Making Room Again

I finally did it. I cleaned out my basement. It’s been on my To-Do List forever. It’s where my seasonal decor is stored, and if I’m being really honest, I’ve made it through the 4th of July, the Birthday Season, and now Halloween while living in the chaos. My basement also houses my laundry room and, most significantly, my gym equipment. I managed to keep up with the laundry and the holiday decorations, but strength training, specifically … well, that just fell off. 

It’s not like I haven’t done anything. I’ve leaned into yoga, walking, and an occasional cycle class with Alex Toussaint. Always Alex Toussaint. I thoroughly enjoyed my yoga binge. It was odd, though. As someone who used CrossFit for therapy during my divorce, this current crisis management looked very different. This time, I needed quieter, lighter movement. Life already felt heavy, and I didn’t have it in me to add more weight. 

No one was more surprised than I was by my response to my life’s latest upheaval. I didn’t seek the distraction of loud music and clanging barbells. I didn’t push through my emotions and challenges with intensity and prove to myself that I could handle more weight, more reps, and more in general…

The crowded basement wasn’t my barrier to CrossFit. I’m in a CrossFit gym almost daily, coaching and training others, while my own desire to lift has been quiet. It was actually a little unsettling at first, ignoring my go-to therapy and something I identify so closely with, and even how others see me. I mean, some people have me in their contacts as CrossFit Candice. Not Candice Case, but CROSSFIT CANDICE. Like, who am I now????

I’ve been missing how my body feels with CrossFit and strength training. Inside and outside. And as I literally dusted and swept the cobwebs from my dumbbells and weight bench over the weekend, I decided I was ready to ease back into it. Of course, “ease back into it” was the original thought, and then I planned this full comeback with six days of training. Face palm. Will I ever learn? 

I’m committing to three days and reminding myself that feeling ready for more doesn’t mean I have to do ALL of it. Apparently, I can give this advice to other people all day long. Applying it to myself? Still a work in progress.

Maybe you’ve barely touched the book on your nightstand, stopped writing, or lost the desire to cook something you used to enjoy making. You can pick it up again without accounting for every day you didn’t. Read a few pages. Write a paragraph. Make your favorite meal. See how it feels. You’re allowed to make room for it again without filling every available space. You’re also allowed to not feel guilty for your time away from it. The win is recognizing what you need and noticing when that need begins to change. 

On our podcast, Girl, You Ain’t Crazy, Danielle and I often reference our seasons of life and how our needs change throughout them. Our subject matter changes, sometimes involving five or six side stories that are usually mildly entertaining, but always centered on topics that are relevant to being human and “normal.” This week’s episode is titled “Life Be Lifin’” because life has a way of messing up our well-laid plans. Life can even get in the way of routines we love. So if you found that to be true for you too, take a listen and know you’re in excellent company. 

If you’re ready to make room for your own wellness again, I’d love to help. Through Wonder Wellness Coaching, we can work together on movement, nutrition, and routines that fit the life you’re living now. Reach out, and let’s find your starting point.

I still have plenty of uncertainty in front of me. But this weekend, I cleared some space and felt the urge to use it again. I’m looking forward to picking up my weights and seeing how it feels.

Three days. Somebody remind me I said three.

What have you been missing and what would making a little room for it look like? 

When Stress Shows Up in Your Lab Work

About two weeks ago, I got my lab results back for my thyroid appointment, and I knew right away something was off. Numbers had shifted in the wrong direction. Not dramatically, but enough to remind me that health is never as simple as we want it to be.

My first reaction? Panic.

I immediately started running through every recent decision. Was it the few extra indulgences here and there? Did I lose focus? Do I need to tighten everything up, get stricter, cut more out, or overhaul everything starting Monday?

If you’ve ever dealt with chronic health issues, you probably know that mental spiral. The belief that one imperfect day, week, or even a moment means you’ve ruined everything. After the initial stress passed, I had to stop myself and tell the truth.

The answer was not to punish myself.

Living With Autoimmune Disease Is Frustrating

One of the hardest parts of managing autoimmune disease is that sometimes you can do so much right and still feel like your body has its own agenda. For years, I was compliant. Disciplined. Consistent. I followed plans, made changes, showed up for appointments, adjusted habits, and tried to do everything “correctly.” Yet for a long time, I saw little improvement.

That kind of journey wears on you.

Then, when progress finally comes - when labs improve, symptoms ease, energy returns - you start to exhale a little. You feel hopeful again. So when something slips backward, it feels devastating. Not because the setback is catastrophic, but because you know how hard you worked to get to this healthy state.

Stress Counts Too

Yes, nutrition matters. Movement matters. Sleep matters. Routine matters. But stress matters too. Sometimes stress is the one factor we minimize because it doesn’t look as obvious as a meal plan or a workout calendar. But the body keeps score.

Stress can impact hormones, inflammation, digestion, sleep quality, energy, and thyroid function. It can make the healthiest habits harder to maintain. It can create changes even when you’re still doing many things right.

That was the real reminder for me. Recently, I’ve carried more stress than usual, and my body responded accordingly.

The Last Thing I Need Is More Pressure

When I saw those results, I wanted to go extreme. Tighten the rules. Become hyper-disciplined overnight. Fix everything immediately. That reaction - the all-or-nothing one - is often the very thing someone with autoimmune disease does not need.

My nervous system does not need punishment. My body does not need more pressure. I do not need to become my own enemy in the name of “health.”

What I’m Doing Instead

Instead of panic, I made a realistic plan to get back on track. Not a punishment plan. A support plan.

A return to consistency.
More intentional meals.
Better hydration.
Movement that helps me feel better, not depleted.
Earlier nights.
Better boundaries.
Stress management that I stop treating like a luxury and start treating like health care.

Because sometimes the most powerful reset is not becoming stricter. It’s becoming steadier.

And, it was the perfect excuse to buy a fitness tracker ring that I’ve been eyeing FOREVER.

Not Perfect—But Doing My Best

This is how I deal with autoimmune disease now.

Not perfectly. Not flawlessly. Not with some unrealistic standard that leaves no room for life to happen. I deal with it by doing the best I can with the season I’m in.

Some seasons look strong and focused.
Some seasons look tired but still trying.
Some seasons look like regrouping after disappointing labs.

And all of it counts.

Health isn’t about controlling every variable. It’s about learning how to care for yourself when variables change.

Right now, caring for myself looks less like being strict… and more like being wise and more compassionate towards myself.

UPDATE: I finally decided to try a fitness tracking ring after hearing so much about recovery, sleep quality, stress tracking, and heart rate variability. I wanted something simple, easy to use, and more budget-friendly than some of the higher-priced options on the market. So far, I’ve really liked how straightforward it is and how much insight it gives me into my sleep, stress, recovery, and overall wellness patterns — especially during a season where I’m trying to manage stress better and pay closer attention to my health instead of just pushing harder.

If you’re curious, this is the ring I purchased and have been using lately: https://amzn.to/4nj6xFa. Something to note - go by your actual ring size for the finger you’ll be wearing it on and don’t use their measuring instructions. I did that initially and had to return the ring - it was too big. I can wear this on my index or middle finger. I have found my middle one to be the most comfortable and still provides accurate info. I got mine in black.

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