If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know that I suffer from chronic illness.
I’ve seen specialists at UVA, Johns Hopkins and Wake Forest and we’re still trying to figure out exactly what’s going on.
What we currently know is that my immune system suuuuuucks. If I get anywhere close to anyone who’s sick, I’ll get whatever they have times ten. A cold turns into pneumonia. The flu turns into a hospital visit. Biopsies of my throat literally turns into the inability to swallow due to my esophagus having spasms and closing every time I try to sip water.
I recently got a pneumonia vaccine to see how my body would respond. That was a big mistake. My arm swelled up, looking like a clone of my husband’s arm (he’s a foot taller and a hundred pounds bigger than me) with this huge red spot with red spider leg-like lines sprouting in every direction. It hurt so bad I couldn’t lift my arm past shoulder level for days. One doctor said it was a severe allergic reaction. Another said it was an infection. Antibiotics plus Benadryl plus cold compresses finally did the trick.
Most mornings when I wake up, I feel like I’ve got the flu. Some days that includes severe sore throats, others it entails constant nausea and others I’ll have fevers and chills on and off all day.
(The good news is that I finally have a treatment plan—as of March 15th of this year! YAY! If it works, I should be feeling a lot better by the end of the year.)
I’m not looking for sympathy. This post isn’t about my illness.
This is a post for those of you who are like me, suffering from chronic illness and running a business. I know there are lots of you out there, because I’ve gotten at least twenty requests asking if I’d write a blog post about how I manage being an entrepreneur while dealing with chronic illness.
First, I want to be clear: it’s not easy.
There are days when aching pain radiating through my joints and muscles reduces me to tears and the last thing I want to do is respond to emails or write a blog post or update my Facebook page.
There are times when a three-minute shower exhausts me, causing me to have to lay in bed for hours just to recover a bit of energy.
But, the best thing about running a business with a chronic illness is that I’m in charge.
I can work from home in yoga pants. I don’t answer to a boss who’s frustrated that I’m taking another sick day. And, I can take breaks every 30 minutes to recharge with some herbal tea (Tea Pigs sweet treat tea…yum!) and a book.
Because I’m going on year six of chronic illness, I’ve learned a few things that makes it easier to run a business while dealing with health issues, and I want to share them with you in case it helps you make managing your chronic illness and business easier.
I’ve had those days when it feels like everything in the world is working against you and you don’t know how you’re going to make it. I’m hoping this post will help you take a bit of that load off your shoulders.
Let’s dig in, shall we?
1. Take advantage of your good days.
Chronic illness comes with good and bad days. Some days the most you can do is roll over in bed and sip water (I suggest Gilmore Girls and Friends on Netflix for those days). But, some days you have a boost of energy and feel halfway normal.
When I’m having a really good day, I often want to do the stuff I enjoy most: watercolor, hang out with friends, have a date with my husband, walk my dogs. But, I always prioritize my work on good days.
That means I sometimes write my next blog post instead of going to game night (why can’t I ever win Scattergories?!?). Or, I work on my marketing campaign instead of spending a couple hours lost with my watercolors.
I don’t always work when I’m having a good day, but I try to get in at least a few hours on those days, because I don’t know when my next sick streak is going to hit. The next day I could wake up feeling like death and struggle to work for the next five days and then I’d regret not working when I could.
If it’s a good day and I get a lot of work done, I try to clear the evening for something like veggie sushi with friends or a date with my husband. It’s a balance.
2. Rest when you need it to get more done eventually.
In the first couple of years of dealing with my health issues, I used to push myself when I should’ve rested. And, that always resulted in me having to take more time off.
If I had given myself permission to take a nap that afternoon or take that day off to rest, I’d probably feel good enough to work the next day. But, if I pushed myself, it might end up with me having to spend the next three days in bed.
It always backfired. Thankfully, I had a husband to point this out to me and encourage me to rest when needed. He still has to step in every once in a while and tell me to slow down. (Love you hubby!)
