Chronic But Iconic

Today, we go out with a bang. By discussing a topic that affects so many of us & especially through lockdown I struggled with. We go into the ways our minds can run away with us. We feel alien, lost & in a fog. How important it is to be unapologetically yourself because we all bring something special to the table. If you don't follow me on Instagram already: @sophiewardy for all the updates, lifestyle, travel & health content. I hope you have enjoyed this series, please let me know what you would like to hear in series 5. Thank you so much for your support, it means the world. Lots of love, KEEP SPREADING YOUR MAGIC - Sophie. xoxo

Today we discuss, finding your vibe, feeding yourself & making YOU HAPPY. Taking responsibility for your own happiness. Shaking off judgements and not carrying any guilt for exploring our hobbies, passions & ENJOYING OURSELVES. Life is too short not to be having fun! SO LET'S DIVE IN. Following me on Instagram? No! Hit me up! @sophiewardy , let's connect!

Okay... yes I hear you. you feel in a funk. In a smoke cloud of unknown and uncertainty. You fear the present let alone the future. I wanted to break down the feeling of just feeling so numb to the core. What it could be signalling & how to soothe this painful feeling that affects us both mentally and physically. Let's dive in. Reach out to me on Instagram: @sophiewardy for a whole host of fun giveaways, LIFESTYLE, TRAVEL updates and MORE.

Today, we have the amazing Jordan Ray joining us from across the pond. Jordan was a top college athlete before surviving brain surgery at only 17 years old. Now, Jordan has built an amazing Limited Medial Logs that is your own medial journal to keep YOU organised for EVERY doctors appointment. This app will be your go-to health preparation manager. You can follow Jordan and her inspiring story through her Instagram @JordanRay25 and head to www.limitlessmedicallogs.com for more info about this amazing app. It was a joy and a delight to have Jordan on and I hope you have felt empowered by this episode. Enjoy xoxo

Let's discuss a huge and emotionally hard topic today - body image! It is a topic that destroys me on a daily basis. It is an endless war. I want to really dive in and offer some hope & empowerment along the way. SO LET'S DIVE IN. Following me on Instagram? No! Hit me up! @sophiewardy , let's connect!

The comparison cycle as we all know is so very toxic, but it's like quick sand. We easily get sucked in. It is so easy. With chronic illness however it seems we are fighting the battle on both fronts: comparing ourselves to healthy people and comparing ourselves with chronic illness fighters. Let's DIVE in. Catch me on INSTAGRAM: @SOPHIEWARDY, I can't wait to connect with you. I am unapologetically myself over there & you don't want to miss that do you? Enjoy this episode angels xoxo

TODAY, we have one exciting episode coming at you. The amazing Olivia Gaynor talking about her exciting new book! Olivia was first diagnosed when she was 12 and from then has made it her mission to raise awareness about chronic illness. Her amazing book 'I'm Good' shares her own story with the mission of helping people understand more about the complex nature of battling a chronic illness. Olivia has kindly come on the podcast today to share advice, her story, her mission and her goals for the future. Olivia is a truly amazing woman with so many amazing dreams going forward. She really is an inspiration & I know so many of you will gain so much empowerment from her interview & her book 'I'm Good.' You can purchase 'I'm Good' on AMAZON today!! A MUST READ. I hope you enjoy this episode and thank you Olivia for being an amazing guest. Don't forget if you aren't already follow me over on Instagram @sophiewardy, for fun updates & more. Let's enjoy the episode.

Th comment we all hate. Let's dive in to why people say this comment, how we can deal with this comment & ways of handling it in a far healthier way. Do you follow me on Instagram: @sophiewardy ? No! Let's change that, let's connect and let me know what you think about when it comes to this subject. I get raw and real over there. Yes, I am unapologetically myself on Insta, you don't want to miss it! xox

Let's talk about social media.. the amazing, good, bad & ugly. Negatives and positives of sharing our stories online. Let's dive in. Talking of social media.. do you follow me? If you don't catch me: @sophiewardy I CAN'T wait to connect and see you there.

