14: The Mental Component of LONG COVID ft. Arjanna van der Plas

You've heard about the physical symptoms of long COVID—the exhaustion, the brain fog, the feeling like you aged 40 years overnight. But what nobody talks about is the mental sh*t storm that comes with it. Arjanna van der Plas, leadership coach and mom of two, shares her raw experience navigating long COVID while running a business, parenting young kids, and confronting the hardest thing of all: asking for help.What You'll Learn:What long COVID actually looks like day-to-day (spoiler: it's not just being tired)Why "independent woman syndrome" becomes your worst enemy when you get sickThe mental trap of feeling like a burden—and how to break itWhat doctors actually tell you to do (do LESS than you think you can)How illness can teach you about gratitude, boundaries, and self-careReal Talk Moments: Arjanna opens up about napping on the couch while her kids watched iPads ("doesn't feel like the best parenting, but it works"), her husband literally sending her to bed, and the identity crisis of watching her business shrink while she couldn't show up. Plus, Danna draws powerful parallels between long COVID and depression—the mental exhaustion, the internal battle between what your brain wants to do and what your body allows.Arjanna's Wisdom: "Other people have rough lives too, and they're also busy and they're also tired—so I cannot burden them with my needs." Sound familiar? Arjanna unpacks how this thinking kept her from getting the help she desperately needed.Connect with Arjanna van der Plas: through Women's Hub or as part of her collaboration with business partner, Nele, at Clüver and van der Plas Coaching and Consulting.Join the So Frickin' Healthy Community Get access to our extended cut episodes and support the show by signing up as a Member of the So Frickin' Healthy Community. You can join as a free or paid Member! We appreciate you listening! Join the So Frickin' Healthy CommunityCheck Out Organilicious Jump on a free discovery call with Danna, and find out more about the Urban Cleanse program Book Your Free CallThis episode does not constitute medical advice, the thoughts and stories in this episode are for entertainment only. Consult your healthcare provider if you think you may have Long Covid.