Why Do We Keep Needing Permission to Rest?

We live in a culture where burnout is a badge of honour. Where busy-ness is virtue, exhaustion is currency, and rest is treated like dessert, a sugary reward after you’ve swallowed the meat and bones of your suffering.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: rest is not a reward. It’s a right.

Multiple Sclerosis and Self-Love

Written by -N. Collins, RN A journey of learning to embrace life with compassion and care for myself. When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in January of 2023, my focus was anything but myself. Providing for my household, caring for my children, caring for...

Coming Home for Autumn: Rest, Reconnection, and the Joy of Slowing Down

After time apart, we’re finally back together — cozying up through chilly mornings, late-night laughter, and slow weekends that remind us to rest. A journal entry on love, burnout, and the quiet healing of coming home.

Table of Us Braai Edition: Fearlessly Inclusive, Deliciously Healthy Fire-Cooked Recipes

Discover vibrant, inclusive braai recipes that bring herbivores, carnivores, and everyone together. Explore healthy, hearty meals cooked fearlessly over fire, promoting joy and community at your table.

Healing Together: How Community-Based Trauma Therapy Is Transforming Lives in South Africa

Discover how South African initiatives like Phola and Waves for Change are using community-based trauma therapy to support healing through storytelling, surf, and collective care.

12 Staples Every Healthy, Budget-Conscious Low-Carber Should Always Have at Home

Discover 12 essential low-carb kitchen staples that make healthy eating simple and affordable. Perfect for anyone on a budget looking to nourish well.

What My Sick Days Taught Me About Real Rest (It’s Not What You Think)

This morning, before I’d even opened my eyes, I knew.Not from a calendar reminder or a “you’re due for a flare-up” ping. Just the weight of my own body. Heavy. Cement-heavy. Fire-in-my-veins heavy. Welcome to the delightful surprise party that is chronic illness. No...

Autumn in Stellenbosch: A Healing Season for Trauma Recovery

Discover how the beauty of autumn in Stellenbosch mirrors the trauma healing journey—with fire-red trees, grounding sensory experiences, and permission to slow down and let go.

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Kate

I’ve spent two decades navigating chronic illness, mental health, and self-recovery. This blog is where I share what’s real—no perfection, just honesty, growth, and community. You’re not alone here.

Alone Together: The Loneliness Crisis No One Wants to Admit

Alone Together: The Loneliness Crisis No One Wants to Admit

It’s 2:47 a.m. and I’m scrolling through Instagram, watching strangers toast champagne in Santorini, cuddle golden retrievers, and post “raw” captions that somehow still feel filtered. I’m not sad, exactly. But I’m not okay, either. I’m lonely. And I know I’m not...

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When a Lupus Flare Lit My Creative Fire

When a Lupus Flare Lit My Creative Fire

Jonas, 32, Dublin I was halfway through my master’s in architecture, you know, living on coffee and blind optimism, when the rheumatologist slapped the words “systemic lupus erythematosus” on my file. Cheers, doc. Overnight my wrists puffed up like angry balloons, and...

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Fuel the rebel research, buy me a cuppa ☕

Editor's Journal

Fatigue, Bugs, and a Midday Nap I’ll Never Get

Fatigue, Bugs, and a Midday Nap I’ll Never Get

A doctor once explained it like this: if someone without a chronic illness wants to understand what MS fatigue feels like, they’d need to stay awake and upright for three days straight. Then try to function like a normal human. That’s the starting line.

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The Quiet Feels Different Without Bugs

The Quiet Feels Different Without Bugs

My dog, Bugsy, is at my mum’s this weekend. He’s being absolutely spoiled, no doubt about that. She’s probably made him scrambled eggs and is reading him bedtime stories while feeding him snacks off a Royal Doulton plate. He’s living the high life. I know he’s happy. I know she adores having him. And he loves her too.

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