We have to listen to our bodies and pay attention when they’re telling us to get back in bed.
3. Build up your support system.
I don’t just mean friends and family. When you suffer from chronic illness, you have less time to work on your business. That means you should probably hire out tasks that you don’t enjoy doing or aren’t that great at so that you can focus on the stuff in your realm of genius when you’re working.
If you spend the next week in a battle with WordPress because you’re struggling to build your website, that means that you didn’t spend that time on anything else (like taking new product photos or designing a new jewelry line).
I know it’s scary to hire out work, but it’s necessary when you’re limited by the amount of good hours you have in the day or week.
You know how they say it takes a village to raise a baby? I feel the same way about building a business, especially if you have serious health issues.
Start making a list today of the tasks you’d like to stop doing. Can you get one or two off of your list and onto someone else’s? Small shifts will make a big difference in how you spend your ‘business’ time.
4. Reduce your stress whenever possible.
Hiring out that web design mentioned above is not only a good idea for time management but it’ll also reduce your stress.
If you’re one of the unlucky who suffers from chronic illness, you’ve probably already figured out that stress usually makes your symptoms substantially worse. It takes your headache to migraine level or turns your minor cold into a two-month cough.
That’s why I hire out accounting, web design and tasks to my virtual assistant.
I know I’m not going to get rid of it all, but the less business-related stress, the better for my health.
5. Find workarounds.
One of the best things I’ve done for myself is to figure out what I can handle when I’m not feeling well and what I can’t and how to work around it.
For instance, if I’m having a semi-bad day, I can probably get an hour or two of blogging done if I’m snuggled in my pajamas with a cup of throat coat tea. But, I don’t have it in me to do my hair and makeup and chat on Periscope for 30 minutes (even though it’s one of my favorite things to do).
Or, I can brainstorm ideas in bed for my next online course, outlining it and jotting down notes on marketing concepts. But, I’m not going to push myself to start filming it or writing copy for it.
I know that I can’t book too many ‘time-sensitive’ things in one month. I sold out all of my individual consulting spots in less than three hours and I got requests from multiple people asking me to open up one more spot for them. I couldn’t do it. I know my limits and I need to be completely focused for the women who already registered to work with me. It wouldn’t be fair to them or good for me to add more clients.
You have to figure out what you can still work on when you’re not feeling as great and what should wait for a good day.
6. Remain positive.
This might sound silly but when I know I have something important to do but I’m not feeling very good, I can sometimes “trick” myself by remaining positive. I’ll tell myself, “You’re having a good day” or “Today’s going to be a good day” or “You can do this.”
Just keeping my mind from going to the dark places can give me the boost I need to accomplish that one thing that I really need to get done that day.
For instance, I got really sick the first time I taught at CreativeLive, but I woke up those days and told myself that I was going to have a great day. It didn’t make my symptoms go away, but it helped me to work through it.
7. Don’t rely solely on doctors.
Over the past few years, I’ve become a master at knowing what my body needs. I’ve also decided that I can’t just rely on my doctors to come up with answers.
I know I have less nausea when I take a daily probiotic. I know that I suffer from less fevers when I drink at least 32 ounces of water in a day. I know that an extra hour of sleep will allow me to do a few extra hours of work. I know that getting ready for the day, spending a bit of time on hair and makeup gives me a boost of energy. I know that pushing myself to do five or ten minutes of yoga results in more energy and happiness.
One of the best pieces of advice I could give to anyone who’s struggling with chronic illness is to take ownership of your health. Pay attention to what makes you feel better and what makes you feel worse. Learn how to give yourself more good days.
No matter what you take away from this blog post, I want you to know that if you’re running a business while managing an illness, YOU ARE AWESOME! It’s not easy but it’s worthwhile.
I hope this helps those of you who have to deal with chronic illness. If you have other tips or advice, please leave them in the comments below. We should all try to help each other!
Hi April,
OMG! I run a business and have an autoimmune disease, Hashimotos Thyroiditis. It sucks. I started my biz because I was bedridden 4-5 days a week, seriously.
