How do you reconcile with your limitations?

I’ve been in a horrible flare for almost two years now and it’s been especially bad the last two or three months. I’ve been pretty much bedbound and can’t leave my house for more than a few hours. Obviously this has affected my life: friendships, career, hobbies. I had to move out of my dream city back to my hometown with my parents, and put my dreams on hold while I get my health back on track.

I’ve been having a hard time because I’m not where I want to be in my life and have felt like I’m falling far behind my peers. I have only a few close friends and on the rare occasion that I make plans, I usually end up having to cancel because I’m too sick.

There’s so much that I want to do but it is so difficult with my illness and pain. I do the best that I can, but I also recognize that my body needs rest and to go slower than a lot of other people. Then I feel like I’m giving in to my disease and allowing myself to be overcome by it.

It’s a constant cycle where I’m caught between pushing myself and resting and either way I feel like I’m losing.

How do you guys deal with this kind of thing?