As I sat down in our tax accountant’s office, I looked down at the piece of paper I was holding in my hands. It was an important document that reflected what I’d paid in interest toward my student debt that year. 

I couldn’t believe the figure in front of my face, yet it was right there. 

In just one year, I’d paid roughly $3,000 of interest into my student loans. And that was only the interest for one year. It didn’t account for the amount I’d paid into the principal balances, or what my husband had paid into his student loans either. 

That $3,000 was all I was allowed to write off on our taxes.

I had just paid what accounted for a nice cruise vacation into my student debt interest, and it didn’t even help lower the balance. I would have rathered spent the money on that vacation instead, but here I was, holding the piece of paper that proved I’d done otherwise. 

That money was gone, wasted.

I shook my head before I handed the document over to the accountant.

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After I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, I feared I’d never be able to build a successful career, and it was a dream that greatly mattered to me.

After my diagnosis, it was hard to face the reality that I would likely live with a chronic illness for the rest of my life.

While I didn’t give up on my dreams, I knew that my plans would need to shift, at least to some degree.

When I was young I dreamed of becoming an astronaut. I went to college with that intent and by the time I graduated, I’d become quite familiar with astronaut requirements.

The requirements were strict and incredibly difficult to overcome, even for someone in perfect health, so I knew my chances of becoming an astronaut were essentially 0.

However, I knew I could still become a scientist, and I dreamed of building a successful career and making a difference through science.

As you’ll soon learn, my career didn’t go exactly as planned, and I never foresaw making a shift like I would eventually make, but I did manage to build a successful career. In this article, I’m going to tell you exactly what I did to build my career while managing Crohn’s disease.

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It can be hard to balance a chronic illness and mental health.

After all, health issues can take a serious toll. And if stress aggravates your symptoms, then you might find yourself in a brutal cycle of declining mental health that then impacts your chronic illness. If you’ve managed to avoid this vicious cycle, trust me, it isn’t fun.

Both your physical and mental health matter, but it’s often challenging to manage them in the stressful world we live in. Life happens, and before you know it your health becomes the last priority.

It’s easy to let things slide, but it comes with dire consequences when you have a chronic illness. It’s important to take the time your chronic illness and mental health need to improve your well-being.

If you’re hoping to get your health back on the right track then you’re in the right place. In this article, I’m going to share 10 activities that can support your chronic illness and mental health.

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If professional development matters to you and you’re balancing a chronic illness, you’re in the right place.

It’s not easy to balance a chronic illness with your professional pursuits, but if career advancement matters to you then it’s important to consider your professional development.

So how do you balance your professional and health needs? It’s not an easy balance to achieve, and if you’re anything like me, then you probably have to make frequent adjustments on your journey.

You don’t need to sacrifice your health or your career, but achieving that balance is essential if you dream of advancing your career.

In this article, you’ll get 10 tips you can use on your professional development journey so that you can better balance your chronic illness and your career goals.

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If you’ve already started a side hustle, or if you’re considering starting one, then you know how difficult it can be to balance your health with your pursuits (personal, professional, or otherwise).

You might even be trying to balance a career on top of it, which might be a challenging act, one you may find is often out of sync.

But what if you want to grow a side hustle to a full-time gig? Perhaps your small business brings passion to your life in a way that your day job can’t, in which case you may dream of doing more with it.

It can seem daunting to turn your side hustle into your full-time career, but it’s definitely possible. With careful planning and execution, you can grow your business while still managing your chronic illness.

In this article, I’m going to give you 10 tips you can use to grow your side hustle into a full-time business while balancing the demands of your chronic illness.

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It can be a challenge to build wealth, but it can be especially difficult if you have a chronic illness. 

As a chronic illness warrior, it may be harder to work, earn money, and save for the future. Between the medical bills and chronic fatigue, among various other life challenges, it might feel impossible to get ahead.

If life was a video game, it would be like constantly playing on hard mode. The game might be harder, but it’s not impossible to beat.

With careful planning and execution, you can still build wealth and achieve your financial goals.

In this article, you’ll get 5 simple steps you can take to start a successful wealth-building journey. I’ll also share key investment strategies you can use to build a solid investment portfolio.

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If you’ve already made a reasonable accommodation request from your employer, then good work! It’s tough to even have the guts to speak up about what you need (I speak from experience).

Ideally, your employer will approve your request outright, however, there is a chance that they may deny it. The law compels your employer to approve your request, assuming it follows ADA guidelines.

However, your employer may deny your request for one of the following reasons:

1. They have fewer than 15 employees and/or can prove the request causes an undue hardship
2. They are unfamiliar with ADA laws
3. Your request has nothing to do with a disability

Whether you’ve already made your request, or you’re preparing for what could happen if your request is denied, this article will give you 7 steps you can use to achieve a better resolution if your reasonable accommodation request is denied.

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Dream of turning one of your small business ideas into a profitable business?

If you have a chronic illness, it can be tough to make a living. You may not be able to work a so-called traditional job, or you may have to take time off work for doctor’s appointments or flare-ups. 

Even if you struggle to work, you can still start a business or side hustle and make some extra money. In fact, ramping up one of your small business ideas can be a great way to become your own boss and set your own hours.

In this article, I’m going to provide you with 10 key steps you can use to turn one of your small business ideas into a successful startup.

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Would you like to become financially free, but worry that your chronic illness may be holding you back?

If so, I completely understand how you feel, as I had the exact same concerns.

Living with a chronic illness can be challenging, both physically and financially (and mentally, spiritually, and so on, but I digress). Between the constant medical bills and physical symptoms, it can feel impossible to get ahead at times.

And let’s face it, at times an achievement for the day might simply be getting out of bed. When you live with a chronic illness, you constantly battle the demands of your illness and your dreams for the future. It isn’t easy, but somehow you find a way.

If your dreams include becoming financially free, then you’re in the right place. Keep reading on for 10 steps you can use to build your financial future.

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It’s challenging to live with a disability, but you can still lead a happy fulfilled life, which might include building a successful career.

Many careers are well-suited for people with disabilities. The key is to find a career that matches your skills and interests, and that can be accommodated to meet your specific needs.

Reflect and determine which jobs are reasonable for you based on your condition. If you have back pain, for instance, then you may need to find a role that limits your need to lift a heavy burden. If you have a chronic illness that causes chronic fatigue, then you may need reduced or flexible hours.

There isn’t a one-size fits all approach, as your condition may impact your life in unique ways, so you’ll want to consider what you’ll need in your career to enable your success in the long term.

In this article, I’ll provide a brief overview of your disability rights, 7 tips to help you find a career that accommodates your disability, and 6 jobs that might be suitable for someone with a disability (depending on your specific needs).

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