Living With MS: The Ups, Downs, and Everyday Wins

Justine Martin
May 7
3 min read

By Justine Martin – Speaker | Author | Resilience Advocate

When I was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), I thought my life was over. I imagined wheelchairs, hospital rooms, and dreams put on pause indefinitely.

And in some ways, life as I knew it was over. But what I didn’t know then, what I’ve learnt through experience, is that life with MS isn’t just about struggle. It’s also about strength, adaptation, community, and the everyday wins that most people overlook.

I live with MS, but I also live with purpose, passion, humour, and a hell of a lot of resilience.

Here’s what that really looks like.

The Ups: Moments of Strength, Success, and Connection

Yes, there are ups. Plenty of them.

I’ve built five businesses, become an international keynote speaker, published multiple books, competed in Strongman events, and stood on stage to share my story with thousands.

MS didn’t stop me. In many ways, it ignited me.

Some of my proudest moments happened because of my diagnosis, not in spite of it. I learnt to pivot. I learnt to adapt. I learnt that resilience isn’t a personality trai,t it’s a daily choice.

And every time I meet someone who says, “I have MS too, and your story gave me hope,” it reminds me: this journey is worth it.

The Downs: Fatigue, Frustration, and the Fear That Lurks

MS is unpredictable. One day, I’m on top of the world, energised, focused, thriving. The next, I’m wiped out by crippling fatigue, leg spasms, blurred vision, or brain fog that makes stringing a sentence together feel like climbing a mountain.

There are moments I cry from frustration. From grief. From the sheer exhaustion of trying to “look okay” when I’m anything but.

There are also days when the fear creeps in…

What if I can’t walk tomorrow?
What if my body doesn’t cooperate on stage?
What if people think I’m weak?

But I don’t stay in that space for long. Because I’ve learnt how to fight back with mindset, with community, and with fierce compassion for myself.

The Everyday Wins: The True Markers of Progress

Living with MS teaches you to celebrate the little things because they are, in fact, not little at all.

Getting out of bed without pain? Win.
Finishing a workday without collapsing? Win.
Laughing until my sides hurt, even when my legs feel like jelly? Massive win.
Saying “no” to preserve my energy without guilt? That’s a victory built on hard-earned boundaries.

I’ve come to realise that success isn’t about doing everything—it's about doing what matters, with what you've got, and doing it well.

Why I Speak About MS Publicly

Because visibility matters. Because someone, somewhere, just got diagnosed and feels like they’re falling apart. Because MS is still misunderstood, and we need more honest conversations, not just about the pain, but also the possibility.

When I speak about my journey on stage, on podcasts, or in my books, I do it for every person who feels invisible. I do it to show that life with MS doesn’t have to be small, silent, or shameful. It can be bold. Loud. Triumphant.