Your Life Lived Well

There’s a lot about life with a chronic health condition that rightly gets us down. When we’re feeling bad, those around us often resort to advising that we need to “look on the bright side” — as if that were the actual problem. However, our mindset does have a huge impact on our quality of life. It’s not simply a matter of “choice,” but there are tactics that really can help us brighten our outlooks and improve our experiences, even under the most difficult circumstances.

Grief is not what we expect. It’s messy. It doesn’t follow a neat path. And it’s not always neatly resolved. Yet loss is a necessary part of living — and it’s something that a life touched by chronic illness must navigate. Here’s a better way to think about grief and some strategies for accommodating the real demands of loss.

Meditation isn’t what you probably think it is. We dive in to meditation as exercise for the parts of our mind we want to be strong, a way to become more aware and forgiving of ourselves, and an indispensable tools for improving your quality of life when faced by the distress of life with a chronic health condition.

I’m happy to welcome Joe Mays, former NFL player (and Kansas City Chief) and co-owner of Kansas City’s Laya Center, a holistic wellness spa. We share a wide-ranging conversation about everything from holistic healing, the lasting health consequences of a life in football, vegetarianism, adapting to health traumas, and the role of risk in a fulfilling life.

You, or someone you love, has just been diagnosed with a life changing — maybe life threatening — medical condition. It’s big. It’s scary. It’s overwhelming. And life won’t be the same. Here’s how not to lose yourself or the things you love about your life. Learn the three most important things you need to do first.

It’s an innocent little question, and maybe the most difficult one we face with a chronic illness. We’ll unpack the minefield of, “how are you feeling today?” Do we tell the truth? A casual lie? Where do we draw the boundary of disclosure and how do we handle the consequences of this common, well-intentioned social inquiry?

Join us for a wide-ranging conversation with veteran and VA Social Worker, Jason Dye. How to encourage veterans to get help. Handling Post Traumatic Distress and supporting your loved one’s battle with PTSD. Better transitions from military service back into society. Masculinity and acknowledging health issues. The importance of caring for yourself. The political fight over medical marijuana. And a frank discussion of how our illnesses can attack our masculinity and self worth. (recorded last year)

Why does a guy with multiple sclerosis jump from a perfectly good plane…a lot? Probably not why you think. It’s about fear and dreams. In this episode, we talk about how to face your fears and reclaim your dreams stolen by time and chronic illness.

Dr. April Seifert is a social cognitive psychologist, data scientist, entrepreneur, wife, mother, thriving with MS — and skydiver. She is the co-founder of Peak Mind: The Center for Psychological Strength. (https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/) She joins us for an informed and inspiring discussion about navigating family life, growing up with rare illness, and learning to succeed beyond your fear. (Recorded in 2020.) 

The rest of the world has learned what life with a longterm health condition is like. We dive into why we're not handling this well, what this means for the next few months, and how you can use it to educate those around you about life with your chronic health condition.

It’s that time of year when we all want to turn over a new leaf and change for the better. It’s also that time when we set ourselves up for crushing failure! Most resolutions fail a few weeks into a new year. Here’s why you fail and what to do to succeed instead. 

It’s that time of year when we all want to turn over a new leaf and change for the better. It’s also that time when we set ourselves up for crushing failure! Most resolutions fail a few weeks into a new year. Here’s why you fail and what to do to succeed instead. 

In a special episode, we'll talk about living well through the COVID-19 outbreak with an already existing medical condition. Here are the medical, emotional, social, and practical tips you need. And share your questions to @YourLLWell on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram so Dr. Payne can provide more answers.

Chronic illness changes our identity. Sometimes we feel like we’re losing ourselves, but we don’t have to. We invite you to get involved, so visit us at our website, email us, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Chronic illness changes our identity. Sometimes we feel like we’re losing ourselves, but we don’t have to.