Plus, the Antidote #51: the roots of mental fatigue, what's new in ME/CFS research, tattoos and your immune system, and the sublime magic of micro forests.
Oh dear, sweet Baldy and Zira, and you as their caretaker 🥹 Wishing you a better 2026 and sending you so much love and coziness for the new year.
Melissa McCarthy soothes my soul. Whenever I'm feeling particularly down, I'll watch The Heat or Bridesmaids and it's an instant mood booster. Thank you for that skit.
Looooved that list of hip mobility exercises 😍 The airline water article 😩🤢
The kitties choosing their new families made my face wettttt.
And as always, CONGRATS on the breakthroughs this year!! It's filled me with joy to watch you get back to the activities you love, Amy 🫂
Thank you thank you thank you, my sweet friend! Your words of support mean so much to me 🥹.
It’s funny - I don’t read or watch everything I link to (imagine if I did? 😵💫), but you’ve pulled out the select few I absolutely didn’t miss and I feel like we are on the same wavelength 👯♀️
I really enjoyed this post and am in awe of your playing volleyball!! I’ve been thinking about the CFS Recovery program more because of your progress. I also just got my good things jar started. Been wanting to do this for a long time and you inspired me to actually make one already!
Thanks for the deets about the spoonie yoga classes as well!! I’ve been collecting info on online sessions even though I’m still nervous about moving “too much.” I do daily stretches to start opening my upper body back up, but there’s still a little scared part of my brain when it comes to the notion of a class even though I know this I geared towards people with energy limitations.
Thank you, Keisha! And hooray for your own good things jar 🙌🏻💃🏼.
Check out the spoonie yoga info session tomorrow - there’s no pressure to sign up for the actual classes. But I can tell you there are folks who are bedbound who are able to take Shannon’s classes. The movements are super gentle and she offers so many modifications, including mere visualization if that’s where your spoons are that day. Although I’m able to do the whole class seated, I often still do it all laying down because it’s so yummy and relaxing that way ☺️
Thank you! 😊 I saw the info session, but can’t attend, I have therapy at that time, but maybe if she offers another or I’ll probably just give it a go. We’ll see! 😬
Oh I love this prompt Amy: things I could do in 2025 that I couldn’t in 2024!
I overdid it at least 2-3 times by walking 7miles during winter week (period week) when I have what are now reduced to a couple of vulnerable parts healthwise - and it wasn’t to my detriment! (Down to only a couple of days illness a month, probably half of 2024).
In fact, I could do a lot more in winter week before the end of the morning that would have previously taken me all day - if not all week - to do before!
Thirdly, write my action guide and memoir! After not being able to touch the initial first draft for 3 years (I got so deeply triggered about all I had to suffer and endure with next to no help and support, it was an enormous amount to process - which has only added to the depth and value of the book). And now, in the last 12 months, I’ve been able to create a body of work out of it and make it universal in appeal. All so that no one need endure and suffer to the isolated extent I did. 🙏
A totally incredible year, Amber! Amazing!! I love that you were able to pick up the first draft again after all that time - very inspiring, and very real! Can’t wait to see what more is ahead for you 🫶🏻
Love this for reflection ❤️ Sometimes we focus so much on the road ahead that we forget how far we’ve already come.
Things I could do in 2025 that I couldn’t in 2024: I was mothering a child — something I could never have done a year ago. I leaned into hope more than ever when things got really hard, and I experienced a huge breakthrough in my health toward the end of the year ❤️
For the first time in 13 years, January feels full of opportunity. I’m committed to continuing what’s working for my health and trusting the path ahead. Great post ❤️
❤️
Oh dear, sweet Baldy and Zira, and you as their caretaker 🥹 Wishing you a better 2026 and sending you so much love and coziness for the new year.
Melissa McCarthy soothes my soul. Whenever I'm feeling particularly down, I'll watch The Heat or Bridesmaids and it's an instant mood booster. Thank you for that skit.
Looooved that list of hip mobility exercises 😍 The airline water article 😩🤢
The kitties choosing their new families made my face wettttt.
