The Seasons of Chronic Illness No One Talks About

Let me tell you a secret.

I had a cracking start to the year. A summer, of sorts. I was out and about, full of energy, ticking things off, moving my body, showing up in the world. It felt good. Like the kind of rhythm people without chronic illness probably take for granted.

But then, slowly and quietly, things shifted.

You might’ve noticed I didn’t post a blog the last couple of weeks. I didn’t plan to skip them. I just… couldn’t. Every time I sat down to write, something in me said nope. Not today.

At first, I brushed it off. Told myself I was just busy. But in hindsight, I was in autumn — that quiet, subtle season of slowing down. The season that whispers rather than shouts. I didn’t see it at the time, but not being able to write? That was my sign. I was off-kilter. My system was asking for space, and I hadn't noticed.

Then came winter.

Not a calendar one — a deep chronic illness winter. Everything in me said: retreat, rest, reset. So I did. No guilt. No shame. Just deep, necessary hibernation.

Because here’s the thing no one tells you: when you live with chronic illness, your body doesn’t follow the same calendar as everyone else. It has its own seasons.

After 40 years of living with complex chronic illness, trust me — you learn to read the weather patterns.

Sometimes it’s a whole season…

There are weeks or months where I can feel pretty steady. Not perfect. But steady. I plan things. I have capacity. I go to the gym, see friends, make big decisions. Life opens up.

That’s summer.

Then there are seasons of slowing down. Gentle caution. More naps. Fewer outings. That’s autumn — the slow exhale before things close in again.

Winter is the big one. It’s not always about being sick sick — it can just be a total system shutdown. Your mind and body say no. You crave silence, softness, solitude. And if you’re like me, you worry that winter will never end. (Spoiler: it always does.)

Spring is the in-between. You start feeling like yourself again. The light creeps back in. You might have a bit of doubt ("Is this real? Will I crash again?") but the colours return, one moment at a time.

When Chronic Illness Makes You Feel Like Melbourne

Let’s be honest. Some days, you get all four seasons in one. You start the day in spring, hit a summer high at lunch, crash into autumn by dinner, and collapse into winter by bedtime.

If that’s you, you’re not alone. Melbourne vibes are a legitimate chronic illness experience.

Sometimes you choose. Sometimes you don’t.

One of the hardest things to explain to people is that we don’t always get to control what season we’re in. Sometimes it’s dictated by our body, hormones, the weather, medical stuff, stress, or just plain bad luck.

But every now and then, we can choose. We can feel ourselves sliding toward burnout and say, “Not today.” We can build in space. Cancel plans. Choose hibernation on purpose — not as a failure, but as a strategy.

That’s what I did this week. I saw the signs. I chose deep winter. I didn’t push through. I wrapped myself in blankets, drank tea, ignored my inbox, and let myself be still.

Because resting isn’t quitting.

It’s wisdom.

So, if you're in winter right now…

You’re not broken. You’re not behind. You’re just in a season. And it will shift — maybe slowly, maybe dramatically, maybe a few dozen times today.

The trick is not to fight the seasons.
The trick is to notice them.
Honour them.
And move through them however you need to.

Because that, my friend, is what it means to Adult Well.

And if you're feeling a little springy today too — welcome back. I’ve missed you.

P.S.

Adulting Well was started to give people, just like you, more knowledge so you could make the best choices possible – even with chronic illness.

• Subscribe to the mailing list and get practical tips and stories that resonate straight to your inbox here.
• Finally, find out what’s stopping you from having the career of your dreams so you can eliminate it and climb the corporate ladder! Get the free ebook: How to Have a Creer with Chronic Illness.
• Discover 5 simple and actionable steps you can do to get on top of your finances, even when you have chronic illness, in this FREE ebook.