For many people, living with MS brings unexpected shifts in daily life, longterm plans, and the ways they connect with others. These changes can feel disorienting, but they also open opportunities for reflection and new forms of connection — with people, communities, and meaningful roles.
Connection is more than social interaction. It includes the relationships you nurture, the communities you participate in, the interests that spark joy, and the sense of belonging that anchors you through change. It evolves over time, just as life with MS does. As abilities, routines, or future plans shift, connection can remain a steady source of support and purpose.
And this isn’t limited to those who are newly diagnosed. Because MS changes over time, the ways you connect — to people, activities, and meaning — may also shift. Staying rooted in what matters, and staying connected to others, helps navigate uncertainty and maintain continuity even as circumstances evolve.
“Human connection and integration in our communities is a necessary part of maintaining our emotional well being,” says Michelle King, Senior Director of the MS Center’s King Adult Day Enrichment Program (KADEP). Promoting social engagement has been a cornerstone of KADEP’s mission since the program began in the early 1990s. “Without social interaction, our mental health has been shown to decline. And that’s been widely shown to impact areas of our physical health, as well.”
Purpose, joy, and meaningful connection remain accessible, even if they take new forms. In this article, we’ll explore how connection can be strengthened through work and service, personal interests, advocacy, and intentional digital habits.
Work and Service: Connecting Through Purpose
An MS diagnosis can immediately raise questions for people in the workforce: Can I keep my job? How long will I be able to keep working? What does this mean for my career and connections at work?
An important way many people stay active and fulfilled is through staying engaged in meaningful work — whether through their existing jobs or occupations, volunteering with organizations they support, or a combination of both.
Work can be an important part of maintaining connections, identity and purpose while living with MS. And today, many people with MS are able to remain in the workforce, adapting as needed and thriving with support from employers, colleagues, and evolving workplace policies.
When challenges arise, accommodations like flexible schedules, remote work options, ergonomic adjustments, and task modifications can help individuals continue contributing in ways that align with their abilities and goals. Maintaining employment, especially when it fits a person’s needs and circumstances, can provide structure, financial security, and a continued sense of professional connections. For more on job accommodations, visit the Job Accommodation Network at AskJan.org.
At the same time, meaningful engagement also happens outside of paid work. Volunteering can offer similar benefits — connection, routine, fulfillment, and the opportunity to apply skills in ways that feel rewarding and adaptable. Often these opportunities come with more flexibility in timing and commitment than a paid job.
For some people, volunteering complements their professional work. For others, it becomes a primary outlet for connection and purpose if work hours shift, or their ability to work changes over time.
“Volunteering at the MS Center became another way to stay connected,” said Matt Tarpey, a longtime MS Center volunteer. “Helping out where I was needed, whether in the office or at events, gave me purpose and a reason to show up. Volunteering gave me routine, friendships, and knowing that I am contributing meaningfully to work that’s important to me.”
Volunteering can take many forms: skills-based roles, short-term projects, mentoring, community support, creative work, or virtual opportunities that offer flexibility. These roles often allow you to engage on your own terms, participate at a pace that works for you, stay connected to your interests, utilize your skills and talents, and contribute to causes that matter to you personally.
Whether through a career, volunteer service, or a blend of both, engaging in meaningful work-like activities helps reinforce your connections. The key is finding a balance that aligns with your individual needs, abilities, and sense of fulfillment.
Hobbies and Activities: Reclaiming Joy
Early on, the same uncertainty around how MS may impact your work life can bring up similar questions about other things you enjoy. Will I be able to continue my daily exercise routine? Can I continue with my hobbies? How will I keep up with the friends I’ve met, if I can’t participate in our common activities anymore?
Outside of work and things that feel work-adjacent (like volunteering), engaging in meaningful activities that you enjoy can play a powerful role in supporting connections and emotional well-being while living with MS. It’s important to approach non-work activities with the same thoughtfulness and care we apply to work – looking for adaptations, accommodations, shifts and modifications that can keep us engaged in the things we love.
Hobbies provide opportunities to rediscover joy, strengthen confidence, and stay connected to people and interests that make life feel rich and fulfilling. These pursuits can help counterbalance the challenges of MS by offering moments of creativity, accomplishment, and enjoyment.
“Hydrotherapy classes give me a place where I can move my body at whatever level I’m able to that day,” says Tarpey, also a long-time participant of the MS Center’s Hydrotherapy program. “The classes work for anyone, regardless of their level of physical ability, from balance issues to being in a wheelchair, as the class instructor will help you find the activities that work best for each individual.”
