When my psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis were at their worst, it was nearly impossible for me to work.
I had a hard time getting out of bed, let alone getting dressed up and going to a job every day. There were many days where I felt afraid that I’d never be able to fulfill the dreams I held inside my heart. I wanted to be an active participant in life, not sick in my bed.
After spending several years battling my conditions, I eventually had to figure out ways to create the life of my dreams. I needed to find a job that worked for me even when my health was in a challenging place. I also wanted to find a way to pursue the things I was passionate about.
That’s when I started to learn what it meant to “manifest” something. Manifestation is a term that a lot of self-help gurus talk about, but what does it actually mean? For me, it was the beautiful practice of discovering what you truly desire, and then finding opportunities to create that in your life in an easy way. Instead of pushing or forcing something to happen, you simply imagine it or declare it, and then take simple steps to make it happen. You become aware that you’re meant to have the things that you want in this world, so you pursue your dreams in a way that’s aligned with that.
Here’s a look at the path I took toward my dreams, and how you can also achieve what you desire despite your psoriasis.
Discovering what I wanted
Before I got my first job, I spent a significant amount of time figuring out what type of work would actually make me happy before I even began my search.
In this discovery process, I realized that I wanted something that was flexible with my schedule, so there wouldn’t be any issues if I had a doctor appointment or a health flare-up. I also wanted a job where I could meet new people, and one that had a creative element to it. Not to mention, I had a certain amount of income I wanted to make. I remember telling my mom about these desires for my first job and she kind of laughed. She told me, “No one gets everything that they want in a job; you just have to get to work and be happy someone is hiring you!”
She had a fair point, and a lot of evidence to back up her claim. But I still believed in something more. I listened to her, but I knew in the back of my mind that I had the power of the whole universe on my side. I was determined to prove her wrong.
In just a few days, I got my very first job at a real estate company. It was everything I had asked for and I was so excited about it. I had all the flexibility in the world, I made great money, and I could be creative in the ways I’d work with clients and advertise properties. It was an actual dream come true.
Getting out of my comfort zone
After working in the real estate industry for several years, I began to feel that there might be more that I was meant to do. I started the process of discovery and manifestation all over again, and it opened me up to an even more incredible dream.
My dream to have my own talk show and be an entrepreneur in the wellness industry was so out of my comfort zone. I don’t think I could have ever achieved these goals if I didn’t rely heavily on manifestation. I needed to believe in something greater than my current circumstances. You see, even when I went in to audition for my talk show, “Naturally Beautiful,” I was experiencing a psoriasis flare-up all over my body.
Still, I knew I was meant to have a show. If I had just taken my current circumstances into account, I wouldn’t have had the courage to truly believe in myself.
I remember walking into the audition with psoriasis covering my hands. But I also walked in with an insane amount of determination and confidence radiating from my heart. The producers noticed my skin, but they noticed the true essence of who I was much more. That’s what got me the job of my dreams.
The takeaway
While your current circumstances might seem disempowering, or like they’ll hold you back forever, you have every right to believe in something else — something more. Today, I invite you to start believing in a life greater than your current situation.
Maybe you have a lot of the things that you’ve always wanted, but there’s just one area of your life that isn’t what you hoped it would be. Or, maybe you’re in a situation like I was, and your body is in so much pain and discomfort that it’s hard to imagine ever being able to do more than just survive.
If you take a few minutes each day and commit to discovering what it is you truly want, and follow that with small but intentional steps, you can achieve your dreams. Are there dreams inside of you that you have been resisting or afraid to pursue? Consider this your sign from the universe to go after what you truly want. Your time is now!
Nitika Chopra is a beauty and lifestyle expert committed to spreading the power of self-care and the message of self-love. Living with psoriasis, she’s also the host of the “Naturally Beautiful” talk show. Connect with her on her website, Twitter, or Instagram.