When You Can’t Show Up Like You Used To

                                                   

                                                    And How To Be Okay With It

I used to say yes to everything.

I showed up early, stayed late, remembered every birthday, helped carry chairs, danced until my feet ached.

I was the one people could count on.

And honestly? I loved being that person.

But then fibromyalgia happened.

And suddenly, showing up looked different.

There were days I couldn’t even show up for myself, let alone anyone else.

I started canceling plans. Missing events.

Forgetting things I never used to forget.

Not because I wanted to—but because my body whispered, “Please, not today.”

And every time I said no, my heart broke a little.

I felt like I was letting people down.

Like I was fading from the version of myself everyone knew—and the version I once knew, too.

But here’s what I’ve come to understand:

Showing up doesn’t always mean being everywhere.

Sometimes it means listening to your body.

Sometimes it means saying no with love, instead of yes with regret.

Sometimes it means sending a message instead of going to the party.

Sometimes it means showing up for yourself first.

And that’s okay.

It doesn’t make you selfish.

It makes you wise.

It’s okay to grieve the old version of yourself.

It’s okay to miss the energy, the freedom, the way you used to move through the world.

But it’s also okay to celebrate the you that’s still here—learning how to adapt, how to rest, how to protect your peace.

Because showing up looks different now.

And that’s not failure.

That’s growth.

So to the one who feels guilty for resting,

Who’s afraid they’re disappointing the people they love—

I see you.

You’re still valuable.

You’re still enough.

And you’re still showing up—bravely, tenderly, honestly—every single day.

And that, my friend, is something to be proud of.

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