Jordyn and Pearl are back this week with a wonderful guest, Ariel, to give you their take on navigating physical health and chronic illness as young adults in society. 

This week, we start out by celebrating coconut water, new homes, and new pets. Pearl introduces our amazing guest, Ariel, and we learn more about Ariel and her friendship with Pearl.

We dive into the isolation that comes with chronic health conditions by discussing how to show up for your friends experiencing a change or hardship in their health. We spend time acknowledging some of the shared experiences in difficult relationships with health. We discuss the struggles that come with needing and asking for help, as well as what it looks like when the people you would go to for help are no longer supportive in the way you need.

Jordyn and Ariel begin to share their individual journeys navigating mental health in the United States Healthcare System and adjusting their lives to the changes with their bodies. We discuss the grief in disability and how difficult it is to trust your body again while you hold resentment against it. We talk about the accessibility of coping skills and stress management, the importance of support systems, and the role of fatigue in daily life. 

This is the first episode of two with Ariel as our guest on chronic illness, so tune in next week to continue the conversation. 

Some questions your hosts and guest explore this week:

1. What support can you provide without requiring the emotional labor of your friends deciding what support they would appreciate?   
2. What allows you to feel connected and grounded in your own body?
3. What coping skills can you use when your normal tools aren’t working? 

Products and recommendations mentioned in this episode: Feminist Trash