Thank you for writing this post. I totally get it and rarely talk about my illness and it gives me confidence to do so after reading your post. And your tips are so spot on.
I’m no longer bed ridden because I have found help through holistic medicine. Now I’m healthy enough to get up and go and now moving into my new (and first ever) studio for my business!
I hope you find balance for your illness and thanks again for the post,
Lisa
Autoimmune diseases are so tough. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with that.
I’m so happy to give you more confidence to share your struggles and share about your illness. I know it can be scary to talk about, especially as a business owner. You wonder if people will continue to trust you or think differently of you.
YAY for no longer being bed-ridden. I’ve gone through weeks of being bed-ridden but it doesn’t last longer than that for me and even those periods of time are super difficult.
Congrats on your first ever studio! That’s AMAZING!
I’m so glad that you’re finally seeing a light at the end of the very long (exhausting) tunnel. <3 I can't wait for the updates on this!
Thanks love! 🙂
I was astonished to read this post! When I first came to your blog a short time ago, I was struck by your energy and enthusiasm for your work and what a vibrant, beautiful woman you are. (Internal monologue: “If I had her energy . . . “) The fact that you’re able to run this wonderful business and be such an inspiration is nothing short of amazing. How great of you to share your struggle in order to help others. And wow, I really have no excuses not to get my blog going!
Thanks Karen! That’s such a nice compliment.
I wish you all the best with your blog. You can absolutely do it!
Thanks so much for sharing April. Sorry to hear the last few years have been so tough and hope things begin to improve. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a year ago and am still finding my feet with medication/business/looking after my children and it’s really helpful to hear your tips.
Best wishes, Katie
Thanks Katie! I’m so sorry that you’re struggling with Type 1 Diabetes. I can’t even imagine–but I’m sure that it takes a lot of getting used to. I wish you all the best!
Thank you so much for sharing this!! You get me! I suffer from chronic illness as well, one without a name. Likely adrenal burnout. It’s been going on for 5 years, and I’m just starting to see some improvements. I left my job last year and I’m now working as a VA in an effort to give myself the flexibility that I need to heal my body. Everything you said was so spot on!! You’ve essentially said this, but my biggest learning curve has been “be proactive”. Like, I might be feeling “ok enough” to do something or push myself a little, but I know if I do that, I’ll suffer for it the next day… it’s better if I can keep things low key and even throughout the week. And if I have something big, plan a recovery day, instead of assuming I’ll get something done and then being frustrated that I didn’t!
I always hate it when people give me advice b/c they have no clue what I’m going through, but since you asked for it, would love to know how much you’ve worked on your diet or what things you’ve tried? My entire body has been a mess (immune system included) and have finally learned that food is a huge part of it. I have so many books and ideas I could recommend, but only if you’re interested! If so, let me know. I would LOVE to connect with you.
You’re so welcome, Danielle! I definitely understand the ‘there’s really no name for this’ talk from doctors.
Yes…being proactive is a must! When I do something big (like teaching a CL course or a launch), I always schedule downtime for the week or two following.
I’ve completely changed my diet since getting sick. I’ve been gluten-free for five years and plant-based for six years. When I eat better, I feel better. For sure! Food is a huge part of my own treatment plan. 🙂
Yay for a treatment plan!!! Finally, right?! Keep us posted on how things work out.
This post helps a lot! As a migraine sufferer, I sometimes am hard on myself when I can’t do the things I need for my biz. And my allergies are sometimes so awful that I feel sluggish, out of sorts, and just icky, which you saw last week. Haha!
I’ll definitely refer to this post to give myself permission to be good to myself (and patient). 🙂
{{{hugs}}}
I KNOW!!!! I’m so excited! I cried…everyone in my family cried…friends have cried. We’ve all been celebrating. 🙂
Compassion for ourselves is HUGE. We would have compassion for a friend if she was struggling with the same issues but then we’re struggling, we expect ourselves to be superhuman.