And as always, CONGRATS on the breakthroughs this year!! It's filled me with joy to watch you get back to the activities you love, Amy 🫂
Thank you thank you thank you, my sweet friend! Your words of support mean so much to me 🥹.
It’s funny - I don’t read or watch everything I link to (imagine if I did? 😵💫), but you’ve pulled out the select few I absolutely didn’t miss and I feel like we are on the same wavelength 👯♀️
I really enjoyed this post and am in awe of your playing volleyball!! I’ve been thinking about the CFS Recovery program more because of your progress. I also just got my good things jar started. Been wanting to do this for a long time and you inspired me to actually make one already!
Thanks for the deets about the spoonie yoga classes as well!! I’ve been collecting info on online sessions even though I’m still nervous about moving “too much.” I do daily stretches to start opening my upper body back up, but there’s still a little scared part of my brain when it comes to the notion of a class even though I know this I geared towards people with energy limitations.
Thank you, Keisha! And hooray for your own good things jar 🙌🏻💃🏼.
Check out the spoonie yoga info session tomorrow - there’s no pressure to sign up for the actual classes. But I can tell you there are folks who are bedbound who are able to take Shannon’s classes. The movements are super gentle and she offers so many modifications, including mere visualization if that’s where your spoons are that day. Although I’m able to do the whole class seated, I often still do it all laying down because it’s so yummy and relaxing that way ☺️
You can also do the classes entirely off camera!
Thank you! 😊 I saw the info session, but can’t attend, I have therapy at that time, but maybe if she offers another or I’ll probably just give it a go. We’ll see! 😬
Gotcha! She often offers free classes through MEAction. I’ll keep an eye out for one!
Thanks for the heads up and for looking out!
Oh I love this prompt Amy: things I could do in 2025 that I couldn’t in 2024!
I overdid it at least 2-3 times by walking 7miles during winter week (period week) when I have what are now reduced to a couple of vulnerable parts healthwise - and it wasn’t to my detriment! (Down to only a couple of days illness a month, probably half of 2024).
In fact, I could do a lot more in winter week before the end of the morning that would have previously taken me all day - if not all week - to do before!
Thirdly, write my action guide and memoir! After not being able to touch the initial first draft for 3 years (I got so deeply triggered about all I had to suffer and endure with next to no help and support, it was an enormous amount to process - which has only added to the depth and value of the book). And now, in the last 12 months, I’ve been able to create a body of work out of it and make it universal in appeal. All so that no one need endure and suffer to the isolated extent I did. 🙏
What a year! Easily the best of my life ✨💃🏼
A totally incredible year, Amber! Amazing!! I love that you were able to pick up the first draft again after all that time - very inspiring, and very real! Can’t wait to see what more is ahead for you 🫶🏻
Congrats on all those big changes, Amy!
Saved to read more and click more links. Thanks for another great article & refs.
Love the YouTube video - the dog choosing owners are tear jerkers too.
I know! Cats aren’t generally people pleasers like dogs are so the cats tend to get me more 😭
So great to hear about your progress Amy! And Melissa McCarthy is the best!
I knew I liked you for a reason! 😉
Thank you Amy! Congratulations sincerely on the hard won improvements and stubborn resilience!!! Excellent links all around
Thanks doc! Please don’t burn out! 🙏🏻🫶🏻
I love that you also did a good things jar!!!! At first I was like wait is this my post that I’m reading and I got lost on substack 🤣
Haha, I thought the same when I saw your post! I’ve been doing it for about five years now. It keeps me going!
💀 💀
Love this for reflection ❤️ Sometimes we focus so much on the road ahead that we forget how far we’ve already come.
Things I could do in 2025 that I couldn’t in 2024: I was mothering a child — something I could never have done a year ago. I leaned into hope more than ever when things got really hard, and I experienced a huge breakthrough in my health toward the end of the year ❤️
For the first time in 13 years, January feels full of opportunity. I’m committed to continuing what’s working for my health and trusting the path ahead. Great post ❤️