.

People who seem carefree.

People who seem like they don't have to worry about anything.

Meanwhile, you're thinking about your rib hump.

Your shoulders.

Your next appointment.

Your curve.

Your body.

And it can start to feel like you're the only one carrying something difficult.

But that's almost never true.

The reality is that everyone has something.

Not everyone has scoliosis.

But everyone has something.

The student who seems perfectly confident may struggle with anxiety.

The athlete everyone admires may be dealing with an injury.

The classmate with lots of friends may feel lonely.

The person who always looks happy may be going through something difficult at home.

The student who seems to have everything together may be fighting battles nobody can see.

Most struggles are invisible.

That's why it's so easy to assume everyone else's life is perfect.

You see their outside.

You don't see their inside.

You see them laughing at lunch.

You don't see what keeps them awake at night.

You see them walking through the hallway.

You don't see what they're worried about.

You see a small piece of their story.

Not the whole story.

The same thing happens with you.

People see you at school.

They see you talking to friends.

They see you sitting in class.

They don't automatically know about the thoughts you carry regarding scoliosis.

And just like you can't see all of their struggles, they can't see all of yours.

That doesn't mean your scoliosis isn't difficult.

It is.

Some days it may feel incredibly difficult.

But remembering that everyone is carrying something can help you feel less alone.

Because life isn't divided into people with problems and people without problems.

It's simply people with different problems.

Some are visible.

Some are hidden.

Some are temporary.

Some last longer.

But everyone is dealing with something.

This is important because scoliosis can sometimes make you feel isolated.

You may think:

"Nobody understands."

"Nobody else worries about their body like this."

"Nobody else feels this way."

While your specific experience is unique, the feeling of struggling with something isn't.

Millions of people know what it feels like to be insecure.

Millions of people know what it feels like to worry about being different.

Millions of people know what it feels like to carry something they wish they didn't have to carry.

You're not as alone as scoliosis sometimes makes you feel.

And here's something else worth remembering:

The things people struggle with do not define them.

Your friend is not their anxiety.

Your classmate is not their family problems.

Your teammate is not their insecurity.

And you are not your scoliosis.

It is something you have.

It is not who you are.

So when scoliosis starts making you feel like you're the only person carrying something hard, take a look around.

Not everyone has scoliosis.

But everyone has something.

And knowing that doesn't make your struggles smaller.

It just reminds you that you're part of a world full of people doing their best to carry their own challenges too.

You're not alone in that.

Not even close.