When you’re living with chronic illness, it can feel like the focus is always on what you can’t do or what you have to give up. No gluten, no sugar, no fun.

But here’s the thing → real healing doesn’t have to be about deprivation.

In this week’s Get Better Journal I’m sharing a gentler, more empowering approach: how adding in small, supportive habits can build momentum and confidence on your healing journey.

Living with a chronic illness isn’t just about the big flare-ups or diagnoses, it’s the everyday challenges that most people never see. From the anxiety of travel to the vulnerability of being truly seen by loved ones, I share what this journey has really been like, along with the hope I’ve found as healing unfolds.

Have you ever asked someone, “How are you?” and they respond with, “Just living the dream”. The irony, of course, is that they usually aren’t. That snarky reply is often just a cover for sadness, frustration, or disappointment with some part of their life.

It often turns into a shared conversation of “woe is me” because misery loves company. Somehow, it feels easier when others are unhappy too. But here’s the question: what happens if you really are living your dream, no sarcasm, no irony?

I remember sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at my exercise shoes. Just weeks earlier, I was coaching CrossFit classes and pushing through workouts most people would call insane. But that morning, I could barely muster the strength to walk across the room. My joints ached, my head was foggy, and the fatigue felt like a heavy blanket I couldn’t peel off.

At that moment, I was scared. Scared I’d never feel strong again. Scared this was just my “new normal.”

When I look at myself, it's not the present me that I see. I don't see a body with a shaky left side or an arm that has become weak and hard to use. I don't see the aches and pains, brain fog, or fatigue that can at times be all consuming.

I see the future. My body's strong and stable, ready to tackle any hike, bike ride, or challenging workout. I can imagine muscles reappearing and my squishy middle disappearing. Chronic aches and pains and unrelenting fatigue are replaced by soreness from exercising with heavy weights again and comfortable tiredness after a day well spent and a body well used.

Yesterday I walked 7,814 steps (3.5 miles) which I know doesn't seem like much, but to me it was like conquering Mount Everest.

Let me put it into perspective...

At 36, I was diagnosed with systemic lupus. The rheumatologist told me I’d never get better, handed me a stack of prescriptions, and offered little hope. I never filled those scripts. Instead, I found a naturopath who actually listened to me. She ran functional labs, gave me a personalized plan, and most importantly, gave me hope. Within months, my energy returned, my hair stopped falling out, and I started feeling like me again.

That’s when I discovered CrossFit. It changed everything. Not only did I regain my physical strength, I found a powerful mindset shift. I learned I could do hard things. I built community. I adopted a paleo lifestyle. For the first time in two decades, I was thriving