When I had a TMJ flare-up on my “good” side, I was devastated. I’d lived with it on my bad side (right) for so many years that it had just become part of who I was. But when it started on the side I could still rely on, it felt like reliving it all over again. When you have TMJ disorder, you get used to the crunching and cracking. I barely noticed it after so many years. I mainly chewed food on my good side, so everything felt manageable. But this sudden flare in the side o

The conversation around Toxic Positivity vs Optimism matters, especially when you live with chronic illness or ongoing pain. I’m the kind of person who likes to be positive where I can. I naturally look for the silver lining. Even when I can’t even try to be positive, it usually means a situation has gone far beyond my current limits. But positivity isn’t always helpful. Sometimes it can turn into something unhealthy, and that’s where the concept truly becomes important. Wh