💪I create resources to help people adapt to living with chronic illness so they can thrive.
🪞 Who are you, really?
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Hi Reader, A while back, someone asked me the question everyone asks: "So what do you do for fun?" I opened my mouth and nothing came out. The honest answer had become "manage my body," and I knew that wasn't the answer she wanted. I stood there running through a mental list of things I used to enjoy, trying to figure out which ones were still true. That gap between the version of myself I could still name and the version I could actually live is where this week's post lives. Not the grief of who you were before diagnosis, that's its own thing and deserves its own space. This is about what comes after: who you're building now, with less energy and fewer tools than you used to have. It turns out the usual advice ("just do what you love!") assumes your interests and your energy are separate things. Chronic illness makes that untrue. So I wrote about what actually gets in the way instead, and some small, five-minutes-or-less ways to start anyway. If you're in that in-between place right now, not lost exactly, just not sure who's on the other side of the diagnosis, this one's for you. |
April Smith | The Thriving Spoonie
💪I create resources to help people adapt to living with chronic illness so they can thrive.
Hi Reader, On my worst flare days, my hygiene routine is three things: a wipe-down with sensitive-skin wipes, mouthwash when brushing is too much, and clean underwear. Some days I need help even with those. For a long time I thought that didn’t count. Hygiene meant the full routine, and anything less meant I was failing at it. Chronic illness took that idea apart, and what replaced it has made my hardest days a lot more manageable. In this week’s post, I’m sharing how I scale my routine down...
Hi Reader, If fall has felt heavy lately, you are not alone, and you are not being ungrateful. Maybe it started with the first cooler morning, or a store aisle already stocked for a season you are still catching up to. Maybe someone asked what you have left to do before the year ends, and your stomach dropped a little. For a lot of us, the shorter days and the year winding down quietly ask how much energy we had and what we hoped to do with it. That can ache, even when nothing dramatic...
Hi Reader, I want to start this email with a little transparency, because it’s something I value here and something I hope you feel in this community. First, a change to how I’m running the blog. Going forward, I’ll be publishing two new posts a month, plus two updated posts. I’ve been wanting to refresh a lot of my older content anyway, and this gives me a steadier, more sustainable rhythm. You’ll still get fresh content, and your favorite older posts will get a little extra care. Honestly,...