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If New Year's resolutions haven't worked for you I have an alternative that's been amazing for me, for the past 20 years. Imagine spending just a few minutes determining what you want your year to feel like. You sit in a comfortable space, close your eyes and allow yourself to drift off into an ideal year. You emerge from this time full of joy, peace, and excitment. Maybe you even giggle under your breath in anticipation. Now wouldn't that be a great way to start your year? T

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez Before chronic illness visited me, I saw the holidays the way they are often painted: bright, sparkling, full of energy and a time for celebration. But now that I am living with chronic illness and chronic pain, the holiday season isn’t always filled with moments of joy. The extra noise, extra time planning for travel, the unrealistic expectations we can place on our bodies, having to cancel social plans, and the sensory overload can push my alread

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez   I walked in the door of my house about seven months ago, and I felt like a ghost. I was going through the motions of daily life but without emotion. And in that moment, I realized that's not the way I want to live life. I had to make some pretty hard decisions, life changing decisions, changing the big plan for my future. I think at some point we all come to that crossroads of choosing to continue living life the way we have been or choosing some

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez   I recently found myself standing in a room filled with other writers. In that moment, I felt my present self being reintroduced to my younger self while also picturing myself in the future. I was a keynote speaker for this same writer’s retreat when it first started, and here I was again, a different year, different writers, and a different me.   As I led them through each writing prompt and we worked through the tangle of thoughts and deeply sea

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez After I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, I decided that for a year I would journal about my journey. I wrote each page as if it were a letter to myself or my children and we could one day look back on and see how far I had come. I had hope of healing, hope of being cured.   That was over a decade ago. I picked up that old journal recently and took a walk down memory lane. It was an emotional walk. I’ve had highs and lows. I’ve experienced beau

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez   When you’re healthy, it’s easier to imagine a future full of possibilities. But when you’re chronically ill or in chronic pain imagining a future that is good, even though we’re still in pain, it is not as easy. After I was first diagnosed, I was in denial, but that didn’t last long because of course you can’t deny pain as it increases in intensity. Once I came to a place of acceptance, I also fell into a depression. It’s a time of mourning the l

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez Creative expression can be a way to process all the things that we are feeling. We are complex human beings, and we don't just have to feel one thing at a time. Let that sink in for a moment. It's OK to hold space for both joy and pain at the same time! It’s September, my favorite time of the year. Autumn has arrived, the trees are changing colors, and It’s Hispanic Heritage Month. This month has typically been a time to celebrate my culture, celeb

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez Have you ever felt a kind of exhaustion that words could never quite express? The kind that seeps into your...

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez When living with chronic illness, chronic pain, and disabilities our days often revolve around managing...

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez Every time one of my art pieces finds its way to someone who feels connected to it, I'm reminded that art has...

An illustrated Hispanic woman with wavy dark hair and glasses, sits at a wooden table. She holds a warm mug and surrounded by art supplies, a watercolor floral sketch, and handwritten poetry. By Victoria (Tori) Martinez "Healing isn't about going back to who you were before you got sick, it's about learning to move forward differently." When illness or hardship enters our lives, it can feel as though the world has shifted beneath our feet. We long for the version of ourselves

by Victoria (Tori) Martinez It was supposed to be a simple, joyful day. My daughter and I had planned to grab lunch together, just the...

by Victoria (Tori) Martinez There was a time when I wore my ability to push through the pain like a badge of honor. I worked through...

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez I imagine that if you are ill like me, at one point you might have found yourself in the depths of despair...

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez Click on image to watch the 10-minute YouTube video on types of accommodations to ask for It was a Monday...

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez As I sit at my desk, it suddenly occurs to me that I’ve been living with a chronic illness for a decade now....

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez Rheumatoid arthritis has been both my burden and my muse. My journey through the pain, the ups and downs, the...

Art is healing By Victoria Martinez Before chronic illness entered my life, I was an athlete. Running through trails, hiking up mountains, biking down winding paths—these were more than just activities to me. They were a way to connect with the world, to feel the strength of my body, to embrace freedom and adventure. Those days feel like another lifetime now. When illness took hold, the pain wasn’t just physical—it was emotional, too. Letting go of that version of myself, the

Click on image to purchase sticker By Victoria Martinez Living with chronic illness often feels like navigating a mystery - one where...

By Victoria Martinez Life with a limited supply of "spoons" is all about finding balance. For those who may not know, the Spoon Theory is...