lystn

“Everyone’s journey is so different. What someone else is doing is taking might help you, but at the end of the day you have to do your own research and consult your own doctor.” In today’s episode I’m chatting with Chen Kirchenbaum, also known as @chens_plate on Instagram. Chen was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2015 while she was in college and after ignoring the necessary lifestyle changes for a while, she dove headfirst into the world of wellness. After taking her love for wellness a little too far, Chen now values balance in every aspect of her life. Chen works for herself, running her blog and Instagram, and also works for Core Power yoga, a journey we discuss deeply in this episode. Get ready to hear about what it’s like working for yourself with chronic illness (uhhh health insurance anyone!? Don’t worry we chat about that), how 10 minutes can truly change your day, prioritizing stress relief and Instagram comparison when it comes to a chronic illness journey! The chronic illness community, and specifically the IBD community, has started booming on Instagram which brings with it so many positives – a sense of community, feeling understood, getting help and inspiration. But it can also bring with it the inevitable comparison – wait, should I not be eating this with IBD if she isn’t? I’m not struggling as much as him… is my struggle valid? Ugh, how can they work out when I can’t!? It can get exhausting and doesn’t help us on our own healing journeys. Chen and I dive into this topic and the importance of staying in your own lane on your IBD journey while still gaining inspiration from social media. It’s a PACKED episode and I can’t wait for ya’ll to listen.  Follow along on Chens journey at @chens_plate on Instagram and on her website at https://chensplate.com/ Key Quotes From This Episode:  “It’s been this trial and error the past four years of my disease, figuring out what the domino pieces are that make it all topple over and how to keep the dominos standing” “Remember that you are your priority. Do what it takes to put yourself first and to fight for yourself.” “Know that you may not know more than a doctor, but you do know your body better than anybody else. If you feel like something is wrong, say something.”