When Life Breaks the Plan: Choosing Yourself Through Chronic Illness

What happens when everything you’ve built—your career, your independence, your identity—starts to unravel at the hands of an illness you didn’t see coming?In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Cathy Beederman, former tech exec turned reluctant expert in resilience, who shares what it’s like to face life with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome). From navigating devastating diagnoses to redefining self-care in the smallest of rituals (hello, “coffee report”), Cathy brings raw honesty, sharp humor, and the kind of perspective that only comes from living a radically altered life.This is not an episode about giving up. It’s about choosing yourself again and again—even when the world doesn’t understand what you’re going through.We talk about:The silent grief of losing your “before self”How to stay connected when your body can’t keep upReclaiming visibility and voice through storytellingWhy asking for help is a strength, not a failureIf you’ve ever had to rebuild from the rubble—or are supporting someone who is—this conversation will stay with you.📍Cathy’s podcast: That Chronic Thing: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chronic-illness-support-that-chronic-thing/id1665287658https://open.spotify.com/show/5W4rhZD1SvRM7jp1sGDqvz 📲 Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indoorcathy/Share Your ThoughtsCONNECT WITH EIMEAR Free Resources and More: https://stan.store/eimearzoneExplore Working With Eimear: Book a Call: https://eimearzone.as.me/breakthrough📱 Instagram: @eimearzonecoach 💻 Website: eimearzone.com 📧 Email: [email protected] Subscribe to Girl, Choose Yourself on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. © 2026 Eimear Zone Coaching. All rights reserved.