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Q&A with Leah: “It’s okay to feel different and talk about it.”
I’m excited to introduce you all to my friend Leah in this invisible illness Q&A. We’ve been friends as well as pen pals for over half my life.
Leah and I quickly bonded over our love for animals and books as kids, and we’ve encouraged each other in our faith, especially when we’ve both faced health challenges. Leah is one of the most kind-hearted people you will ever meet, and my hope is that you will take encouragement from her story.
I love getting to do this interview project—it’s wonderful to connect with other bloggers and it’s also such a privilege to provide a platform for people like Leah who do not have a blog. I’m passionate about helping people with chronic illness share their insights and hard-earned wisdom, both so they feel heard and also so they can make a difference by sharing what they know. You can find out more about being interviewed here.
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Flexibility is Key—Creating with Chronic Illness
Happy New Year friends! I’ve been thinking about the importance of flexibility with chronic illness, especially when it comes to taking care of my health and making time for my creative pursuits.
January seems like the perfect month to share some updates, as well as what I’ve found helpful on my health journey recently. I hope these reflections are helpful for you too!
I’m thrilled to be participating in A Chronic Voice’s link up again this month. This link up is a way for chronically ill bloggers to connect by writing posts based on the same prompts. I love the creative challenge offered by the prompts and seeing what others write!
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DisneyBound Challenge 2: Villains
It’s time for me to share some photos for our second DisneyBound challenge, right in time for Halloween! In case you missed the first challenge, I put together a look inspired by my favorite Disney princess. Be sure to check out which princess Olivia Wolfertz of Unpolished Ponderings chose and how she brought her character’s look to life.
Never heard of Disneybounding? It’s basically dressing up using colors, styles, or the general aesthetic of a character. It’s like a simplified take on wearing a complete costume.
PS I just joined Instagram and will be sharing more Disneybounds in October! Follow @cassiecreleyblog
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15 Shows about Fascinating People and Places
I love when shows present real stories in an engaging way and bring incredible parts of the world to life onscreen. I think these 15 shows about fascinating people and places will capture your imagination and give you the opportunity to learn many new things. I sure learned a lot!
What drew me to these shows is that they make it fun to discover something new. It can be challenging to feel a sense of growth when you’re chronically ill, so I try to prioritize continuing to learn. TV can be wonderful in the sense that I can feel like I’ve visited a museum or gotten a glimpse of another country without leaving my home.
These 15 programs tell the stories of remarkable women, introduce us to amazing animals, bring history to life, and take us to new places.
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DisneyBound Challenge 1: Favorite Princess
I’m participating in two DisneyBound challenges this year, and I’m looking forward to sharing these outfits with you! Olivia Wolfertz of Unpolished Ponderings and I will be putting together two looks—the first is inspired by our favorite Disney princess and the second will be inspired by a villain. A bonus? It’s easy to DisneyBound with chronic illness!
First up: what’s DisneyBounding? It’s a fun way to dress up inspired by the colors and aesthetics of your favorite characters, without going for a full costume.
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Thoughts On “Sun Guilt” And How To Enjoy The Outdoors With Chronic Illness
Don’t worry, this isn’t a post pressuring you to go outside more or insisting you should get outside every day. With chronic illness and pain, sometimes this isn’t realistic. So let’s talk about ways to benefit from and enjoy being outdoors with chronic illness. For me, planning and pacing are key.
In fact, I’m giving myself permission to be outside less or not go outside at all, even on days when the weather is ideal. I’m trying to balance benefitting from nature with listening to my body.
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My Go To Natural Skin Care Products
I’m so excited to share this list of my favorite natural skin care products with you! It’s taken me many years to find lotions, soaps, shampoos, etc. that don’t flare up my health conditions. I’m really passionate about this topic because I think everyone should have the tools and information to avoid toxins and make healthier decisions in their everyday life.
I hope that all the products I’ve researched and tried will help you on your journey to better health.
What we put on our bodies matters, especially for those of us with chronic illness. These are the skincare products that don’t aggravate my asthma, fibromyalgia, and other chronic conditions.
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Why To Use Natural Skin Care Products If You Have A Chronic Illness
Why choose natural skin care products? I’m going to share a quick overview of some of the potential health impacts of chemicals that you’d think are safe—after all, they’re in everyday products like lotion, shampoo, deodorant, and soap. I hope this post is a useful resource for learning more about the ingredients in skin care products so you can choose healthier options, especially if you have a chronic illness.
If you’re already dealing with chronic illness or health issues (like I am—more on that below) it’s even more important to address irritants and triggers that could be contributing to underlying conditions—or just making overall health worse.
And even if you’re healthy, there are many reasons everyone should avoid harmful chemicals lurking in skin care products.
Here’s a quick look at chemicals to avoid, where you can find more research about those chemicals, and resources for finding healthier alternatives.
