Hi friend,

If you’re here, chances are today feels heavy. Symptoms may be loud, your energy may be low, and discouragement may be creeping in. You might even be wondering: How long is this recovery going to take? Is it even possible for me at all?

First, let’s start here- where you are right now. Take a deep breath into your belly. Soften your shoulders, your jaw, your fists. You are not failing. Days like these are a part of recovery. Everyone who has walked this path has felt the same despair at some point. And everyone who kept going discovered something essential: healing is possible, and it’s already happening, even when it feels invisible.

This is your reminder—a pep talk you can return to whenever you need it.

Healing Is Not Linear (I Know you know this)

Recovery from neuroplastic conditions is not a straight climb. It’s more like a winding trail—progress mixed with plateaus, and setbacks that often carry the biggest breakthroughs. When symptoms flare, it doesn’t mean you’re moving backward. It means your nervous system is presenting you with an opportunity. These human brains often have a lot to say, as we start to break old habits, and that’s a good and normal thing!

Think of high-symptom days as practice sessions. This is when the real rewiring happens—when you gently challenge the sensations with the right information about your condition, remind yourself you are safe, and choose compassion instead of fear. Every time you do this, and focus on living your life instead of avoiding, your brain learns a little more that the old danger signals are no longer needed.

Setbacks Are Where the Magic Happens

It’s easy to feel defeated when you hit a setback. But setbacks are not failures. They are amazing, golden opportunities. This is where the nervous system learns most deeply.

Each time you respond to a flare-up with patience, curiosity, or even a touch of humor, you’re proving to your brain that you no longer need protection in the form of symptoms. This is the heart of rewiring: not the easy days, but how you meet the hard ones. Not waiting for “better” days to finally do the things you want to do or feel the inner peace you want to feel. Learning to find peace in the middle of the discomfort, and take steps forward anyway.

Self-Compassion, Not Self-Pity

When symptoms flare, it’s natural to feel weighed down by frustration or hopelessness. You might hear thoughts like: Why me? This isn’t fair. I’ll never get better. That’s self-pity speaking, and while it’s completely human to go there, it often leaves us feeling stuck and powerless.

Self-compassion, on the other hand, has a completely different energy. It acknowledges the struggle without drowning in it. It says: This is really hard right now. Of course I’m discouraged. And I can still meet myself with kindness.

Self-pity fuels fear and limitation, and keeps the brain on high alert. Self-compassion signals safety, which is exactly what your nervous system needs to rewire.

And remember—self-compassion doesn’t mean ignoring your pain or pretending everything’s fine. It means sitting beside yourself the way you would sit with a dear friend, offering patience, encouragement, and gentleness. It means saying, Yes, this hurts. And yes, I can still take one more step forward.

Signs You’re Still Kickin’

When you’re discouraged, you may overlook the progress you are making. Healing often shows up first in whispers, not shouts.

Maybe you spiral into fear less often than before.
Maybe your “bad days” don’t feel quite as hopeless.
Maybe you’re finding moments of laughter, presence, or calm even in the middle of symptoms.

I always recommend keeping a success journal or evidence journal along the way, where you write down every win, shift, and insight, no matter how small they seem. My journal has served me well, especially during setbacks or times of discouragement.

The Symptom Imperative Is Not the Enemy

Sometimes when one symptom eases, another appears. This doesn’t mean you’re stuck forever. It means your brain is testing you: Will you respond with fear or with calm? Each time you meet a new symptom with patience and compassion, you’re proving to your nervous system that it no longer needs these old strategies. Eventually, the testing stops.

Your Attitude Matters

More than any single technique, what shapes recovery is your attitude. When you treat setbacks as opportunities, when you practice compassion instead of fear, when you remind yourself that healing is possible, you shift the entire trajectory of your journey.

You don’t need to do it perfectly. You don’t need to get it “right” every time. All you need is to keep meeting each moment with as much kindness, courage, and curiosity as you can. That is what rewires the brain. Give yourself space and grace here- your brain is used to running on fear, and fear/avoidance is a habit. One that takes time and repetition to break! Of course you’re going to revert to old habits for a while, and that’s okay.

Slowly practice more softness, ease, compassion, and indifference, and less frustration, rumination, and despair.

Gentle Reminders for the Hard Days

Bookmark these words. Read them out loud if you need to.

High-symptom days are not failures—they’re the best training days.
Setbacks are where the magic happens.
Self-compassion is better than self-pity.
Your brain will behave based on the information you give it.
Setbacks don’t erase your progress. You cannot lose the progress you’ve made.
You are not alone in this.
You are more capable than you realize.

You’re Already on the Path

The fact that you’re reading this means you haven’t given up. You’re showing up, learning, and practicing.

Recovery is not a finish line. It’s a relationship with your nervous system—one built on patience, safety, and compassion. Each breath, each practice, each choice to keep going is another step forward.

So if today feels dark, remember: you are not broken. You already have the right information about your condition. And while it’s okay to revisit that and remind yourself sometimes, don’t get stuck there. The less you focus on the sensations, limitations, and fears, the better.

You are in the process of becoming free. Stay the course, my friend, and recovery is not a matter of if—it’s a matter of when.

And I’m cheering you on, every step of the way. Anytime you need a friendly face or some encouragement, I’m here. Schedule a coaching call below.

Get your own personal pep talk

Thanks for reading. Sending you all the hugs and high fives you deserve today,

In A Setback? Read This.