‘Is it really me?’ - Mo Gowdat

In @DrChatterjee’s recent podcast with Mo Gowdat, former Chief Business Officer at Google, Mo was talking about how many of us strive to contribute to the world.

We may do this by taking on a caring role, or doing something we’re particularly good at.

But he argues, ‘Just because I’m good at something, it doesn’t make it me’.

He argues we should focus instead on doing things we love and are passionate about, that are aligned with who we are.

‘It doesn’t matter if I’m good at it, or better at it than another person, it’s me, it’s what I love to do.’

He states that by doing this, we actually contribute more, and are happier ourselves, because we fit properly into our place in the world. Our small cog, within the wider world machine, turns more smoothly.

So why is this important for people with autoimmune conditions?

Research shows that people with autoimmune conditions may be more likely to have a strong drive to achieve, to push themselves, perhaps beyond a limit that is healthy for them. This drive, often fuelled by low self-esteem, can lead us to behave in ways that may not be truly aligned with who we are. This resistance causes stress.

The strong associations between stress and autoimmunity are well known. It negatively impacts so many of our body’s systems; immune, digestive, energy, detoxification, etc.

So trusting that taking the easier route and doing what we love, being fully ourselves, is not just enough but actually the best thing we can do for ourselves and for the wider world, could change our physiology and our condition for the better.

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