Weekly Inspiration? More like Monthly Inspiration these days! Regular readers of my blog may recall that I have been worse than usual, with very low stamina, since March, and there is still no end in sight for that downturn (yet). But a few weeks ago, on top of that, I went into a very severe crash that left me completely bed/couch bound day after day and incapacitated. This bad crash felt like one caused by an infectious trigger, though I still have no idea exactly what triggered it. I had only mild viral symptoms (like a bit of a runny nose and post-nasal drip) and only for a few days, and no one else in my family got sick, showed any signs of a virus, or crashed (my son). It lasted a little more than two weeks, and my energy started to return in the latter part of this week. I am still quite achy most days, but my mental energy is back (back in 2012, I wrote a post about Mental Energy and ME/CFS that really hit home for a lot of people). So, here I am, trying to get back to regular blog posts (from the couch).
During this rough period recently, I discovered two new-to-me inspirational podcasts that I wanted to share with you. I heard about both of them on the Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin, which I included in my Weekly Inspiration post Listen to Podcasts.
Everything Happens
The Everything Happens podcast is hosted by Kate Bowler, a woman who is living with Stage IV cancer. Her podcast logo, shown here, tells it all: Everything Happens for a Reason, with the "for a reason" part scratched out. If, like me, you hate when people quote that to you, you will love Kate. Here is part of her introduction to each podcast:
"Look, the world loves us when we are good, better, best. But this is a podcast for when you want to stop feeling guilty that you're not living your best life now. ... Life is a chronic condition. The self-help and wellness industry will try to tell you that you can always fix your life. ... But I am here to look into your gorgeous eyes and say, 'Hey, there are some things you can fix and some thing you can't, and it's OK that life isn't always better. We can find beauty and meaning and truth, but there's no cure to being human. So, let's be friends on that journey. Let's be human together.' "
Awesome right? It's like she's talking directly to us, and she gets it! Her episodes are easily consumed in one sitting, usually 30-40 minutes, and each one features an interview with someone on a topic that fits with her podcast's vision and message (above). Recent episodes I enjoyed include Bishop Michael Curry (who married Harry and Meagan) on and The Power of Ordinary Love and Mary Pipher on The Art of Aging. Her guests aren't always quite that famous, but so far I have enjoyed and been inspired by every episode I've listened to. I've subscribed and look forward to hearing more episodes (both new and from her backlog).
Feel Better, Live More.
The Feel Better, Live More podcast is hosted by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, who I guess is famous! I first heard him on the Happier podcast just recently, but apparently, he is a huge celebrity, especially in the UK and Europe. He's been a medical doctor for 20+ years and has written four books. He focuses on a new approach to medicine, lifestyle medicine, looking at the whole picture instead of at each part of the body or each disease separately. I think this is something all of us with ME/CFS, tick infections, and other related illnesses can get behind, since our diseases affect every part of our bodies, and most doctors only look at one thing at a time. Each episode features an interview with an expert on various topics, like healthy eating, keeping your immune system healthy, meditation, pain, and relationships. His interviews tend to be long, an hour or more, but the few that I have listened to so far have been interesting and inspiring.
What are your favorite inspiring podcasts? Which ones help to lift you up when you are feeling down or going through a rough period? Share your ideas and thoughts in the comments.
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