#Ad: The music swells in a crescendo as I leap into the arms of my danseur. He lowers me gently on the point of my toe, supporting my weight as we turn in a slow circle and then dip down like a swan. The spotlight follows as I travel across the stage towards the wings ..read more

#Ad: The sunlight sparkles on the surface of the water. The sun is just peeking over the rooftops of the townhomes in a clear blue sky. Steam rises off the water into the cool morning air as I submerse myself into its tepid embrace. My body lifts off the earth, light and buoyant, supported like ..read more

I love summer. Something shifts in my body when summer overtakes an unsettled spring, like a new source of energy that bubbles up from the ground. My joints are quiet, there’s no more hint of the storms of inflammation brewing in them. I barely notice the gentle ripples of my disease as I move through the tepid waters of the pool. There’s nothing like swimming to get the body moving and the blood flowing, and in the morning there’s a certain kind of peace that is not present at any other time of the day. Read the rest here on my website, One Page at a Time ..read more

Everything we did in life before chronic illness is always with us – so let’s not bury those achievements and moments. Let’s embrace them, make them a vibrant organism that exists inside us, that will give us the strength and courage to move forward and find a unique way to keep those aspects that we used to define ourselves with alive. My latest post on The Old Lady in My Bones about celebrating and honouring life before RA. Read more at: jgchayko.com ..read more

If you’ve followed my journey over the years, you know I am an actress, writer and dancer living with Rheumatoid Arthritis. You might wonder what that means – how I live this artistic life with a disease that is constantly working to steal my  mobility. In December I had the pleasure of chatting with Cheryl Crow, creator and host of the Arthritis Life Podcast. We discuss living a creative life with RA, how to honor the present, the power of saying “no”, and recognizing your own self-worth. Discovering joy in a life with chronic illness will look different for everyone. I hope that you can ..read more

Living with RA or any chronic illness is a constant learning curve. I look back only to go forward. I take strength from my accomplishments, washing my failures away like dirty water down the drain. There will always be setbacks, especially when living with a chronic condition, but they don’t hold power over me anymore, and there is always a win to claim in every moment, even if I don’t recognize it right away. Read the whole post: jgchayko.com ..read more

The fall equinox rode in swiftly on the back of a rainstorm and took up residence. I love autumn. The way the leaves transition to a myriad of orange, red and yellow; the sunsets are deep crimson, and the air is fresh and crisp as the hot summer temperatures begin to drop. The mornings burst from the horizon in a splash of pink streaking low across the sky. It’s clear and cool, with a hint of rain lingering in the air. It’s a time when day and night are in balance, a time to sweep the away the negative energy, pull back the veil and allow our ancestors to guide us into a new season. September ..read more

I have been busy preparing for new changes– the end of one job, the continuation and further development of a career. I’ve been thinking on how to navigate these changes and the goals I’d like to work towards. I don’t make resolutions per se – it’s in the word. Resolution. It sounds so final, and I don’t believe that anything in life is final – finality means the end and while there’s still life, there should always be room for growing and learning. Read the rest here: jgchayko.com ..read more

The winter solstice is a time of hibernation and restoration. After the solstice, the days start to get a little longer and the light returns. A New Year is here before we know it. It’s an opportunity for renewal, to begin again, to hope again… Read the whole thing at: jgchayko.com ..read more

“The cool blue heart of RA is changing into a deep fiery red, ready to modify its course from summer to fall. In the misty mornings of September, my RA has become a loud whisper for Arthritis Awareness Month, reminding me that no matter how well I may be doing, its presence is always there…” Visit my new home and read the rest at: jgchayko.com ..read more