ALL OF THESE THINGS!!!
I would add only that we need to remind ourselves sometimes to forgive our body for its flaws.
I had a wicked plummet this Winter too, & I wasted far too many weeks – or months – having temper tantrums at my body & my self for letting it happen & wasting my time.
Spoiler: that didn’t help.
Only when I gave a little forgiveness to my skin & mind & immune system, could I start to do the things I had to in order to get it under control again.
I gotta say, April, that knowing you are out there kicking butt & grooving along in your yoga pants too certainly helped me to crawl out from under the blanket fort & get back to doing the things I love to do.
Thanks, lovely!
xo
K
Hahahahaha…temper tantrums don’t work?!?! I’m gonna have to remind myself of that the next time I’m melting down. 🙂
I totally know what you mean. We want to force our bodies to comply but it doesn’t work that way. Not only that–but it backfires.
THANK YOU! Hugs!
This is a wonderful perspective and one I’m sharing with my son. He’s 28 and at 25 took a common antibiotic and had a severe reaction that has left him in pain 24/7 since with damaged DNA in his connective tissue and nerve cells including brain cells. It’s hard for him to stay mentally focused on even basics sometimes, like eating, partly due to pain and partly due to the pain meds. There is no cure, no treatment plan, no research on how to treat this, and it’s not formally recognized because it’s a pharmaceutical accident. But he was just about to start a whole new direction in his life when this happened and he does still want his life. So I’m sending him this to continue to support him in the idea that the world shifted but hasn’t ended. Thanks April!
I’m so sorry to hear about your son. I’ve had many doctors tell me that there isn’t any treatment options for what I have (besides pain meds–and steroids for flare ups) and that is extremely discouraging. I’ve left multiple appointments crying from disappointment and frustration. I hope that this post can give your son a bit of encouragement. For me, hearing from others who have health issues means more than anything else because they get it.
OMG. I can totally relate, April. I have a “mystery virus” that’s likely Chronic Fatigue and probably Fibromyalgia. It’s very hard to get those diagnosed, and even with the diagnosis, the treatment is pretty much what you described in your article. I was told over 20 years ago I had Epstein Barr, so whatever it is that bothers me stems from that. Yes. my old friend fever. I know him only too well. I have been pushing myself so hard, and the fevers started hitting 100 every night. That’s when I know I’m well past my limit. So, I’ve had to cut back. I have to accept that if I can’t get it done today, it will have to be tomorrow. I just can’t sit at my computer 10 and 12 hours a day 6 or 7 days a week. Not anymore. I have to just stop and go get my exercise now and start cooking actual meals for dinner again. And stop shoveling my breakfast in my face while reading email. I’m not helping myself in the long run like that!
Thanks for your incredible transparency and for being an inspiration. I would never have guessed you were dealing with such severe health issues. Especially during that crazy marathon in San Fransisco! Oy. I don’t think I could do that again. But I’m glad I went when I was given the opportunity.
Fevers are so draining. I’d rather have any of my other symptoms than a fever. I can work around other symptoms more than fevers, so I feel for you.
It’s so important to be compassionate with ourselves. It’s easy to get wrapped up in ‘what we should be doing’ but when you have health issues, what you should be doing goes out the door.
I know that you’re doing your best. That’s all you can ask for.
THANK you for the kind words! 🙂
It may be Lyme Disease Please get Tested .
Fibromyalgia, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Lipodermatosclerocis, COPD/Emphysema,Lung Cancer, Microscopic Colitis, Peripheral Neuropathy and now Macular Degeneration have been wreaking havoc on my body and my very weak immune system for the past ten+ years. 21 pills a day, monthly injections in my eye, plus physical and occupational therapy help me function………..but trying to run a business with all of this is definitely an uphill battle.
It is hard to not get discouraged when chronic pain and the many other symptoms I exhibit seem to control my daily living. However, I have found that a strong faith, a positive attitude, good doctors, great friends, and my wonderful family go a long way to give me strength and encouragement to keep going along with light exercise when I can handle it.
