June 9, 2025
Today was another genuinely good day, despite the rainy weather that usually brings challenges. But here’s the amazing thing: I’ve started noticing that when I wake up, I’m not nearly as stiff and sore as I used to be. I honestly can’t even begin to tell you what a relief that is!
The Gift of Better Mornings
Starting your day feeling miserable makes everything that follows so much more difficult. When you wake up already fighting pain and stiffness, it’s like beginning each day from behind. But lately, I’m waking up feeling more like a normal human being, and it’s transforming everything.
This change has to be connected to the consistent gentle exercise routine I’ve been maintaining. A week and a half of daily 10-minute sessions of Qi Gong, yoga, Tai Chi, and strength training, and my body is already responding with less morning stiffness. That’s incredible progress! I would never have thought that such a minor thing could make such a major improvement!
Morning Routine Mastery
I completed my full morning routine and got my Qi Gong session done, and even managed to meditate for 10 minutes afterward. For someone with ADHD, sitting still and concentrating solely on breathing is genuinely challenging because my mind wants to race off in a million different directions at once.
But I’m learning that meditation doesn’t have to be perfect. Even when my thoughts are bouncing around, the attempt to focus and breathe mindfully seems to have value. It’s about practice, not perfection.
Professional Progress
I got all my email sorted and started my onboarding process at RWS! It feels so good to be moving forward professionally while also taking care of my health. The combination of feeling physically better and having new opportunities creates this upward momentum that’s been missing for so long.
Having sustainable morning routines in place makes handling new work responsibilities feel much more manageable. I’m starting from a place of strength rather than trying to catch up from exhaustion.
Productive Energy
I even managed to complete three loads of laundry between everything else today. For anyone managing chronic illness, you know that’s not a small accomplishment. It’s running up and down stairs to wash, dry, fold, AND put away multiple loads while handling other responsibilities.
I’m feeling genuinely productive today, and it’s the good kind of productivity. Energizing rather than depleting. When your body feels better, everything else becomes more possible.
The ADHD and Chronic Illness Intersection
Managing both ADHD and chronic illness creates unique challenges. The hyperactive mind that wants to do everything at once, combined with a body that has limited energy reserves, requires careful balance and realistic expectations.
But I’m finding that gentle, consistent routines actually help both conditions. The physical movement supports my chronic illness management, while the structured routine helps my ADHD brain stay focused and organized.
Hope for More Days Like This
I’m feeling incredibly hopeful about having many more days like this one. The combination of reduced morning stiffness, successful meditation despite ADHD challenges, professional progress, and sustained energy throughout the day feels like a new normal I could actually maintain.
The best part is knowing that these improvements are coming from sustainable changes. Gentle exercise, consistent routines, and realistic expectations, rather than pushing myself beyond my limits.
Here’s to waking up feeling human and building on this momentum! 💜
Sometimes the biggest victories are the ones that happen before you even get out of bed. Waking up without that familiar morning battle against your own body.
The dogs are snoring. I’m signing off. See you tomorrow. 💜
