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Sophie | Chronic Pain & ND Life | Shame, Burnout & Identity Loss

@sophies_chapter

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Navigating Chronic ill life one day at a time. 💜
Becoming a Counsellor after years of burnout. 💥
Join the space where you're understood. 🫶

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I would find some of these impossible on some days. It made me feel like a failure.

Going through a change I didn't understand and expecting the same capacity was the real problem.

But I now realise that my body has different needs than others.

My body isn't broken I just have a different physical baseline that needs nurturing and respecting.

If you know what that's like, this is for you 🤍

#chronicillness #invisibleillness #fibromyalgia #fatigue #mentalhealth by @sophies_chapter

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6 days ago

I have been scared my entire life.

When I became chronically ill I never knew how my body would react, it made it very clear I couldn't keep up... so I lost every job I ever had.

I realised that despite my unpredictable body, I want to be a part of society.

Although it took me longer than others, I reached a milestone and got my counselling qualification.

I'm about to take the scariest leap and put myself out there to help others that have gone through the invisible storms nobody sees.

I want to give hope in a world that can throw things at us that we don't know how to handle 🙏

If you're trying to build yourself back up too, this space is for you 🤍

#chronicillness #mentalhealth #invisableillness #counselling #disability by @sophies_chapter

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8 days ago

For eight years, my bed felt like a world I couldn’t escape. The sheets were heavy, but the fear was heavier telling me every single day, “You will never change.”

And for a long time, I believed it. That fear became a friend… just not a very good one. A friend I trusted… even though it kept me stuck.

One Sunday at church, someone said that God had a plan for me and that his work is not finished.

I realised God had been building foundations in me long before I ever stood up. He needed me to grow before he could harvest the fruits of my journey. He needed me to learn many things before he gave me greater responsibility.

So i decided that this bad friend needed to see the boot!

Some friends don't have your best interest at heart.

I decided I would choose my own path (even if I couldn't walk it at that time 😅)

It came in tiny, almost embarrassing steps: sitting outside for ten minutes, getting dressed with nowhere to go, calling a friend instead of spiralling.

Now, I walk without my stick. I wake up easier. And I finally see those years weren’t punishment. They were preparation.

So I could lead others through the same darkness I thought would swallow me whole.

They were preparation for me to become the person I needed when i was younger.

If you feel like this resonates - you’re in this story too!

Follow along 🤍

#storytellingcontentchallenge
#chronicillness
#DisabledCreator
#faith
#god by @sophies_chapter

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a month ago

“You look fine.”

I know.

That’s the point.

For years, those words made me feel like I had to prove that I wasn’t.

Explain.
Justify.
Overshare.

Until I realised…

I don’t owe an explanation to someone who has already decided I’m fine.

The people who understand?
They don’t ask me to prove it.

They see me pushing and say,
“Slow down.”

And I’m finally learning to listen.

8+ years of learning to live in this body has taught me that I don’t need to fight it into submission.

I need to work with it.

Small changes.
More pacing.
Less guilt.
More trust.

Because my body isn’t the opposition.

We’re a team. 🤍

And you don’t have to look unwell for your experience to be real. by @sophies_chapter

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11 days ago

I woke up tired.

Not “slow morning” tired but the kind that warns you the day is already too big.

I still got in the car.
Still tried to push.
But the dread, the pain, the guilt… it all hit at once.

I froze.
Because I knew the truth:
My body wasn’t going to make it through this.

I’m learning to stop ignoring that truth.
To stop abandoning myself just to avoid disappointing someone else.

Anybody else relate? 🥲

#chronicillness #invisableillness #mentalhealth #friendship #disability by @sophies_chapter

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11 days ago

Wow, what a journey this storytelling content challenge has been! I have to admit, when I first signed up.

I had a little moment of, "Oh my goodness, what have I gotten myself into?!"

I thought I might just disappear off the face of the earth. 😱

But here’s the truth: I've proven myself wrong at every single turn.👊

I showed up every single day and posted.

Yess, there were mistakes, but this was never about being perfect. It was about showing up and proving to myself that I could do it consistently.

Three months ago, I was barely posting once a week, and I was so nervous and overthinking everything. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but this course gave me so much value because it wasn’t just about posting every day. It was about learning all these new formats and skills...green screens, voiceovers, editing, you name it.

More importantly, it's been about the amazing community I’ve found along the way. I’ve gone from 66 followers to over 400, these aren’t numbers to me, they're people who are on the same journey, who resonate with what I’m doing.

We’ve connected in such meaningful ways, I’ve gained real-life friends who will be cheering me on as I continue to build my business in public, and I can’t wait to support them too.

Honestly, I’m just so grateful and blessed to have met these incredible people. It’s amazing to see how much they’ve given me, from kind comments to simply showing up and cheering me on. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us all, and I’m looking forward to the future!

