Can people living with MS still achieve a fulfilling lifestyle? The disease can be unrelenting and unpredictable by showing up whenever it pleases. How can you move forward after receiving such a devastating diagnosis?   Since March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness… The post What Advice Can Twelve MS Advocates Offer Patients About Living with the Disease? (Spoiler: Plenty) appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

We’re all metaphorically smacked around, burnt out, and emotionally raw from 2020. What a year it’s been. What can we do to heal our weary souls? How can we let go of what’s toxic to us, hold on to what’s… The post The Year 2020 Smacked Us Around: Time to Let Go, Hold On, and Move Forward appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

I took a de-stress break from blogging because my brain was yelling, “Stop the world, I want to get off!” Is yours screaming that too? This year will go down as one of the worst, if not the worst, the… The post Nine Ways We Can Tame Anger and Stress to Restore a Bit of Peace and Calm appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

What word do you think Merriam Dictionary will choose for 2020? It’s an impossible task to narrow down all the horrors taking place to a simple word or phrase. I chose a few possibilities below, but honestly, I could have… The post How My Time of Brokenness Helps Me During the Pandemic appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

This blog was created almost ten years ago to be a voice for the multiple sclerosis and chronic illness community with the mission to inspire, educate, and empower every visitor. At this moment my heart is heavy. I can’t find… The post How the Chronic Illness Community Can Raise the Voices of the Unheard appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

I’m always astonished at the courage and indomitability of the human spirit. I first learned the true meaning of courage in 1986 when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I met fellow patients struggling with the disease in unimaginable ways,… The post How Ten Remarkable Women Can Give YOU Courage and Support During the Pandemic appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

  I held off writing about the current pandemic because the amount of information we’re ingesting changes so quickly. My usual positive slant on life and living with MS won’t cut it this time. What we’re facing now is scary… The post These are the Times That Try Men’s Souls appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

Sponsored: The Power of Relationships When it Comes to Advanced MS This post is part of a paid collaboration between myself and Novartis. All opinions expressed are, as always, completely my own. Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is like riding… The post The Power of Relationships When it Comes to Advanced MS appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

Aging and disability are topics of particular interest to me. Ageism for those living with a chronic illness is (unfortunately) alive and well. I believe I’ve been turned down for projects because of my age. They view me as too… The post I’m Participating in a Health Study on Aging and Disability – Want to Join Me? appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more

This has been quite a year, one filled with highs and lows just like any other year. Let’s face it, life will always be about ups and downs and there’s nothing we can do about it except look through a… The post This Has Been Quite a Year appeared first on Cathy Chester | An Empowered Spirit ..read more