When Your Body Says No
Yesterday I went out to get my hair trimmed and to pick up a couple of things from the shops. It’s something most people do in between other jobs, but for me it was a big trip that would have lasting effects on me for days. Internal and external expectations for tasks are often very different, and the world can assume that opportunity should be answered with yes. But living with chronic illness means navigating the world in a body that acts differently and when your body says no, there is no fighting it… we must rest! The Expectation vs Reality Gap Society has a lot of expectations, positivity, productivity,…
Low-Energy Living: A Gentle Routine for Flare Days
This morning, I woke up tired, my body aching and brain fog making the world seem confusing and words hard to find. I need to write this blog post, and yet when my body is struggling it always feels as if I have to let go of my expectations for the day and instead face reality. These flare days are not lazy, they are all about survival, so it feels like the perfect day to tell you about a gentle routine for flare days. This is what these days really look and feel like. What a “Routine” Looks Like on Flare Days Most of my life has felt pretty rigid,…
Transition Seasons & Chronic Illness: Why Spring Isn’t Always Energising
This year, I am trying for gentle living, pacing and supporting my low spoon body instead of constantly pushing it. But with so much pressure to start spring cleaning, this time of year can feel more overwhelming than energising. But my body is still moving slowly, transition seasons and chronic illness need a softer and gentler approach, so let’s chat about it. Seasonal Transitions Can Be Hard on the Body One strange thing, that I didn’t realise until I became sick, is the effect that the seasons have on our bodies. The seasonal shifts themselves are seasonally demanding, which is why I am trying to live more seasonally. Keeping pace…
How Late Winter Affects My Mental Health (and What Helps)
This week I thought we would chat about how late winter affects my mental health, February isn’t festive like December. My energy dips and my thoughts feel heavier with the grey clouds, rain and snow that seem to keep the sun from appearing. But this is not a personal failing, many of us feel the same, and so by opening up about these feelings we can start to appreciate this liminal part of the year. Slowing Down Instead of Fighting It In the past, I have resisted this part of the year, pushing away my mind and body wanting more rest, and often flaring because of it! But pushing through…
Pacing Yourself in Late Winter When You’re Chronically Ill
By February, the sparkle of January has worn off. The days are still short, the light still thin, and my body feels the weight of it all. Late winter always feels hard with the grey, raining weather being so draining and hard when you are looking forward to spring. Pacing yourself in late winter when you’re chronically ill is even harder, with the damp making pain worse and mental health screaming for more self-care. This time of year, is about sustainability, not productivity, and this is what I feel we need to think about this time of year. Why Energy Dips in February Feel Worse with Chronic Illness There are…
Creating Healthful Choices in 2026
It is early January, and though I think of summer as ‘New Year’ I still want to set goals and change things up at this time of year. Creating healthful choices in 2026 however, is not about rigid resolutions that leave no room for my mental health or my chronic illnesses that inevitably make my life hard to control. Instead, these goals and themes for the year will be rooted in moving with the seasons, compassionate and realistic. I hope that by doing this, I will have a year that is cosier, slower and happier, so let’s chat about it. What “Healthful” Means to Me Now Now, I am in…
Rejecting New Years Pressure
Happy New Year dear readers, and welcome back to the blog! As we step into 2026, I wanted to talk about how important it is to let go of negativity about who you are or were in the year before. Rejecting New Years pressure and the idea that we are not enough unless we are trying to change everything about ourselves. The pressure to have a new routine and way of eating and to be perfect at it or give up does not work so lets talk about a different way of starting fresh. Right now, there are a million adverts, TV shows, YouTube channels and blogs encouraging us to…
Navigating the Holidays as a Disabled Person: Reflection, Access & Care
The holiday season can be so magical, but it can also be deeply overwhelming when you’re juggling health struggles and trying to navigate events that aren’t always accessible. For many of us, navigating the holidays as a disabled person ends up feeling more like work than something cosy or joyful. This year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities theme “Health Financing Matters” feels especially poignant when so many people are relying on food banks, and the rising cost of simply existing keeps weighing heavier on disabled lives. A Holiday Season That Isn’t Built for Everyone December as a whole can be so hard, for me increased pain, cold intolerance, and…
Disability History Month Reflections: Amplifying Powerful Voices
It is Disability History Month a powerful time to honor the visionary leaders who paved the way, celebrate those still carrying their legacy, and imagine together the future they helped shape I feel inspired by the incredible activists highlighted in this post, bringing together the past, present, and future. I especially wanted to celebrate the intersection between disability and the LGBTQ+ community, reminding us of the importance of lifting each other up and working together. These activists remind us that visibility, storytelling, and community are powerful tools for change. Each of them brings a unique perspective, showing how disability intersects with identity, culture, and creativity. From amplifying unheard voices to…
Accessible Ways to Spread Kindness (Even on Low Spoon Days)
World Kindness Day reminds us that small gestures can create big changes in the world. But for many of us who struggle with disability and low spoon days, it can feel overwhelming and out of reach, but it is still possible. This post explores accessible ways to spread kindness to ourselves, the people around us and the world at large. Kindness starts with you Yesterday was a difficult day for me, I woke up feeling heavy and tired, but I got stubborn! I managed to help my mom out of bed, but my pain and fatigue were making me feel sick and I needed to have a shower and record…
