The Gentle Living Handbook: Mindfulness, Pacing & Rest for FND, Fibromyalgia & Chronic Illness

A soft, soothing guide for life inside an unpredictable body

Living with FND, fibromyalgia, or any chronic illness means navigating days where energy disappears without warning and rest feels like something you must “earn.”

This handbook is your gentle companion on those days.

Inside, you’ll find tender guidance designed to help you move at the speed of your body, not the speed of the world.

Drawn from the compassionate introduction on page 2—“a gentle companion for days when energy disappears without warning”

What’s Inside

A full, soft, and beautifully structured handbook including:

Section I: Understanding Your Energy

• What fatigue really means
• The Energy Purse metaphor
• Early signs of overload
• The guilt of stopping
• Redefining progress (p.7–11)
• The Gentle Wellness Book

Section II: Pacing With Kindness

• What pacing truly is (and isn’t)
• Gentle daily rhythm
• The pause before you push
• Flare recovery tools
• Pacing logs & practical aids (p.13–21)
• The Gentle Wellness Book

Section III: Nourishment & Comfort

• Food as communication, not control
• Gentle meal rhythms
• Flare-day foods
• Hydration without overwhelm
• The role of warmth (p.21–27)
• The Gentle Wellness Book

Section IV: Resting Without Guilt

• Rest as resistance
• Doing nothing
• Emotional + spiritual dimensions of rest
• Guilt-free rest reflections (p.28–36)
• The Gentle Wellness Book

Section V: Emotional Care During Flare-Ups

• Meeting fear with breath
• Letting go of “should”
• Flare-up plans
• Naming feelings with compassion (p.37–44)
• The Gentle Wellness Book

Section VI: Tools for Gentle Living

• Weekly energy planner
• Daily body log
• Flare-up tracker
• “Did I Rest Enough?” checklist
• Support network mapping (p.45–51)
• The Gentle Wellness Book

Section VII: Mindfulness & Living Slowly

• Mindfulness during pain
• Five-minute practices
• Mindful rest
• Radical belonging
• Full mindfulness journal section (p.52–66)
• The Gentle Wellness Book

Who This Handbook Is For

Perfect for anyone living with:

• FND
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Long-term health conditions
• Emotional overwhelm and burnout

And for anyone who wants to learn how to rest without guilt, pace without shame, and live gently with their body.