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MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 8049MOSTMAGAZINE%u201c%u201cI HOPE MY LEGACY IS ONE OF VISIBILITY%u2026 TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT YOU DON%u2019T HAVE TO BE FULLY HEALED OR %u2018PERFECTLY HEALTHY%u2019 TO BE POWERFUL, CREATIVE, OR WORTHY OF TAKING UP SPACE.Q: YOU TALK A LOT ABOUT REDEFINING STRENGTH. HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY DEFINE IT NOW, AFTER EVERYTHING YOU%u2019VE LIVED THROUGH?A: I used to think strength meant being tough, keeping it all together, and never letting my illness show. Now I see it differently. Strength is knowing your limits and honoring them. It%u2019s choosing honesty over perfection, and self-respect over performance. It%u2019s not about being unbreakable%u2014it%u2019s about being real.Q: IN A WORLD WHERE %u201cWELLNESS%u201d IS OFTEN EQUATED WITH GREEN JUICES AND YOGA RETREATS, HOW DO YOU THINK THE TRADITIONAL NARRATIVE LEAVES PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS BEHIND?A: The traditional wellness narrative often treats health like a reward for doing all the %u201cright%u201d things. It%u2019s all about optimization%u2014more routines, more discipline, more control. For people with chronic illness, wellness isn%u2019t about trying harder; it%u2019s about survival. It means resting, setting boundaries, and advocating for yourself when your body won%u2019t cooperate.That narrative leaves us out because it doesn%u2019t make space for inconsistency or fatigue. Some days, just getting out of bed is the win. Strength doesn%u2019t always look like progress%u2014and real wellness should include everyone, not just those who fit the aesthetic.Q: YOUR CONTENT BLENDS HONESTY, HUMOR, AND DAILY REALITIES. WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SHOW ALL SIDES OF LIVING WITH MS%u2014NOT JUST THE %u2018INSPIRATIONAL%u2019 ONES?A: Because life with chronic illness isn%u2019t one thing%u2014it%u2019s all of it. Some days are really hard. Some are weirdly funny. Most are a mix of both. I wanted to show the full range%u2014not just the inspirational moments or the lowest lows, but everything in between.Being honest about that helps people feel less alone, and it takes the pressure off trying to turn your struggle into something uplifting. We need more space to just be ourselves, without having to constantly explain or justify what we%u2019re going through.Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STRUGGLING TO FEEL %u201cWELL%u201d IN A BODY THAT DOESN%u2019T ALWAYS COOPERATE?A: Give yourself permission to redefine what %u201cwell%u201d means. Some days it%u2019s brushing your teeth. Other days it%u2019s saying no, resting, or just surviving%u2014and that still counts. You don%u2019t have to meet anyone else%u2019s standards to be doing enough.Your body may not always cooperate, but that doesn%u2019t make you less worthy. You%u2019re not failing%u2014you%u2019re adapting.