May is Mental Health Awareness Month — and around here, that’s not a sidebar, it’s center stage. For those of us navigating chronic illness, tending to our minds is just as essential as managing our symptoms.

This month, we’re celebrating the power of rest, realness, and reaching out. Because prioritizing your peace isn’t optional — it’s necessary. May we all give ourselves permission to feel, to heal, and to be. You’re not just surviving, friend — you’re learning to thrive softly, steadily, and on your own terms. So this month, check in with yourself the way you check your meds and vitamins — daily and with care. You’re worth the extra gentleness. Stay chronically chill and radically well.

Thriving in the In-Between

Where we rest not out of defeat, but out of devotion.

And this is where I’m writing to you from, honestly. After relaunching Poppy + Monarch, I expected to feel energized, lit up, “on.” But the truth is, I’m still figuring things out. I’m tending to this new version of the brand the same way I tend to myself — gently, imperfectly, and with so much love. That’s what thriving in the in-between really is: being present without rushing the process.

So if you’re in that murky middle space — between diagnosis and acceptance, between grief and peace, between breakdown and breakthrough — I want you to know:

🧡 You are not behind.
🧡 You are not broken.
🧡 You are not invisible.

You’re in transition. And that’s powerful. Because even here, your story matters.

A Few Ways to Thrive (Not Just Survive) in the In-Between:

• Create rhythms, not rigid routines. You don’t have to do the same thing every day — but give yourself something to return to.

• Celebrate capacity, not just productivity. If you showed up in your body today? That’s worth honoring.

• Find beauty in small consistencies. A cup of tea. That one playlist. A 5-minute stretch. A prayer whispered while laying down.

• Let joy interrupt you. Laugh when it sneaks up on you. Don’t question it.

• Document your in-between. Journaling, voice notes, photos — whatever helps you remember that this, too, is part of your becoming.

You don’t have to wait until things are “better” to feel good about who you are. You don’t have to be fully healed to be fully worthy. You don’t have to rush your way to wholeness. You can live in the meantime.

This is your reminder: You’re allowed to thrive right here. In the middle. In the messy. In the in-between.

Meet Geri Rodriguez

@everydaylivinglupus
New York City, NY

Give us the highlights — who you are, what you’re into, and how does your chronic illness fit into your story?
I'm a passionate chronic illness advocate, patient leader and warrior. I was diagnosed with lupus in 2017, and diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome and Non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2023. No one in my family was diagnosed with any autoimmune issues or cancer so I turned to the internet to learn and find support. In the early years I felt so lost and didn’t know how I was going to overcome this. This journey has been filled with so many physical, emotional and systemic challenges from managing flares, advocating for my own care to medical gaslighting. All of this was such new territory and I was so lost. Fast forward to the present time I’ve come to terms with my new normal. I learned how to overcome those challenges and how to adapt to my new normal.

In 2020, I started sharing my story on Instagram at @everydaylivinglupus in hopes of finding others like me. I had no idea I would find such a supporting community online. I use my platform to not only share my journey, but to also raise awareness and uplift fellow warriors ensuring others that they do not have to go through this journey alone. Through this journey I have also found an outlet for writing and am a writer for lupus.net and theinvisiblevoice.net.

Outside of my chronic illness journey, I love watching Broadway shows, traveling with my husband and trying out new restaurants.

How does your illness/disability manifest? What are your main symptoms?
Lupus is when your body attacks itself. Your body can’t tell who the bad or good cells are so they just start attacking everything.

We are still not sure what triggered it. I have no family history, so it could be a mix of anything from stress to the enviorment. My earliest symptoms were joint pain. I was 27 at the time and initially thought it was normal and part of just getting older. But it slowly progressed and then I had other symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath and my legs and feet started to swell up.

Lupus has attacked my kidneys and lungs and 6 years later I was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome and Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Thankfully with medication, it’s under control.

What’s a small victory you’ve celebrated recently, and how did it make you feel?
Staying active with a chronic illness has been difficult especially with the joint pain. So whenever I hit those 10K steps a day it feels like I crossed the finish line at a marathon. It’s tiring but so worth it!

What’s the most unexpected lesson your chronic illness/disability has taught you?
Rest is productive. Living in NYC, I was always on the go ready to do the next thing as needed. If I wasn’t doing anything I felt like I was just wasting time. But with a chronic illness, I’ve learned to step it down a notch and listen to my body. Sometimes doing nothing is the best thing to do! Sundays are usually are rest/lazy days when I can recharge for the new week ahead.

What’s your “daily non-negotiable” for staying in tune with your health and happiness?
I need at least 8 hrs of sleep minimum and if I’m feeling tired in the afternoon I will take that nap. Chronic illness fatigue is on another level of tired. So 8 hrs of sleep is a must! Before I used to just push through the fatigue but listening to my body is key. Getting a full night’s sleep does wonders to the body.

Who or what inspires you to keep going, even when things feel impossible?
My husband and parents are my biggest supporters and its because of them that I continue to thrive and keep going. The spoonie/chronic illness community has also been such an inspiration. Connecting with others who have similar experiences has given me so much strength and motivation.

What makes you poppin’?
As a chronic illness warrior living with lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome and Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, I’m a triple threat. I’m thriving, advocating and showing up authentically sharing the good and the bad of my journey, despite everything going on. This journey has made me become more self aware and resilient and allowed me to give myself grace while connecting with so many people all over the world.

Fill in the blanks: My dream vacation involves ________, ________, and absolutely no ________.
My dream vacation involves going to all of the Disney parks around the world, eating as much food as I want, and absolutely no bad weather.

🛍️ Product of the Month: Chronically Chilly™ Tee

An homage to the chronically chill folks who show up, show out, and show pride — without ever breaking a sweat. The Chronically Chilly™ Tee is for those of us who live in a soft era on purpose. Thoughtfully designed for comfort and expression, this luxe tee is your spring wardrobe’s new best friend. Available in a buttery-soft cotton blend with a fit that feels like a hug, it’s giving cozy with a cause — because style and chronic illness advocacy can absolutely exist in the same sentence.

📚 Relevant Reads: May 2025

🎥 Currently Watching

📅 May 2025 Calendar

• 🧠 Mental Health Awareness Month

• 🌏 Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

• 💜 Lupus Awareness Month

• ♥️ ALS Awareness Month

• 💸 Small Business Month

• 🧁 8: National Give Someone a Cupcake Day

• 🚺 8: World Ovarian Cancer Day

• ⛑️ 8: World Red Cross Day

• 🐶 10: Dog Mom Day

• 🛍️ 10: National Small Business Day

• 💐 11: Mother’s Day

• 🎗️ 12: National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

• 🌿 12: National Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day

• 🍹13: World Cocktail Day

• 🌳 16: National Love a Tree Day

• 💟 19: World Inflammatory Bowel Disease Day

• 🩺 20: International Clinical Trials Day

• 🥭 21: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day

• 🌍 25: Global Africa Day

• 🧡 30: World MS Day

• 😄 31: National Smile Day

💌 Friendly Reminder

✨ The ChILLness Chronicles is a cozy corner of the internet, created with love for the chronically chill and their cherished ones. Every post is a gentle reminder that life doesn’t stop with a diagnosis — you can still create, dream, and thrive on your own terms. And, of course, community makes the journey lighter. If this space speaks to you, consider subscribing to receive new posts and support this work — then share this edition with a friend who could use a little extra ChILL in their life. 💛