I completed a 30-day gratitude challenge which really helped me to get better perspective, and now I am going to finally get back to Kris With A K’s writing challenge which I have yet been unable complete. When I complete that I will start on April’s marvelous Creative Live course Double Your Followers With Creative Marketing.
Although I am 76 years old I still have a great desire to have another successful career achievement in addition to those I already enjoyed in my earlier years.
Winston Churchill said it best, “Never, never, never give up!” So to all of you who battle chronic illness stay strong and follow April’s good advice, and I pray that all of you will find the things that work for you and your best health.
Oh my goodness, Marian. I wish I could give you a hug. It’s definitely easy to get discouraged when you’re in chronic pain. Some days, it feels next to impossible.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and what you’re going through. I find it so much more helpful to hear from others who have chronic health issues than from people who just don’t understand because they can’t understand without living through it.
That quote is perfect!
wow! you’re awesome, Marian! kudos! 76 and still “learnin’!” THAT is totally awesomeness with all you’re dealing with! hugs and prayers for you!
I’m so happy that you have a treatment plan and that hopefully you’ll be feeling better! That is such good news.
I’ve been trying to do little things to help myself feel better, too, like taking vitamins and eating less processed foods. I didn’t always put myself or my health first in the past, but like you said above, when I didn’t it almost always landed me longer in bed. Reducing stress is a huge one for me, too. When I’m stressed my body freaks out and I feel horrible.
Thanks for posting this, April!
Thanks Amanda! I’m giddy with the possibilities!
My body hates stress. It revolts against me when I’m consumed with stress. I’m still trying to figure out more and more ways to reduce my amount of stress–it’s a day by day process.
Thanks for sharing! HUGS!
You, my dear, are my spirit animal!! Oh my goodness. I feel you. I appreciate you so very much, and I appreciate this blog post more than you know. I’m going on day 29 of a horrible flu that just won’t let up. Surviving and sometimes thriving despite an autoimmune disease is a feat in and of itself. You are absolutely rocking it & I’m so thankful that you have found a treatment plan. I’m sending you all sorts of vibrant health vibes!! {hugs}
Julie….I wish I could send a magic pill your way. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through the past month.
THANK YOU so much for sharing and for the kind words. I’m sending one big virtual hug your way, my friend.
You are amazing! Running a business while suffering a chronic illness. I admire you. I sincerely hope you see some improvement.
Thank you for this, April <3 I'm so glad you've got a treatment plan now!! That's awesome news.
Today I feel split between two lives, when I don't even have the energy for just one. I love what I do and want to be on top of my business, and of course I have deadlines to meet… and that's one life. The other is the one where I focus on my health, get enough rest, pace myself, feed myself well and do all the things the specialist told me to. It's amazing how much time they want me to spend simply gazing out the window! That's actually the one I want to focus on, but I have to pay the bills as well. Both of them are hard work, and I've come to the conclusion that I'm not doing either of them justice. Your post has come at a moment of re-organisation for me, as I take a hard look at my priorities and how to best move forward.
xx Virginia
I really enjoy your blog and had no idea you suffered from chronic illness. I am sure you have been tested for everything, but has anyone ever tested for Lyme’s Disease? I have a good friend who had chronic pain and issues for years and nothing was ever concretely diagnosed, until one doctor tested again for Lyme’s and found that it had literally taken over her entire body. She is now in the middle of intense treatment to rid her body of this disease and is gradually feeling better, but still has her bad days. I hope you can get concrete answers. Not knowing is often the hardest part!
What fabulous news about the treatment plan! I know that’s got to feel so good. I only went through 2 years of doctors, tests, and more tests, and more tests, and more doctors before finding it out I have multiple sclerosis. That was back in 2001 and I’ve learned to deal {mostly!} I read a comment above about having temper tantrums at your body and gosh do I know all about that. Just this last week I had a relapse because I didn’t follow your steps above THAT I KNOW…why do we do that to ourselves!
