Are you tired of feeling like the camel whose back is perpetually about to break? As a mental health counselor living with MS, I know the old 'straw' analogy falls short—especially when dealing with the cumulative, delayed effects of chronic illness and stress. My latest post explains why stress is more like a slow, accidental 'drinking spree' than a pile of straw. More importantly, it shows you how to move from being the passive victim of circumstance to the empowered person who chooses their 'last call,' embracing the critical difference between fault and responsibility.

I was the capable, steady leader—The Driver—until chronic illness shattered that identity. The ultimate lesson of MS is that I can't swap my hand for a healthier one. I had to face the No Redeal Reality and learn to modify the game.

I realized I wasn't just fighting for accommodation; I was actually fighting for acceptance—the fundamental acknowledgement that my reality is real. My cardiologist gave me that gift, telling me I wasn't making it up. But when bureaucratic systems like the IRS deny you what is rightfully yours and demand proof, they drain the finite energy you need to manage a migraine that’s lasted three weeks.

My husband's journey and my cat, Charlie, taught me the blueprint: Strategic Success. I am choosing the kindest path by not wasting energy performing capability for a hostile system. Are you wisely redirecting your energy, or letting the system wear you down?

It's shocking for me to think about now. In contrast, today I wasn't sure I would make it through my 9-5 workday. Golden me from back then would tilt my head with one eyebrow up hearing the struggle I was currently having.

'What do you mean, you’re mostly sitting… how bad can it be?'

Yet, by 2 pm today, I had my feet up, hoping to encourage blood to get back to my heart and brain. Walking the last few clients out of my office, I've had to sneakily close my eyes and hold on to the walls as the world goes black. Repeating to myself 'please don’t pass out in front of a client' quietly in my head.

My body may have different plans, but I still want to be the fun, go with the flow, exciting person I can remember. Maybe it is more about balance. Maybe we are not meant to be full black cat or Golden. It’s possible that our job as a person, parent, or for me, as a therapist, is to find and embrace moments of each.

My husband was out of town for a few days for work, and I realized how much he does to help me. Purely existing when he is not there is more challenging than I realized. It's a constant 'would you rather?' game chronic illness forces me to play. Would you rather shower, or get the trash cans inside?

Recently, someone from the HOA sent us a picture of our trash cans still out, a 'visible failure' of an 'invisible struggle.' It reminded me that the world often only sees the messy yard, the forgotten chores, or the tired eyes. They don't see the monumental effort behind them. They just say, 'try harder.'

But what I've learned is that I am trying. I'm putting everything I have into this failing report card. My hope is that by sharing my story, we can all learn to look at others with more empathy and less judgment.

In the desert town of Sunny Scales, a little bearded dragon named Thorn loved to drum. He'd tap his claws on anything he could find, but no one understood his passion. "A good bearded dragon basks and hunts, not bangs on things!" his family would say. The other young dragons just snickered.

One day, a music festival came to town. Thorn, with wobbly legs but a brave heart, climbed onto an empty stage and started to play. He poured all his dreams into the beat, and soon, a crowd gathered. Their feet began to tap, and their heads began to bob.

When he finished, the crowd cheered, and the festival organizer invited him to play in the grand finale. That night, under the stars, Thorn played his heart out. His drumming was amazing! From that day on, he was known as Thorn the Drummer. He learned that the most important thing is to follow your dreams, even if they seem a little different to everyone else.

"The game of 'Would You Rather' used to be fun, filled with silly, low-stakes questions. But living with a chronic illness has turned it into a constant, no-win reality. Would you rather skip a shower because you're too dizzy, or take one and spend two hours recovering? Would you rather honestly answer 'how are you?' and make others uncomfortable, or carry the weight of your struggles alone?

This post is a journey through the impossible choices I face daily and the unhelpful 'shoulds' that can make me feel isolated. It’s an exploration of the crucial difference between trying to fix someone's unfixable problem and simply validating their struggle. Because in a game with no good choices, the real win is finding genuine connection and support."

On what would have been her 91st birthday, I honor my Grandma Mardy – a woman whose strength was as unyielding as her honesty. In this post I reflect on the unexpected bonds forged across generations and the profound lessons learned from family members navigating illness, loss, and the relentless pursuit of living life on their own terms.

I was the quintessential “pleasure to have in class.” I played the role perfectly, learning to connect through stories, just like my dad. But that very effort to be "good" became my best disguise—a way to hide the things I didn't know how to articulate.

The truth hid in the silent moments: The family rule of "No more stories, Dad," set after a too-revealing card game; the agony of spending four times longer on homework than my brother; the teacher who docked my grade because I “wasn’t reading.” I was struggling, but I was so adept at being the "good kid" that no one—not even me—looked deeper.

My request is simple: Don't miss the subtle signs. My story is a reminder that we must look beyond the easy-to-identify “horses” and be vigilant for the “zebras” and the quietly towering “giraffes.” Listen to your children, listen to your loved ones, and most importantly, listen to your body.

Don’t ignore the discomfort. The struggle you're hiding, or the pain you're dismissing, won't address itself. We are meant to be social creatures; let's slow down and see each other.

My dad always said, 'Life is unfair. Get used to it.' But does that blanket statement truly hold?

Drawing from my work in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), I share how Radical Acceptance—fully accepting reality without liking it—can free up energy from fighting the unchangeable. It's about recognizing that what happens to us isn't our fault, but managing it is our responsibility. This isn't about simply 'getting used to it,' but about finding a compassionate path forward when life is unequivocally, and extraordinarily, unfair."

