đź’ŞI create resources to help people adapt to living with chronic illness so they can thrive.
Why I don’t practice gratitude the way I used to
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​ Hey Reader, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the world talks about gratitude—especially this time of year. It always seems to show up in neat little quotes and posts that say things like I don’t know about you, but when I’m navigating symptoms, appointments, side effects, and just trying to get through the week in one piece… that kind of messaging feels disconnected at best. At worst, it feels like one more way to make me feel like I’m doing something wrong for struggling. So I started doing something different. Not performative gratitude. Not a journal full of things I don’t really feel. This week’s blog post is one I’ve been holding onto for a while. It’s a gentle one. Honest. Not preachy. Just real. If you’ve ever felt like you “should” be more grateful but haven’t had the capacity—or if the way people talk about gratitude just doesn’t line up with what you’re carrying—you might find some comfort in this one. Read the post here → 5 Simple Ways I Practice Gratitude When Life With Chronic Illness Feels Brutal​ ​ ​ And if you’re not in a space where gratitude feels possible right now, that’s okay too. You’re still allowed to be here. ​ Take care of your heart today, ​
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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.
Hey Reader,If you’re feeling more wiped out now than you were during the holidays, this is for you. There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that shows up once things finally slow down. The plans are over. The expectations ease up. And instead of relief, your body seems to… drop. Energy dips. Emotions feel heavier. Routines that usually help feel harder to restart. That moment can be confusing, especially when you’ve already done so much work learning how to pace, rest, and adapt. It’s easy to...
Hi Reader, The days after the holidays can feel strangely unmoored. Not quite rest. Not quite routine. Just that in-between space where your body is tired, your rhythm is off, and everything that used to feel automatic suddenly takes effort. If you’ve been feeling that lately, you’re not behind. You’re recalibrating. I wrote a new post this week about what it actually looks like to rebuild daily rhythm after the holidays when you live with chronic illness. Not the “get back on track” version....
Hi Reader, I wrote this for you if the New Year already feels heavy. Not because you don’t want things to be better, but because the pressure to reset, optimize, and push harder doesn’t actually fit your body anymore. Especially when you’re living with chronic illness and your energy doesn’t follow tidy timelines. Every January, there’s this unspoken expectation that now is the moment to fix everything. New routines. New habits. New discipline. And even when we know that kind of thinking...