Gentle Ways I Manage Stress Living with Cerebellar Ataxia Living with cerebellar ataxia already brings its own set of challenges. When stress comes along, it can make everything feel a little heavier — my balance wobbles more, my speech gets softer, and my muscles tense up. I learned the hard way that pushing through or worrying about it only made things feel worse. So over time, I started looking for very gentle, low-energy ways to ease the Listress without fighting my body.

You know that saying, “No one is coming to save you”? I don’t know why, but as women, so many of us were taught that we needed saving. Softly, I remind myself that there is great power and acceptance in deciding once and for all that I can “save” myself. It may sound like a simple catchphrase, but it hits so much deeper than that.

The Power of Bold Choices One of my mentors, as a young adult, once shared a profound insight: making bold choices is essential. This wisdom resonates with me deeply, and I carry it into my daily life. Along with many different traits, I strive to make bold choices. Sometimes they work out, and sometimes they don’t.