“It’s also a great place to meet and talk with others with MS,” he said. “We don’t only talk about MS — we also talk about life, families, and whatever is going on in the world. It reminds me that MS is part of my life, but it isn’t my whole life.”
As abilities or energy levels change over time, activities may need to shift with them. But adaptation doesn’t have to diminish the value of these pursuits. Instead, it reflects resilience and creativity, and what we do to adapt to new realities can show us exactly how important these pursuits are to us.
Some people will find that longtime hobbies can be continued with small adjustments, like modifying equipment, shortening sessions, or seeking out different environments. Others may discover entirely new interests that better fit their needs and bring a renewed sense of curiosity and fulfillment.
People explore this in all kinds of ways — through adaptive exercise, gardening, creative work, social groups, mindfulness practices, or hands-on crafts. Whether active or quiet, expressive or restorative, these pursuits help build a sense of continuity and purpose. They also offer a meaningful way to explore new aspects of connection that may emerge through life with MS.
Ultimately, hobbies and personal interests aren’t simply pastimes. They are pathways to connection, through community, creativity, and meaningful experiences.
Redefining Purpose: Advocacy as Connection and Community
Advocacy can be a meaningful way for individuals living with MS to maintain a sense of purpose and agency. Speaking up — whether for yourself, for others, or for the broader MS community — can strengthen confidence and reinforce relationships.
It doesn’t need to be public or large-scale to make a difference. Small actions like sharing your personal experiences with friends, asking questions in your medical appointments, or supporting others through conversations can all contribute to a sense of empowerment, create connection, and develop understanding.
Advocacy also offers opportunities to shape how MS is understood within families, workplaces, and communities. Some people choose to participate in awareness campaigns, contribute to policy discussions, or engage with organizations that advance research and support services. Others find meaning in connecting with peers, offering encouragement, or helping to guide or mentor someone newly diagnosed with MS.
Most importantly, advocacy is flexible. It can be tailored to a person’s energy, interests, comfort level, and schedule. Whether through storytelling, community involvement, volunteer leadership, or simply voicing needs and preferences in everyday situations, advocacy provides a pathway to connection and reinforces the value of each person’s experiences.
Navigating Social Media with Intention
Social media offers us ways to keep in touch with old friends and meet new ones with convenience that puts connection at our fingertips 24 hours a day. But it’s critically important to handle social media with care and caution. For people living with MS, online communities and health-related groups can be valuable resources — but only when approached with intention and understanding.
Social media can create meaningful connection by offering places to share experiences, find inspiration, exchange support, and feel understood. These spaces can help strengthen identity and reinforce a sense of belonging.
However, they can also become overwhelming when negativity, comparison, or constant scrolling begins to influence mood or self-perception.
Healthy strategies can make social media more supportive than stressful:
- Curate your social media space. Follow accounts that uplift, inform, or inspire. Mute or unfollow sources of negativity or pressure.
- Set gentle boundaries. Limiting time spent scrolling or checking notifications can help prevent digital fatigue.
- Engage with intention. Seeking out specific groups, conversations, or communities can foster more positive and meaningful interactions.
- Pause before comparing. Everyone manages MS differently, and online snapshots rarely show the full picture.
- Set and enforce your own boundaries. If a page or group turns negative or begins to impact you in less-than helpful ways, protect yourself. It’s okay to take a break or leave a group altogether.
In short: When used mindfully, social media can be a tool for connection rather than a source of stress. But it’s also a place that can go off the rails quickly, and send you into spirals of negativity, bad information, and anxiety.
Cultivating your social media connections is vital, and knowing when to step back and take a break is self-care at its best.
Many Pathways to Connection
Living with MS brings change, but it doesn’t diminish our capacity and need for purpose, connection, or joy. Connection can continue to evolve throughout life, shaped by experiences, challenges, and the choices we make every day. Engaging in meaningful work, advocacy, volunteering, personal interests, and good digital habits all play a role in strengthening our identity.
There’s no single path to staying connected with MS. Some people find clarity in their careers or advocacy efforts. Others discover fulfillment in volunteer roles, creative pursuits, or new activities that align with their strengths. Many blend these approaches in ways that fit their unique needs and circumstances.
The common thread is connection – to others, to communities, to meaningful roles, to valued activities – remains a powerful source of strength and resilience.
Connection isn’t defined by MS. It’s shaped by the ways we continue to grow, contribute, and stay engaged with the world around us.
