Hey friend,

Have you ever had a good energy day, pushed yourself to make the most of it, and then crashed harder than you were before?

What if the reason you keep ending up further behind isn't that you're doing too much in general? What if good days are actually the most dangerous time to push?

I'm Ashley, a mom living with chronic illness in a neurodivergent family. If you're dealing with constant fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, and broken sleep while trying to keep up with your kids, you're not alone. Chronic Illness Moms is a podcast for moms with chronic illness or chronic symptoms who want stress relief, better sleep, and simple, realistic habits that actually work inside a full, demanding life.

If your worst days seem to consistently follow your best ones, this episode is going to give you the explanation you've been looking for.

In this episode, I'm sharing my own experience of finally feeling like myself again, pushing to get everything done, and then crashing for almost a week. You'll learn what the push-crash cycle actually is, why your brain reads a good day as permission to go all-in when your body hasn't recovered yet, and one simple pacing strategy that doesn't require perfect discipline. Just two priorities and the decision to stop early.

Part 3: Resources and Links Mentioned

• 1:1 chronic health coaching: https://ashleybraden.com/coaching
• Join the free Chronic Health Moms Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Natural products to support your stress and sleep: https://payhip.com/hearthwellnaturals

Related Episodes:

227. Still Tired After Coffee? The Energy Cycle Behind Your Afternoon Crash

225. Exhausted but Can't Sleep? The Coffee Habit Stealing Your Deep Sleep

Connect with Me:

• Contact → hello@ashleybraden.com
• Facebook Page → https://www.facebook.com/chronicillnessmoms
• Facebook Group → https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/chronicillnessmoms
• YouTube → https://bit.ly/chronicillnessyoutube

Next Steps:

• On your next good day, write down just two priorities before you start, and stop when those are done. Notice what the next 48 hours look like.
• Join a free community of chronic illness moms who get exactly what this kind of hard looks like: facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Ready to build a rhythm that actually works with your energy? Book a Feel Better Coaching call at ashleybraden.com/coaching

Hey friend,

Have you ever pushed through a workout and then crashed hard the next day, not just sore, but achy, foggy, exhausted in a way that didn't make sense?

What if the exercise advice you've been following was designed for a body that isn't managing what yours is managing?

If your body is telling you something every time it crashes after a workout, what might it actually be saying?

I'm Ashley — a mom living with chronic illness in a neurodivergent family. If you're dealing with constant fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, and broken sleep while trying to keep up with your kids, you're not alone. Chronic Illness Moms is a podcast for moms with chronic illness or chronic symptoms who want stress relief, better sleep, and simple, realistic habits that actually work inside a full, demanding life.

If you've ever pushed through a workout, felt genuinely proud of yourself, and then woken up the next morning feeling like you got hit by a truck, this one's for you. I'm giving that crash a name (post-exertional malaise, and no, you're not imagining it), walking you through why your body has a smaller energy budget when you're managing chronic illness, and showing you the kind of movement that actually works with a depleted body instead of against it. No more white-knuckling your way through a workout just to pay for it two days later. This is what actually works for a body like yours.

Part 3: Resources and Links Mentioned

• 1:1 chronic health coaching: https://ashleybraden.com/coaching
• Join the free Chronic Health Moms Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Hearthwell Naturals magnesium cream (mentioned for bedtime wind-down): https://payhip.com/hearthwellnaturals

Related Episodes:

201. When Chronic Illness Interrupts Your Exercise Plan Here’s How to Move Forward Without Guilt

199. Want to Exercise but Keep Failing? Why Doing It "Right" Doesn’t Work With Chronic Illness

Connect with Me:

• Contact → hello@ashleybraden.com
• Facebook Page → https://www.facebook.com/chronicillnessmoms
• Facebook Group → https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/chronicillnessmoms
• YouTube → https://bit.ly/chronicillnessyoutube

Next Steps:

• This week, try one gentle movement swap on a hard body day, walk, stretch, or get on a vibration plate. Check in with yourself the next morning.
• Join a free community of chronic illness moms who get it, no explanations required: facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Ready to start building toward who you actually want to be? Book a Feel Better Coaching call at ashleybraden.com/coaching

Hey friend,

You know what you're supposed to do for your health, so why does it still fall apart every time life gets hard?

If "I want more energy" keeps you consistent for two weeks and then disappears, could your why just be too thin?

Have you ever started a healthy habit, stayed consistent for a bit, and then found yourself right back at square one, and blamed your willpower?

I'm Ashley — a mom living with chronic illness in a neurodivergent family. If you're dealing with constant fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, and broken sleep while trying to keep up with your kids, you're not alone. Chronic Illness Moms is a podcast for moms with chronic illness or chronic symptoms who want stress relief, better sleep, and simple, realistic habits that actually work inside a full, demanding life.

If you've ever known exactly what healthy habits you need and still not been able to stay consistent, this episode is for you. I share my deeply personal why for staying committed to my health even when my body and schedule are working against me. I walk through a simple dig-deeper method to find the emotional anchor that holds when motivation runs dry, and explain why surface-level motivation burns out so fast for burned-out moms managing chronic illness while raising neurodivergent kids.

Part 3: Resources and Links Mentioned

• 1:1 chronic health coaching: https://ashleybraden.com/coaching
• Join the free Chronic Health Moms Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Hearthwell Naturals magnesium cream (mentioned for bedtime wind-down): https://payhip.com/hearthwellnaturals

Related Episodes:

229. Why Chasing Health Trends Is Keeping Exhausted Chronic Illness Moms Stuck — And the Simple Framework That Actually Works

228. Stop Trying to Do It All: Why One Habit Actually Heals More Than Five for Chronic Illness Moms

Connect with Me:

• Contact → hello@ashleybraden.com
• Facebook Page → https://www.facebook.com/chronicillnessmoms
• Facebook Group → https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/chronicillnessmoms
• YouTube → https://bit.ly/chronicillnessyoutube

Next Steps:

• Do the dig-deeper exercise: start with your current why and keep asking "why does that matter" until you find the one you can feel.
• Join a free community of chronic illness moms who get it, no explanations required: facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms
• Ready to start building toward who you actually want to be? Book a Feel Better Coaching call at ashleybraden.com/coaching