#Storytellingcontentchallenge by @sophies_chapter

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14 days ago

Chronic illness can happen to anyone at any time. I lost jobs, friendships, and somewhere along the way… myself.

What brought me back wasn’t a miracle moment. It was a series of small, quiet decisions that changed the trajectory of my life:

1. Learning pacing. Letting my body set the rhythm instead of guilt or pressure.

2. Understanding my neurodiversity.
Finally listening to what my mind had been trying to tell me for years. Implementing real tactics for coping.

3. Going back to school to become a counsellor.
Because people like me deserve support that doesn’t shame their limits.

Those choices didn’t fix everything overnight… but they built a foundation.

Today I’m building my strength back.
I graduated.
I’m pursuing my dream business.

And I’m not done yet.

If you’re rebuilding too slowly, gently, honestly. You’re not behind. You’re becoming.

#storytellingcontentchallenge #chronicillness #neurodivergent #counselling #disability by @sophies_chapter

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a month ago

I used to stay in bed all day when I was feeling poorly.

I believed that resting was just sleeping, until I realised that I can still get things done at a pace I can handle and not push myself into a flare up.

Resting is the small moments of taking a breath, taking regular breaks, starting your morning slow and doing one small step at a time.

Follow me to learn how to do the same 🫶

#storytellingcontentchallenge #mentalhealth #chronicillness #adhd #burnout by @sophies_chapter

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a month ago

When my life fell apart, the hardest part wasn’t losing control of my body.
It was realising how much I’d been carrying alone.

Depression can feel like drowning while everyone around you is breathing.
I kept hoping silence would make it disappear, but all it did was make the weight heavier.

I didn’t know what I needed. I just knew I couldn’t keep pretending.

Asking for help wasn’t easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is.

We’re not given a “how‑to” book for the moments that break us.
We learn the hard way, through trial, through honesty, through letting someone in.

For me, it started with one stranger.
Not the system, not the world.
One person who asked me to let them in.

Looking back, I believe God placed them in my life exactly when I needed them.

It took time. It took work. It took patience with myself.

Nobody gets to where they are alone. Even the strongest people have been held up by someone.

Once I realised there are good, kind people who care even when they don’t know you...everything changed.

Today, I’m on the other side.

I’m building this page and my counselling practice for the people who need that stranger.

The one who gives them permission to finally say yes to help.

If you’re struggling, there is a way forward.
Not out, forward.

If you’re looking for that “one stranger” who gives you permission to say yes to help…
I’m building this space for you.

#Storytellingcontentchallenge #mentalhealth #struggle #healingjourney #depression by @sophies_chapter

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19 days ago

21 days ago, I wasn’t even posting.

I’d made my account live months ago but only shared a couple of things because I didn’t know the formats, how to structure anything, and my editing was… definitely a work in progress.

I was scared of posting certain things and scared of being seen.

But I felt the fear and posted anyway.

This challenge wasn’t just about storytelling. It gave me the content creation skills I’d been searching for.

I learned how to shape moments and somewhere along the way I realised I was actually getting better.

My content now looks completely different to what I was making three weeks ago.

I proved to myself that I can be consistent.

I posted every single day. My stats went up, my confidence grew, and I finally saw what happens when you show up.

But the biggest change was the community.
I’ve had more support than I ever expected from creators all over the world.

People on the same path, and suddenly I don’t feel alone.

These 21 days taught me that I can learn the skills, get better, and build something real. Even when I’m scared.

It’s been intense and emotional in the best ways, and I’m walking away ready to keep going, find my rhythm, and tell my stories.

I’m so grateful for this challenge.
I proved something to myself every single day.

#Storytellingcontentchallenge by @sophies_chapter

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16 days ago

At 22, everything felt like it was collapsing at once. My identity, my relationships, my sense of direction. I thought everyone else was moving forward while I was stuck.

But the last few years taught me that growth doesn’t always look like progress. Sometimes it looks like slowing down, starting again, choosing differently, or learning to trust yourself in ways you never had to before.

Now at 30, I can see how much those years shaped me. These are the lessons I wish I could hand to the version of me who thought she was falling behind.

#Storytellingcontentchallenge by @sophies_chapter

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16 days ago

Managing my energy used to feel impossible. Sensory overload, pain spikes, ADHD forgetfulness, and unpredictable symptoms meant I was constantly burning out.

I tried apps, routines, pacing systems. But the things that helped most were the simple, physical supports I use every day. They reduce sensory load, preserve energy, and help me stay regulated.

These are the five things that genuinely help me manage my energy as a neurodivergent, chronically ill person.

Hope this helps anyone who struggles with chronic illnesses, disabilities, neurodiversity or just overwhlem in a busy world. 🫶

#Storytellingcontentchallenge #chronicillness #adhd #disability #neurodivergent by @sophies_chapter

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17 days ago