…and the strength it takes to keep showing up anyway…
Let’s get real.
These days, people assume you’re doing great if you post a smiling photo, a well-lit story, or a latte in pretty lighting. But what they don’t see is the invisible reality behind that photo. Post-viral fatigue (like from Epstein-Barr or long COVID) is an all-consuming condition that doesn’t show on your face—but it’s there. Every. Single. Day.
This post was born out of a wave of frustration, honestly. Of not feeling seen. Of wishing people understood the layers of what I go through. So here they are—10 things you don’t see, but that shape my entire life right now.
“You think I’m resting. I’m actually healing. There’s a difference.”
1. The Nap Schedule You Don’t See
I’m not lazy, I’m healing. Sometimes I need three naps a day just to function. These naps aren’t indulgent—they’re essential. No, I’m not lucky to “get to rest.” I have to rest.
2. The Energy Budget I Have to Calculate
Every activity has a price tag. Grocery shopping might mean skipping dinner. One phone call might wipe me out for the whole next day. This is life in energetic survival mode.
3. The Noise Sensitivity
Party music? Background chatter? Even the hum of electronics? It can overload my system in seconds. My brain can’t filter anymore. Overstimulation is my kryptonite.
4. Binge Watching Is Not a Thing
Netflix marathons? Not for me. Screens drain me. Even watching TV can be too much. Sometimes silence is all my nervous system can handle.
5. Showering Is a Workout
Yes, showering. And especially hair-washing or styling. It takes effort like I’m running a 10K. Blow-drying? That’s my upper body day. Self-care = physical labor.
6. The Guilt You Don’t See
I constantly carry guilt. For saying no. For canceling. For disappearing. For not being the me I used to be. It’s not avoidance. It’s survival.
7. How Chores Pile Up Like Mount Everest
I can’t do anything in one go anymore. Laundry takes three steps over two days. Dishes? A half-hour event. My home is clean eventually. But it takes strategy.
8. The “Good Day” That Costs Me Three Bad Ones
That smiling photo you saw? Cute, right? What you didn’t see: the crash afterward. A “good” day always comes with a cost. It’s not a breakthrough—it’s a trade-off.
9. The Inner Fight
This journey isn’t just physical—it’s mental, emotional, and spiritual. I’m grieving the old me. I’m adjusting. I’m transforming. And even when I can’t move—I’m still showing up.
10. The Loneliness
I’m alone 90% of the time. I don’t have the emotional support like most peolple do on a regular basis.
Self-compassion is my emergency kit.
Final Note: The Strength Behind the Smile
Yes, I might look fine. I might even post something pretty or inspired. But behind that? I’m doing Olympic-level healing every day. Quietly. Consistently.
That’s a kind of strength the world doesn’t talk about enough.
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P.S. Curious to explore EMF protection tools? I’ve partnered with AiresTech to offer 25% off with the code TANISTATES—because protecting your energy field is part of the vibe. 🌐✨
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