Blog

27Jul 2021 by Kayla No Comments
My Life During the Covid-19 Pandemic

My Life During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Personal Story, Travel
I never pictured myself living in India, much less living in India during a lockdown situation. Let's face it, 18 months ago the term "lockdown" meant nothing to me except for inside a building, or a campus. In those places, the term was familiar for security situations. I had heard it used to describe what happens when there is an active shooter at a school. But never imagined it was something that could be enacted on a city, much less a state, or a country. But that is the reality as I write this. (more…)
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21Jun 2021 by Kayla 2 Comments
Being Vulnerable with Narcolepsy Works

Being Vulnerable with Narcolepsy Works

Mindset
It's hard not to look at being vulnerable as a bad thing, but today I'm here to tell you that being vulnerable with narcolepsy works wonders. I have gained so much by daring to be vulnerable, and today I am taking that to a new level. Today, I am committing to using this space for more raw, unedited, real writing about what I'm experiencing on a day-to-day basis. (more…)
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21May 2021 by Kayla No Comments
How to Grow in a Pandemic

How to Grow in a Pandemic

Life Coaching
From the beginning people were talking about ways to grow in a pandemic. They suggested learning a language, picking up that hobby you never make time for, and lots of other ways to distract ourselves. While many of us were not in the mental space to grow our skills, personal growth was still taking place as we faced our challenges. (more…)
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12Apr 2021 by Kayla 1 Comment
How to Accept a Chronic Diagnosis

How to Accept a Chronic Diagnosis

Mindset
I see it over and over again. We fight to get a diagnosis from a doctor and then we have no idea how to accept the diagnosis. We wanted validation that what we were experiencing was real. But we didn't know how much baggage was going to come with it. (more…)
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21Mar 2021 by Kayla No Comments
How to Treat Migraine Naturally

How to Treat Migraine Naturally

life hacks
Quick Tips for Migraine Management I'm going to assume if you are here right now, you might be in some stage of a migraine so I will try to keep this as short and sweet as possible! Please feel free to ask questions, comment, or challenge my ideas about how to treat migraine naturally. I am not a doctor and these all come from my own experience living with migraine and narcolepsy. (more…)
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25Feb 2021 by Kayla No Comments
Wake Up Happy with Narcolepsy

Wake Up Happy with Narcolepsy

Mindset
I'm a morning person, so I wake up happy every day. And I have had narcolepsy most of my life, if not all of it. When I tell people my best hours are first thing in the morning and I'd be happy to meet them online at 7am my time, they seem baffled. How can a person with narcolepsy also be a morning person? And how does anyone wake up happy? (more…)
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18Dec 2020 by Kayla No Comments
My Experience with Depression and Narcolepsy

My Experience with Depression and Narcolepsy

Personal Story
Ten years ago I never would have said I was grateful for Depression and Narcolepsy. I felt like they were ruining my life.  I was the victim and there was nothing I could do about it. But today I am living a completely different story.  Depression and narcolepsy were catalysts that forced me to take a harder look at what I’m doing in life. Eventually they propelled me to create a life worth living.  It didn’t happen overnight and it wasn’t magic.  But it has lead me to live a magical life.  Diagnosed with Narcolepsy But let's start at the beginning. I have had narcolepsy, a chronic neurological disorder that affects the sleep-wake cycle for as long as I can remember. When I started full-day school, it was hard for me…
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10Nov 2020 by Kayla No Comments

Being Centered Among Chaos, Practicing Tai Chi

Mindset
If you have ever wandered through a park in the morning and seen people practicing slow graceful movements, you may have seen the art of Tai Chi. Tai Chi is a companion of Kung Fu, that takes the martial art to the next level.  Wuanna Zawlwin, the instructor for Tai Chi in Yangon, says many people are drawn to the health benefits of Tai Chi and like to practice the movements in the morning.  Tai Chi is believed to boost your immune system and help you stay strong both physically and mentally. The direct translation of the words Tai Chi is “Supreme Ultimate.”  He explained that it operates on four main levels, the muscles, energy, mind, and spirit. But when he arrived here from Germany six years ago, he didn’t…
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27Oct 2020 by Kayla No Comments
Exploring Golden Rock on Thadingyut

