Tag: caregiving

Still Showing Up

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“What a good day to be proud of all the progress you made.” – unknown

Last week, my six-year-old son, Mr. D accidentally stepped on a bee and got stung. “Oh, my life is over,” he repeatedly moaned as I struggled to pick out the stinger. And he’s my less dramatic child. Yowsa – those stings hurt.

But most of the pain was gone in an hour and while the swelling and itchiness lasted about four days, there was a clearly an end in sight. How do you still show up when the pain is chronic? What does it mean to keep showing up when life asks more of you than seems possible?

In this episode of The Life of Try, I talk with Kathryn M. B. Johnson, author of Invisible, Until I’m Not, a memoir-in-essays about chronic illness, caregiving, grief, and resilience. Together, we explore what it means to live with fibromyalgia and invisible illness, how caregiving reshapes identity, and why being seen matters so deeply when pain is hard to explain.

Our conversation offers honest insight, emotional validation, and hope for anyone navigating chronic pain, caregiver burnout, loss, or the daily work of endurance.

Key Takeaways:

  • Chronic illness can reshape identity, relationships, and daily life in ways that are often invisible to others.
  • Caregiving is an act of love, but it also carries grief, exhaustion, and the need for self-compassion.
  • Writing can become a lifeline—a way to process pain, preserve connection, and reclaim a sense of self.
  • Being believed and truly seen matters deeply for people living with chronic pain or complex health conditions.
  • Rest is not laziness; caring for yourself is part of being able to care for others.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful podcast episode about chronic illness, caregiving, trauma, faith, and finding strength in difficult seasons, this episode is for you.

Here are some other ways you can listen and watch Liza’s amazing journey:

How to Stop Procrastinating and Start: The 10-Minute Rule for Taking Action – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

What if the key to overcoming procrastination isn’tfinishing—it’s simply starting? In this episode of The Life of Try,Wynne Leon shares a practical 10-minute strategy for beginning before you feel ready, taking imperfect action, and building momentum when a goal feels overwhelming.Explore why starting can feel so difficult, how the Zeigarnik effect may keep unfinished tasks active in your mind, and why one small first step can help you move forward with greater clarity and confidence. You’ll leave with a simple challenge: set a timer, make one imperfect move, and give yourself a clear next step.If you’re ready to stop procrastinating, get unstuck, and take action on something that matters, this episode is your invitation to begin. Then continue building momentum with How to Build Habits That Stick featuring Dr. Mike Rucker.What will you start today?
  1. How to Stop Procrastinating and Start: The 10-Minute Rule for Taking Action
  2. The Art of Meaningful Conversations: Lessons from 200 podcast episodes
  3. The Power of Saying Yes
  4. Growth Takes Energy| How Rest Helps Habits Stick
  5. When You Know You're Not Going to Make It

Links for this episode:

How Writing Helps Save Us From Chronic Illness and Loss transcript

Invisible, Until I’m Not on Amazon

Kathryn’s website

Kathryn’s weekly newsletter on Substack

Kathryn Johnson on LinkedIn

The Crossing: My Near Death Experience with Jesus by Liza Anderson on Amazon

Other Episodes you Might Enjoy:

⁠ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving⁠

4⁠8: How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience and Coming Alive⁠

⁠How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life | Mike Rucker, PhD, on Joy, Burnout and the Fun Habit⁠

(featured photo from Pexels)

Thank Goodness It’s Monday

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“If we want stability in our family, society, nation, and the world, we need to create stability in individual human beings.” – Sadhguru

This weekend I:

  • Walked a half marathon (27k steps over 2 ½ days)
  • Celebrated the achievements of this youngest generation of scientists and explorers (took my kids to a 5 year old birthday party and set up marble tracks, cheered for kids figuring out how to slide fast and slow, )
  • Practiced medicine (2 boo-boos, and tummy ache)
  • Work to help prevent disease and disorganization (did 5 loads of laundry, supervised young hands wiping down counters and sinks, changed the sheets, mowed the lawn, organized a utility closet, and did at least 1000 dishes)
  • Exercised hearts and minds (played 2 games of family soccer, reenacted light saber scenes, played Chinese checkers, read a half a dozen books aloud, and told a dozen stories, played at least a dozen rounds of keep away with Cooper the dog)
  • Fed the hungry (prepared seven meals, a bazillion snacks, five meals for the dog, three meals for the cat)
  • Coached positive techniques for conflict resolution and expressing healthy boundaries (settled at least a half dozen power struggles and fits of big emotion)

No, I’m not aiming to do a victory lap here (for one thing I’m too tired 🙂 ). But my weekend reminds me that:

  1. We don’t give caretakers nearly enough credit for the amount of energy and skill it takes to keep other beings alive.
  2. I’m a much better parent because I work. The dozen things I need to get done at work on Monday seem like child’s play… compared to a weekend of playing with children.
  3.  Kids and pets reflect the care they get…and so do caregivers. None of it is possible unless caregivers fill up their tank.

Happy Monday, everyone!