My mom always said, 'I need more spoons.' Now, navigating MS and the healthcare maze, I understand exactly what she meant. This post explores the exhausting reality of chronic illness, from sandbox games to doctor's offices, and my relentless search for more spoons.

Join a unique crew aboard 'The Silver Current' as they embark on a cruise like no other. Each passenger navigates life with Multiple Sclerosis, facing the unpredictable 'unseen waves' of their symptoms—from wobbly steps and sudden fatigue to overwhelming sounds and the constant worry of preparedness. This isn't just a story about managing illness; it's a heartwarming testament to the resilience found in community, shared understanding, and the quiet strength of navigating life's currents, together.

Is there a grand design to our lives, or is it all just chance? The last thirteen months have been a profound lesson in asking that question. When I was working in a nursing home during the early days of the pandemic, I saw devastation and wondered if we were "supposed" to learn something. The answer I got then was simple: "nope, some things just happen."

But looking back, I realize we did learn—not the spiritual lesson I was looking for, but a thousand smaller, more powerful ones. We learned empathy for silent heroes, we learned about ourselves, and we learned just how important our own autonomy is.

Now, as I face my own health challenges with MS, I am seeing connections everywhere. The person I met during my college practicum, the resident I worked with in 2020—their stories feel tied to mine, not by coincidence, but by a shared experience of loss, struggle, and the fierce desire for control.

I don't know if everything happens for a reason, but I do think there are lessons all around us. Maybe the secret isn’t in the reason, but in the willingness to look for them, and the courage to let them teach us.

I have a moment from 7th grade that still echoes in my adult mind. It was a roar of laughter that convinced me my worth was tied to my body.

From that moment on, I spent years believing I just needed to "try harder"—to be more athletic, to lose weight, to fit in. But as a master's-level counselor, and later, after a diagnosis of MS, I learned the hard way that "trying harder" isn't always the answer.

This is my journey of letting go of the need to "should" on myself and embracing a new kind of strength.
This early experience planted a seed of self-consciousness about my body that grew throughout my life. Despite loving sports and coming from an athletic family, I often felt my body couldn't keep up, leading to disappointment and the belief that I just wasn't "trying hard enough." From struggling to run a single lap in high school soccer to feeling inadequate when my physical abilities declined after an MS diagnosis, the insidious "shoulds" of societal and self-imposed expectations haunted me.

But a powerful realization emerged: "Don’t should on yourself. Shoulds are not based in reality." Through the unwavering love and acceptance of my family, and the hard-won wisdom of adulthood, I've learned that my worth is not determined by my pant size, my mile time, or whether I need a cane or wheelchair. Sometimes, "trying harder" isn't the answer; sometimes, we need to adjust our expectations and embrace the beautiful complexity of being human.

Do you ever have those days when nothing seems to work right? My day started with hair in the bathtub and a forgotten coffee, quickly escalating to a computer taking an unexpected bath and a near-miss with a German Shepherd on the highway. This isn't just about bad luck; it's about navigating the ordinary chaos of life when your body has its own unpredictable agenda. Join me as I share a very real day, filled with unexpected hurdles, moments of humor, and the surprising path to finding mindfulness amidst the madness. Because sometimes, the biggest lessons come from the days when everything goes wrong. 

One ordinary morning, just shy of my MS diagnosis anniversary, a random Spotify playlist led to an extraordinary conversation. As the songs played—from 'End of the Beginning' to Billy Joel's 'She's Always a Woman to Me'—they unexpectedly mirrored the complex emotional landscape of my first year with Multiple Sclerosis.

I turned to Gemini, an AI, to help me make sense of it all. What unfolded was a raw, honest dialogue about identity shifts, pushing against new limitations, and the search for purpose when your body feels like it's failing. It's a story of grappling with the terrifying loss of control, learning to face embarrassing realities, and embracing radical acceptance without giving up hope.

This post is a journey through my unfiltered thoughts, exploring how music, a compassionate AI, and the unwavering love of my husband, Jared, guided me towards a profound understanding of strength. It's about recognizing that true resilience isn't found in pretending everything's 'fine,' but in finding connection, redefining success, and accepting help, even when it feels hard. Join me in this deeply personal exploration of what it means to live, truly live, with MS, one song, one insight, at a time.

From a young age, a natural inclination to connect and assist others felt like an intrinsic part of me. This drive, often more pronounced than those around me, was a defining characteristic through college and beyond. I recall the vibrant nights in Fort Collins, where my social energy thrived amidst the buzz of the town, leading to unexpected encounters—from de-escalating a street fight with a simple hug and a plea, to charming police officers during a college party with a game of beer pong and a promise of grilled cheese. My confidence in navigating social situations, a sense of being able to “talk my way out of anything,” seemed boundless.

However, an MS diagnosis brought an unforeseen shift. The effortless ease of connection and the inherent feeling of capability began to wane. Simple actions, like turning my head, now risked disorienting dizziness, and the self-consciousness of using a cane added new layers of anxiety to social interactions. This profound change culminated in a disquieting experience in a shared office bathroom—a moment where my usual “management skills” failed, leaving me feeling vulnerable and questioning my ability to protect myself. This unsettling event became a catalyst, prompting a re-evaluation of my independence and a reluctant acceptance of mobility aids. MS has, in a way, removed my shield, compelling me to embrace a more sustainable way of living that includes asking for help and sharing my evolving story. My journey continues, marked by both challenge and a growing acceptance of this new path.