<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[#MentalHealth (good) #Musings #ChronicIllness #GriefAndHealing This post is both vulnerable, and I hope, also inspiring to those who may need it:]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://mstdn.games/tags/MentalHealth" rel="tag">#<span>MentalHealth</span></a> (good) <a href="https://mstdn.games/tags/Musings" rel="tag">#<span>Musings</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.games/tags/ChronicIllness" rel="tag">#<span>ChronicIllness</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.games/tags/GriefAndHealing" rel="tag">#<span>GriefAndHealing</span></a> This post is both vulnerable, and I hope, also inspiring to those who may need it: </p><p>I was an absolutely unstoppable force throughout my 20’s. </p><p>I have lived what feels like… 2-3 lifetimes before I hit 40 next year. I’ve done incredible things. Experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. </p><p>Dreaming, building, advocating… across industries and across nations. Online and offline. </p><p>Flash forward: Since I progressively became chronically ill, I have spent the last 5+ years unpacking the profound grief of the loss of who I was and the loss of my perceived worth. Most of the time that process has been painfully difficult, so much so that I coped by trying to mentally run and forget everything ‘before’ because it was too emotionally painful to face the loss/change. </p><p>Over the past year or so, I’ve learned that I don’t need to do that in order to heal. I can connect compassionately with younger me, be proud, and walk forward as I am now *with* who I used to be because she is still me and deserves to be here now. Integration.</p><p>If any of this resonates with you, I’d be honoured to know even a part of your story. 🫶<img src="https://board.circlewithadot.net/assets/plugins/nodebb-plugin-emoji/emoji/android/1f3fb.png?v=28325c671da" class="not-responsive emoji emoji-android emoji--skin-tone-2" style="height:23px;width:auto;vertical-align:middle" title="🏻" alt="🏻" /></p>]]></description><link>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/ed3dda75-d948-45e8-adc8-10d7dfe58ddb/mentalhealth-good-musings-chronicillness-griefandhealing-this-post-is-both-vulnerable-and-i-hope-also-inspiring-to-those-who-may-need-it</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:36:37 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/ed3dda75-d948-45e8-adc8-10d7dfe58ddb.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:28:44 GMT</pubDate><ttl>60</ttl></channel></rss>