The Wellness Lie That Needs to Die

💥 Disruption of the Month: The Wellness Lie That Needs to Die: “Push Through It”

Let’s talk about the phrase that gets thrown around like it’s motivational gold: “Just push through it.”

Push through the pain.
Push through the fatigue.
Push through until you collapse, cry, or cancel life altogether.

This isn’t grit. This is gas-lighting with good intentions.

For people living with MS (and really, any chronic illness), the idea that you can force your way through symptoms is not only dangerous — it’s dehumanizing. It assumes your body is just a machine with a weak will and that effort will magically override biology.

Spoiler: it won’t.

Rest is not quitting.
Modifying your day is not failure.
And knowing when to stop isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom born from experience.

You are not less determined because you respect your limits. You’re just not performing burnout for someone else’s comfort.

Burnout is not a badge. Survival is enough.

🗣️ Journal Prompt:

🔥 Hot Plate, Cold Nerves: Lazy Chili

Somewhere between "I should eat vegetables" and "I can’t feel my legs today" lives the glorious middle ground: Lazy Chili.

What You Need:

• 1 can chili beans

• 1 can crushed tomatoes

• 1 lb ground beef (or turkey, or skip it)

• Onion (optional because effort)

• Chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper

• Shredded cheese and chips if you're fancy

How To:

1. Brown the meat (or don’t).

2. Dump everything into a pot or slow cooker.

3. Stir. Simmer. Serve.

4. Eat straight out of the pot if you're not feeling civilized.

Makes enough to survive brain fog and still have leftovers.

🛠️ Fix-It Corner: 3 Fatigue-Fighting Tools That Don’t Suck

We’re not promising miracles. Just helpful stuff that can make a day suck less:

1. Cooling Vest – heat is MS's evil sidekick. These can keep you going when your body wants to melt.

2. Energy Management App (like “Bearable” or “MySymptoms”) – track your energy like it’s your credit card limit.

3. Rolling Cart or Stool – cook, clean, or get around the house without needing to stand. Life hack: it doubles as a seat for existential dread.

Got a tool that changed your day? Tell us. We’ll feature your recs.

🗳️ Your Turn: Reader Poll

What’s your most MS-realistic version of “self-care”?

• Napping with zero guilt

• Canceling plans without apologizing

• Eating cereal for dinner

• Skipping stretches and surviving anyway

• Other? Hit reply.

💢 Mini Rant: Effort ≠ Hustle

Not all effort looks like a spin class and green smoothies.
Sometimes effort is brushing your teeth.
Sometimes it’s replying to one email.
Sometimes it’s just not ghosting your group chat.

The world needs to stop rewarding burnout and start recognizing the effort it takes to just exist in a glitching body.

End rant.

See you Monday.
Until then: be gentle with your limits, and if you need permission to cancel that thing you said yes to... consider this it.