Age: 29 Country: Germany Profession: Sales rep Hobbies: Hitting the gym, basketball

Living with MS since 2014

I’m Mike, and I’m a sales rep in the medical homecare industry. I was diagnosed with MS in 2014, after having problems with my sight and experiencing numbness on one side of my body.

In my spare time, I like to stay fit and active – I go to the gym regularly and like to play basketball – these things are good for my mind and body and make me feel like I’m taking control of my MS.

Stay fit and active but know your limits

You don't need a gym to exercise

Stay positive

Small steps are better than no steps

Talk about your thoughts and fears

1. Stay fit   and active but know your limits   It might be hard to get into exercise at first, but you just need to start. From my experience, once you start to see results and feel the energy you get from exercising, you just can´t stop!
2. You don’t need a gym to exercise   I also like the everyday challenge of being active – if there’s a choice between taking a lift or stairs, I take the stairs. It keeps me fit and gives me a sense of achievement.
3. Stay positive   Stop focussing on things you might not be able to do and focus on all the things you still can do!
4. Small steps are better than no steps   Rather than worrying about how to deal with everything in one go, break down problems into bite-size pieces. Take your time and write down what’s worrying you and go through them in order, step by step. This helped me a lot because I saw that there is a solution and a new way to deal with every problem. We are stronger than we think. Be better than this illness – grow with it and beat it.
5. Talk about your thoughts and fears If you don't have anybody around you to talk to, reach out to some support groups. There are over 2.3 million other people with MS sailing with you in the same boat. We are stronger together.