Anyways, I’m in awe of your accomplishments through all that you’ve been through. I imagine there’s days it would be easy to throw in the towel but you don’t. For that, so many of us are grateful to you and your support system for!
Go get ’em April with this treatment plan. Thoughts and prayers and warm wishes to you.
April, as you know you are my hero 🙂 and I massively salute you for your strength and your ability not just to run your business but to do things as massive as presenting LIVE when struggling with illness, that must be so tough!
I pray your treatment will have a breakthrough for you.
Sending you love from across the waves,
Charlie xo
Thank you so much for sharing this!! You are great and strong! Your post has helped me to understand that I shouldn’t feel guilty for the state of my health. That I should allow myself to rest when needed. I’m mom or two boys and I hurry to do everything in time even when I have this moment when you need to rest and as a result you need more time for recovery! Be brave and thanks a lot for your work!! You are réal inspitation!
Irina Q
Hi April!
So excited for you and your new treatment plan! I know we are all keeping our fingers crossed that this is finally the answer you have been searching for. As someone who suffered from severe chronic fatigue syndrome for two years and is now suffering from IBS (both illnesses brought on by stress and fixed by diet!), I understand how it is to just feel bad every single day. You are so inspiring to me and remind me to eat right, take care of my body, be mindful of my stress levels, and to cherish the times I feel good. Best wishes for your new treatment plan!!
April, you are so wonderful for sharing this! I’m sure it will help a bunch of people, including myself. I have a blood disease that does not manifest itself very often, but when it does, it can be debilitating. It started to show when I was 17 (although my grandma and mom have it as well) and we were not diagnosed until I was 27…a month before my wedding. It manifests by swelling random parts of my body, and I can’t tell you how stressed I was that my face would be swollen on my wedding day and guess what a major trigger is: stress! LoL.
I’m sure you’be heard that we are only given what we can handle, and it seems on this end that you’re handling it like a pro. This whole process is part of your story for a reason, thanks again for sharing!
April, I already “knew” you were an amazing young woman, but way too young to have the issues you do!
I have several autoimmune diseases including fibromyalgia, and a chronic headache I’ve had constantly for almost 12 years (no one knows why it won’t go away). I also have scoliosis and other back issues which cause severe pain, especially in my legs, It was the headache that led me to creating my own job so that I could work from home and set my own hours. For years I felt guilty that I couldn’t be like “normal” people…and got severely depressed. Thankfully my pain management doctor recommended a great psychologist. I only needed to visit with him a few times to get back on track mentally. I had been suffering with depression and anxiety and would suffer with panic attack after panic attack. I truly believed the cheese had slid off my cracker…but he assured me that I was not crazy, and that in view of all I was going through, he thought I was doing an amazing job of holding it together…it got worse for me after that BUT he gave me some great advice, no one is going to care about ME more than I do, and that I can’t depend on doctors to find all the answers. I had to become my own best advocate. It didn’t help that two of my doctors felt it was all in my head (which of course led me to believe that I was crazy)…that was almost ten years ago. I haven’t had to take medication for depression or anxiety for almost ten years!
I still struggle with chronic illness, especially pain, and there are still people who don’t “get it.” You don’t look sick. ugh. The headache, body-wide pain and chronic fatigue are probably the worst…mostly. I hate that I’m not the person I used to be. BUT if not for all this “stuff” I probably wouldn’t have my own creative business, and I wouldn’t be taking online courses to get my degree.
One of the perks however…during the winter months, I live in flannel pajama bottoms and cotton tees because they don’t “hurt.” I love them!
Thank YOU so much for sharing what your life is like! It gives hope and inspiration to those of us who struggle with trying to live a meaningful life in spite of chronic illness.