Courtney kindly joins me today from Toronto to tell us all more about her condition Ataxia & her AMAZING organisation she is building up to raise awareness GLOBALLY about Ataxia. Take a listen this is an unmissable episode. It was a joy, an honour & a delight to have Courtney on the podcast today, she really is an inspiration. Ataxia attacks the nervous system & can go undiagnosed for many years or given the wrong diagnosis due to it mimicking other illnesses. You can support Courtney & her organisation through: Website: http://www.hopeforataxia.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hopeforataxia Instagram: www.instagram.com/hopeforataxia Current campaign: http://www.hopeforataxia-be-like/ Please go and show Courtney & her organisation some love & support, she really is rocking it when it comes to raising awareness with fun & creative ideas to help us all get involved. Thank you so much Courtney! If you don't already follow me on Instagram: @sophiewardy to keep up to date with EVERYTHING, gain some empowerment, inspiration & where I am just unapologetically me. Enjoy angels! xoxo

Hey guys, just a quick little overview for what to expect from this series. I can't believe this is the fourth series, HOW EXCITING. This series I am passionate about discussing areas of chronic illness we all find difficult. Lockdown, more than ever has really shown the difficulties of all the areas I want to discuss.  -Body image -Social media - Having fun with chronic illness -Loss of identity -Comparisons  And much more.  Let's dive in and remember if you don't already check out & follow my Instagram: @SOPHIEWARDY to keep up to date with the latest.  REMEMBER TO LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, DROP UP A RATING, if you would be so kind. Thank you so much. It really helps me create content you really want to hear.  DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, I am no professional, just a girl out here living with multiple chronic illnesses, trying to decode life & make the best of it.  Love you guys, thank you so much for your support. xox

Thank you SO MUCH for all your love ad support through this series. I hope you have enjoyed every episode and gained great value from each topic we have discussed through the series. I would love to hear from you & your feedback. How have you found this series? What would you like to see more of? What did you find most helpful? Your feedback helps me grow and create the best content possible. So please reach out to me!! You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms. And finally a big thank you , once again from me. I love you so much! You are my rocket fuel, my oxygen and inspire all my work. THANK YOU.  Sophie x

I know I preach it, gratitude is my religion. But it really is. It has got me out of the dark holes, helped me find the light and create my own light. It is so surprising how much life glows when we begin taking small steps to appreciate what we have and how lucky we are. But where do we begin? We are lucky to have tools like diaries, gratitude diaries, law of attraction journals that really help us stay accountable, look back and reflect. When we see the evidence we can't argue with it. Let's get your glow back! Let's dive in..  You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms.

The work, life balance. I don't have an off switch when it comes to my work & I am so lucky that my passions are my work! However, this presents the problem that in my mind I don't deserve time off, because 'I am never working.' When actually my days are filled. I am still working on nailing a balance. As we can't forget that we need to live, we need to look after ourselves, spend time with our loved ones and be present in the moment too. BUT yes, work gives us a focus and a purpose. It helps us achieve our dreams and as we all know we need to put in a lot of hard work to achieve what we want out of life.  So how can use tools to remind ourselves of the work we have done and the rest we have earnt? Let's dive in..  You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms.

City breaks, are all the rage. We all want that quick weekend get away. Suffering with a disability isn't just as easy as booking your trip an hopping on a plane.  OR CAN IT BE? Here is the episode for you. Learn about a few cities to try to build up your confidence when it comes to travelling again. You will be surprised how much countries are stepping up their game. They WANT YOU, yes! You heard me correctly. We feel invisible a lot of the time but believe you me, companies, tour operators, councils,  cities, hotels, cruises and resorts are upping their game to accommodate us.  So, we need to make the most of this, and feel wanted, valued AND GO OUT AND EXPLORE THE WORLD. You deserve it, for yourself. Never forget that.  You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms.