Exploring Golden Rock on Thadingyut

Travel
Two years ago this week, I was with friends exploring Kyaiktiyo Pagoda also called Golden Rock, on Thadingyut. Thadingyut is a famous festival but I don't think anyone will be able to travel to celebrate it in 2020. Since this hasn't exactly been a year of travel, I've been enjoying my Google Photos sharing with me where I was on this same day in the past. So let's take a trip down memory lane. How We Got to Golden Rock Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (Golden Rock) is up on the summit of Mount Kyayktiyo, about 15 km from a town called Kinpun and around 200km from Yangon, in Mon State. We rented a car from Yoma Fleet and headed out of Yangon to explore. I am not big on driving in Myanmar,…
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14Oct 2020 by Kayla 11 Comments
What Causes Narcolepsy – A Natural Theory

What Causes Narcolepsy – A Natural Theory

Narcolepsy
I picked up Louise Hay's book, Heal Your Body: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them. I wasn't thinking about what causes narcolepsy, just about healing in general. For the most part, I have a good handle on my health. I don't feel like narcolepsy has much impact on my day-to-day life anymore, and the migraines get better each time I face them and look at the underlying cause. Screenshot of Author's Kindle Notes But I figured looking at one more approach won't hurt me. This book lists a variety of ailments, suggests an emotional cause, and then gives an affirmation to help you heal the emotions that might be manifesting at the symptom. Louise Hay's Message Image by Author "For us to become…
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07Oct 2020 by Kayla No Comments
Taylor Schilling Claims to have Quarantine Narcolepsy

Taylor Schilling Claims to have Quarantine Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy
Less than two weeks after World Narcolepsy Day, I see the term "quarantine narcolepsy" on my newsfeed. When I learned that it was a reference to narcolepsy on Late Night with Seth Meyers, I was vaguely curious. Image by Christo Anestev from Pixabay Seth Meyers asked Taylor Schilling, known for her role as Piper in Orange is the New Black, if she has developed any new coping mechanisms during quarantine. She responded, "I think I've become a bit of a narcoleptic person like I hear like oh 'plague and pestilence' and then I go [ugly face] and I pass out again. [laughing] Like I just leap or I'll fall asleep in different areas and new places, it's uncomfortable." Seth responds, "That's interesting. So you just think you have like an…
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17Sep 2020 by Kayla 3 Comments
Paula’s Story of Living with Narcolepsy

Paula’s Story of Living with Narcolepsy

Personal Story
Keeping Illness Invisible "In 1979, fresh out of high school living in Atlanta, I was ready to start my life," says Paula.   "Going to school full time, working part-time, and enjoying a full social life, I never felt there was anything wrong with sleeping every moment I could. It was even okay when my friends started teasing me for always falling asleep."    As far back as college, Paula remembers sleeping a lot. "Back then I blew it off as being young, clubbing, and drinking too many Pink Champales."  Paula worked part-time, did her school work, and didn't think anything of spending her Tuesday nights enjoying Ladies night at Cisco's on Campbellton Road, in Atlanta.  As they piled into the car, her friend Veronica would say, "Paula is going to…
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13Aug 2020 by Kayla No Comments
Shifting Perspectives to be Happier Now

Shifting Perspectives to be Happier Now

Mindset
Sometimes I can only see from one perspective. I have a belief and I think my way is the truth. But when I become open to shifting perspectives, I can be happier with where I'm at, without changing my outside circumstances. ⁠For example, I thought the town I grew up close to was an ugly town. I don't like the college associated with it, maybe because I went to its rival school or maybe I was just wearing the wrong color lenses growing up and made these judgements about it. ⁠Either way, it was a place I dreaded visiting and never hesitated to complain about. How I Saw "Home"⁠ When I tell people where I'm from, they have never heard of it unless I mention the nearby university, and then…
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