I’m going to be a bit nosey and ask if the doctors have tested your cortisol levels and adrenal function. I’m asking because I live with Addison’s Disease/Adrenal Insufficiency, which is a very rare, chronic, life long, life threatening disease of the adrenal glands… just a little something to look into. (And the treatment is steroid replacement for life… sounds fun, huh?) BTW… Loved the post! I’m actually from Bluefield, VA (now in Oklahoma), so when I was given your post to read I thought that was interesting. Hope you’re having a day that is manageable and functional… every day is different for me, as well… I never know what I’m going to wake up to. Have a blessed day!
Hi April! I’m sooo excited that you now have a treatment plan and probably a great doctor/healer to guide you! When I had anaphylactic food allergies to several foods that developed overnight, I just kept researching for a cure. The way I finally got better was to change my mind set and take control of my own health and not leave it up to doctors, which is what you’re doing too. I found a great holistic doctor and had a treatment plan of taking special supplements and super strict diet. I stayed focused by posting next to my desk a photo of fried chicken and waffles, food I wanted to eat when I got better. 8 months later, I was able to eat wheat again. And 4 more months later, I got a food allergy test and got over everything else. So yes, I totally think you’ll get better one day and am looking forward to the day you post about being completely healed. Btw: I think of you whenever I eat something vegan and gluten-free.
Thank you SO MUCH for writing this post, April. A year ago I got diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and it turned my world upside down. My art business has suffered greatly. I have been really down/hard on myself about it, that I can’t keep up with what I used to do. Besides having problems with fainting, the horrible exhaustion and whole host of other symptoms that I deal with now has been a giant drain on my energy so I have learned at this point that there are things in running a business that are more critical than others, and some are just “nice to do”…. prioritizing is so important! And yes, definitely taking advantage of the good days and RESTING so that I don’t wind up in bed for even more days. My favorite thing to do in my business is the actual art-making, so I try to put that first. It’s the most energizing.
This is an inspiring post for me because you run such an awesome business and everything is so beautiful and polished. Gives me hope that if I pay attention to my limits that I can get back on track, even if my business needs to evolve to accommodate chronic illness! Thank you again. 🙂
Thank you, April, for this post!
I’ve been a big fan of yours after CL course, but now I feel even more inspired by you!
I know it probably wasn’t easy to open your story for all of us, but your success means so much to people who face the same kind of difficulties!
Also! You should come visit me, and then we can do boys vs girls on Scattergories… I LOVE Scattergories (and I’m really good at it 😉 ).
As a suffer of chronic illness and trying to start a business, I can’t say how much I love this post. It’s soo true all of what you say. Learning how to work with your illness and not against it the biggest key.
Thank you so much for your honest and inspiring post – I completely understand and it’s interesting to read how you deal with it and have found ways to work around it.
I have rheumatoid arthritis which like your illness, you never know when you are going to get a good day or bad day. The pain can be so severe that I can’t even move and end up having to stay in bed. Most days it’s bearable but I have learned that if I over do it, then I suffer greatly the next few days.
It also comes with fatigue and I get tired so easily which makes running a business hard. I find that getting plenty of sleep helps and being aware of when I am starting to over do it. I have had this for 8 years now and I am trying cutting out certain foods to see if that helps,
I do hope your treatment plan works for you and I wish you lots of great days xx
April, thank you so much for this post and for sharing your story with us! I am also dealing with chronic illness, Hashimoto’s and it comes with a lot of weird symptoms I find quite scary. I think what was good to hear is that you have to find a way to not push yourself too hard. It’s one of my defaults. I wonder how you work with having a constant output of your stuff, do you plan well ahead? So, if you put a youtube video out every Friday are you trying to do 5 in one day? I am just watching your “Double your Followers” on CreativeLive again. It’s great and I am learning a lot! Thanks again for inspiring me to keep on going! Anja xxx
Hi April
I know you are a big fan of Kris Carr, me too!, but have you heard of an Aussie guy called Joe Cross? He made a video a few year back called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. You should track it down and give it a look-see. He suffered from an autoimmune condition and went on a 60 day juice fast travelling across the US, and interviewing people he met along the way. It’s a very inspiring video.
ellie xo
and you are so rockin’ a Mollie Makes pose in that photo! awesome!
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