We Are More Than Sides
We are all simply people. Neighbors. Storytellers. Wanderers searching for meaning, bound by shared hopes and struggles. When did we decide that belonging meant choosing a side? Somewhere along the road, we forgot how alike we really are. Maybe because we’ve been...
Blame, Bias, and Misunderstanding: Questioning the Stories We Tell Ourselves
Life often whispers to us in a language of patterns. We see the rise of the sun and anticipate the warmth that follows. We hear laughter and assume joy. We observe a consequence and are so certain of its cause. Yet, how often do we pause to wonder if what we believe...
Learning to Love Our Enemies: Jesus’ Radical Call to Forgiveness
We recently learned that some of our family members, each in different circumstances, have suffered devastating harm at the hands of others. The full story isn’t mine to tell, but what I can share is this: it wasn’t just a moment of carelessness. It was a pattern of...
Living With Purpose: How Jesus Stayed Focused on His Mission
Some days, living with purpose feels like a luxury I can’t afford. Between the fatigue, the brain fog, and the endless cycle of tending to what hurts—physically, emotionally, spiritually—it’s easy to wonder if I’ve missed my calling, or if I’m just too tired to...About Cultivate an Exceptional Life
Cultivate an Exceptional Life is a chronic illness community for women who are done waiting for their hard season to be over before they start really living.
Here you'll find honest stories, practical tools, and hard-won wisdom for building a life you love — alongside your illness, not in spite of waiting for it to get better.
Because an exceptional life doesn't just happen. It has to be cultivated.
Meet Leisa Watkins
Leisa is a chronic illness writer and advocate living with MS, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, and CFS/ME, and a mom navigating her kids' chronic illness journeys alongside her own.
She writes from lived experience and years of research, sharing practical strategies and compassionate guidance for women building a full life alongside chronic illness.
Not a medical professional. Please consult your healthcare provider for medical advice.
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