This episode is JAM-PACKED with useful advice, hacks, tips to making your airport journey as smooth as possible. It is often the part of travel that frankly puts people off travelling at all. I hope to offer you some advice, hints and tips within this episode that you will be willing to try to see if you can ace the airport system and make the whole experience a WHOLE lot better. Let's get into it..  You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms.

Self-development. I know what you are thinking.. I am not selfish, I don't deserve love, care and my time. Stop right there, you ARE WORTHY and self-development is a key part of our lives to make our days brighter with more sparkle. Think of it in the sense you have so much to give but if you are drained, down, exhausted how can you give the 120per cent you want to? Remember when you glow from the inside, it shines through to the outside too. But in order to achieve this we must commit and dedicate the hard work needed to re-build our castles. Yes, I have been there too, where to begin? Dedicating just 30 minutes a day to a motivational podcast, reading a mindfulness book that may be concentrating on confidence all works towards your self-development journey. And just like happiness, it is a journey that needs daily work and commitment. BUT it is achievable to gain a better understanding and easily adapt all the tools into our lives.  Let's dive in.. You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms.

Relationships HARD when battling with a chronic illness. We lose a lot of people because they fail to understand & be flexible. Often, like I used to, we cling on to them. DON'T we don't need the negativity and the upset clinging on brings. We have to focus on all the cheerleaders and diamond rocks that are there for us. Through thick and thin. Whether we are poorly or not, people come in & out of each other's lives ALL the time. It is just harder for us to digest because of our health. When we lose a key person in our lives it is like losing a right arm and we blame ourselves for them choosing to walk away. The blame game does nobody any good. NOBODY. But it is an easy trap to fall into. Join me! Let's decode this and get you in a more positive frame of mind about the wonderful people that add sparkle to your life.  You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms.

The weather, maybe we are aware of the impact it has on our well-being or maybe we haven't even taken notice. I think it is important to track how the weather affects us as especially the sun can offer a wealth of natural vitamins. I wanted to create this episode to help us be more aware and alert of our symptoms in the change of weather, climate and seasons so that we become better armed and prepared. I know I am a sunseeker and how much it truly helps me and give my immune system boost that pills can't.  Remember you can follow me over on Instagram: @sophiewardy and join my travel Facebook group; Sophantastic Travel to have access to useful checklist, hacks, deals and much more. 

Socialising. The word may trigger panic in some people as we jump to the socialising extremes: big events, concerts, nights out and long days shopping. We believe, as I did that we have to do the whole event to commit to events. I am here today to advise you on being honest, flexible and working events around what works for you. There is always ways, to enable you to be able to socialise and be a part of events. I am here today to try and decode, give you some hacks and advice to help you re-build your confidence when it comes to socialising once more.  You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms.

Okay, so admittedly. This is something I still really struggle with and haven't nailed but I also know it is a topic that all of you feel overwhelmed by to. I hope this episodes inspires you to be more realistic, forward plan, be organised & create a healthy balance throughout all areas of your life. You can follow my journey on my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy and my Facebook Travel group: Sophantastic Travel. I share hacks, useful checklists, deals, my journey and so much more over on these platforms. 

Welcome to series 3 everyone, this series I have designed focusing on topics that so many of us struggle with. I have used my own personal journey to help and advise you, in hope it helps broaden your horizons and add sparkle back into your lives. Because - don't forget, we all deserve happiness, life & love. You can follow me on Instagram: @sophiewardy, my personal blog: www.sophantastic.org & Sophantastic Travel page on Facebook. Come over and join me..

