Midwest Mimi

  • The Day I Stopped Explaining Myself

    After nearly dying from respiratory failure, I stopped explaining myself. Living with chronic illness taught me that understanding is not something you can force, and survival does not require justification. This is the story of choosing boundaries, rest, and presence over being understood.

  • 🌿 Life Is About Experiencing Moments

    🌿 Life Is About Experiencing Moments

    There was a time I thought life was measured in milestones like graduations, promotions, birthdays, and the next big thing on the calendar. Then one day I woke up sick and never got well. Chronic illness has a way of stripping life down to its bones. It slows everything until you can’t help but notice…

  • Measuring Progress in Brushstrokes: finding purpose through art when life has limitations

    When Life Slows You Down: learning to create within limits These days, I measure progress in brushstrokes, not timesheets. Living with a combination of physical disability, neurodivergence, and chronic illness means my life looks very different from what I once imagined. I wasn’t able to finish my master’s degree. I can’t work a regular job.…