CULTIVATE AN EXCEPTIONAL LIFE
Chronic illness, trauma, or other life challenges may appear to obstruct the path to living your best life, but they don’t have to. Certainly, your plans may have been uprooted, but your life has the potential to transcend the ordinary. You can cultivate an exceptional life, despite the challenges you may encounter. After all, you are much more than your condition, your trauma, or your failures.
Cultivate an Exceptional Life is a lifestyle blog designed for the chronically ill. However, many readers without chronic illness also find our content inspiring and valuable. Whichever category you fall into – welcome!
Are you ready to overcome challenges, unlock your potential, and create a life that is truly exceptional?
Join Leisa Watkins and let’s embark on this empowering journey together.
Start exploring our website now and take the first step towards cultivating a life of resilience, empowerment, and fulfillment!
CULTIVATING
HAPPINESS & JOY
CULTIVATING HEALTH & WELLNESS
CULTIVATING MENTAL STRENGTH & STAMINA
Chronic Strong: Thriving With Chronic illness
I also have a section of our site dedicated to providing support, information, and resources for individuals living with chronic illnesses.
RECENT ARTICLES
8 Tips to Develop Better Decision Making Skills
There are moments in life when decision-making feels like a breeze—especially when it’s a business choice. We weigh the facts, see the options, and in an instant, the path ahead becomes clear. But when it comes to matters of the heart and soul, how often do we falter,...
Emotional Intelligence Strategies for Chronic Illness
Living with chronic illness creates a unique rhythm—a delicate dance of fluctuating pain, lingering weariness, and the quiet uncertainty each new day brings. In this journey, emotional intelligence can serve as a gentle yet powerful companion, offering support without...
The Santa Clara Petroglyphs: Ruins, Rock Art, and Resilience
Petroglyphs. There's something about them, isn’t there? The way they speak across time, telling stories without words, sharing a thread of connection that stretches from the past to the present. They are a quiet invitation to pause and reflect, to listen to the...
Can Creatine Help with Some Chronic Illnesses? What You Need to Know
Creatine, that often whispered-about miracle of the fitness world, is a humble yet powerful amino acid—one of the very building blocks of protein. It is crafted with care by the liver and kidneys, yet you can also find it in the foods that nourish us, particularly in...
What is Mast Cell Activation Disorder?
Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD) is an enigmatic condition, as delicate and intricate as the very cells it affects. At the heart of this disorder are mast cells—small yet powerful sentinels within our immune system. These cells, though often unseen, play a quiet...
What It Means to Be a Friend to Yourself and Why It’s Life-Changing
For so many years, I lived in a constant state of self-reproach. I was my own harshest critic, ever vigilant in pointing out my flaws, my missteps, and my imperfections. No matter how much I did, it never seemed enough. I believed that if I could only perfect...
Mindful Eating: From Traditions to Travels. Embracing Food with Purpose
By nature, I am a foodie. Food is more than just fuel – it’s a sensory experience that connects me to the places I’ve been, the people I’ve shared meals with, and the memories that make life so rich. Mindful eating has become my way of truly savoring each bite, paying...
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2
Some things stay with us over the years, quietly weaving their way into the fabric of who we are. These favorite moments and simple pleasures have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, grounding me in a sense of gratitude and joy. In this second part...
Multiple Sclerosis and Heat Intolerance
Living with MS and multiple sclerosis heat sensitivity is like navigating an unpredictable journey, one where the path can shift beneath your feet without warning. This chronic condition, which disrupts the intricate communication between the brain and the body,...
Art Therapy for Chronic Illness: Healing through Art
Living with chronic illness is like wandering through a garden that is both beautiful and broken. There are moments of bloom, but there are also thorns—grief, anger, and fear—that seem to sprout unexpectedly. These emotions are often too big for words, too complex to...
The Power of Persistence When Life is a Struggle
It’s easy to let life’s challenges convince you that your dreams are impossible. There were days I felt utterly defeated, days when even breathing felt like a struggle. But what I’ve learned is this: Persistence is more than just stubbornness. It’s the quiet courage...
Jamu Juice Recipe
Jamu juice, a vibrant and health-boosting beverage, originates from Indonesia, where it has been cherished for centuries as a traditional herbal remedy. Rooted in Javanese culture, Jamu is more than just a drink—it's a symbol of holistic healing, combining natural...
Hello! I’m Leisa. I’m a chronic illness bloggers, speaker, author, mother, wife, and much more.
I’ve learned to navigate life’s transitions with a certain grace, even when the road ahead seems filled with hurdles. You could call it my superpower—finding the strength to push forward, no matter the storm.
Not too long ago, my daughter and I were beginning to heal from a car accident that seemed to come out of nowhere. A driver, distracted by their phone, barreled into us at over 90 miles per hour. In the blink of an eye, our world was altered forever. And just when we thought we were adjusting to our new reality, life threw us another curveball.
In the span of a single week, my husband was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and three days later, I received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. To add to this overwhelming weight, our daughter was hospitalized, and my children were also grappling with their own chronic illnesses.
By this point, I was no stranger to hardship. As a family, we face nearly 30 different health conditions, including Epstein Barr, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lyme Disease, Dysautonomia, multiple sclerosis, and more. We’ve weathered storms of financial ruin, personal trauma, loss, and the heartache of multiple miscarriages. Yet through it all, I’ve found the strength to keep going.
In our home, we face these struggles head-on, and we’ve learned to embrace the possibility of joy, even in the midst of adversity. It’s this mindset, this belief that life’s challenges don’t define us, that I hold close. With the right tools, a supportive community, and a mindset rooted in possibility, we can thrive—no matter what life throws our way.
And so, I invite you to join me on a journey of resilience, healing, and growth. Through sharing my personal story, the lessons I’ve learned, and the strategies that have helped me, I hope to inspire you to cultivate an exceptional life, despite the trials you may face. Let’s walk this path together, one step at a time.
