đź’ŞI create resources to help people adapt to living with chronic illness so they can thrive.
The truth about living authentically when you're chronically ill
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​ Hi Reader, Have you ever caught yourself wondering who you really are now that your energy, pace, or capacity has changed? I don’t just mean identity in a philosophical sense. I mean the messy, day-to-day version of it—the way you dress, how you talk about your needs, the people you choose to keep close (or not). The way your values show up in how you live... or how you wish they could show up, if your body just gave you more to work with. For a long time, I thought living authentically meant becoming more me. But as my health changed, I realized that version of authenticity—the bold, outspoken, high-capacity version—wasn’t available anymore. And the longer I kept chasing it, the more disconnected I felt. In this week’s post, I’m sharing something deeply personal and widely misunderstood: Because it’s not about fearlessly sharing your truth. You’ll also find:
This one isn’t a how-to. Read it here: ​ I hope this post gives you permission to stop chasing some version of yourself that was never built for the life you have now. Because who you are—today, in this moment—is still worthy of alignment, protection, and care. Talk soon,
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April Smith | The Thriving Spoonie
đź’ŞI create resources to help people adapt to living with chronic illness so they can thrive.
Hi Reader, Have you ever felt that knot in your stomach right before you tell someone “no”? It’s not just discomfort—it’s conditioning. Many of us were taught that being “good” means being agreeable, helpful, and low-maintenance. So when chronic illness enters the picture, that programming doesn’t disappear. It just becomes impossible to maintain. For a long time, I thought being dependable meant saying yes, even when I was exhausted. I didn’t see how often I was trading my peace for...
Hi there Reader, Have you ever felt like your home is quietly working against you? Like no matter how much you pace or plan, even the simplest tasks—folding laundry, unloading the dishwasher, brushing your teeth—end up costing more energy than you expected? I used to think I just needed more willpower. That if I followed the right routine or “pushed through” just a little better, I’d finally stay on top of things. But eventually, I realized the problem wasn’t me. It was the space I was trying...
Hey Reader, I’ll be honest—last week was a rough week health-wise. The kind that reminds me that even with pacing, planning, and all the right tools, chronic illness has its own agenda. And when that happens, the best thing I can do is not push harder, but to pause. So, instead of forcing myself to crank out a new blog post, I wanted to send a more honest kind of update—one that I think many of us need right now as the holidays approach. If you’ve also been running on fumes lately, you’re not...