WOW, what a series. How is it over already? I would like to personally take the time to thank you ALL for all the love, support, kindness shown towards my podcast: Chronic But Iconic. We made the TOP 20 MUST FOLLOW CHRONIC ILLNESS PODCASTS on the web! WHICH IS BONKERS & insane. I am so thankful, words fail me. Chronic But Iconic would not be the success it is without the empowering guests that share their stories, their struggles and inspire us with their battles. I am so beyond grateful & I can't wait for 2020 and series 3. Please, subscribe to keep up to date with new episodes and finally I hope you enjoy this last episode of SERIES 2. Have the BEST Christmas time, enjoy every moment, make amazing memories and HAPPY NEW YEAR. Let's make 2020, the best year yet. ENJOY! Follow me on Instagram: @sophiewardy and as always LOVE ALWAYS. Sophie. xo

Today, I am joined by the wonderful and inspiring Dominique! Dominique is the founder of the non-profit charity Invisiyouth. At just 22 years old Dominique set up the charity in the US and now four years on at 26 she is proud to have seen her influence and charity go global across 8 countries. Dominique shares her own personal journey. From a pro Tennis player to hiding away from society not knowing what was going on health wise. Her personal experiences have inspired her to help others with a range of chronic illnesses feel less alone, more visible than invisible. Make friends and raise awareness. She is a boss lady & a real powerhouse. Her interview is incredibly empowering and insightful. I hope you enjoy. Please take a listen to Invisiyouth's podcasts: Invisiyouth sessions , YouTube videos: Invisiyouth & social media @Invisiyouth . You can keep up to date with all the work, campaigns, fundraisers and be inspired by the role models who work with the charity. Dominique was an absolute delight as a guest & I am so thankful to her for taking time out of her MANIC schedule to talk with me today. ENJOY XO

Today, I am joined with the amazing Sandy from Sydney Australia discussing Fibromyalgia . Sandy has been on quite a journey over the past five years even heading to India to seek a diagnosis and help moving forward.   She is incredibly lucky to have a strong support system around her which has encouraged her to battle and manage her health in a really positive way. Her interview today is really eye opening and uplifting how despite all her pain Sandy is able to be realistic. She follows and chases her dreams but is also understanding that she needs to pace too. It was an honour and delight to have Sandy on today as a guest today and please give her a follow on Instagram at @sandybista . Her profile is full of inspiration and empowerment so be sure to enjoy feed but also feel free to reach out to Sandy. Enjoy this episode!xo

Today, Emma Franklin is back on the podcast to share her advice & experiences when it comes to managing her health and taking on work again. Emma is slowly building back up her work hours & is enjoying the work experience again. Feeling as though she is managing to build a life back after being so poorly for over a decade. She talks all about the difficulties faced when it comes to pacing, getting back into the flow of things, not getting stuck in the burn out cycle & building up self-confidence again. Emma is working closely with local businesses, helping them draw in their audiences using the power of social media. Although she is enjoying her work currently her dream goal is to open her own clinic, so she can help heal others battling with a wide range of chronic illnesses. She is being very sensible and savvy by pacing, planning her weeks out and even turning down work in order to keep her health as stable as possible. You can see some of Emma's amazing work on https://hellohealing.co.uk/. You can follow Emma over Instagram @emmablondevoyage and read more about her journey at www.blondevoyage.org . She welcomes you all to reach out to her with any questions you may have. I hope you find this episode insightful, empowering and inspiring. Enjoy and thank you Emma. 

I am back, JUST ME. I just wanted to do a sit down episode answering the hot questions of the moment. I am so thankful for all the questions people ask me on a daily basis. I do try to answer everyone individually as I appreciate you all taking the time out to ask for my advice and reaching out. It means the world to me. Often people ask questions that overlap or are similar so it is a great excuse to recap the questions on my podcast, IGTV and social media platforms so that people can listen back, re-watch and so on. Please continue to follow my journey by tuning in every Monday to a new episode of Chronic But Iconic, read my blog: Sophantastic, my Instagram: @sophiewardy. Don't hesitate to reach out, I LOVE hearing from you! I hope you enjoy this episode & find it useful.

I have a SPECIAL episode for you today with the wonderful Kristina talking about her Lyme story, health battle, advice when it comes to relationships & her amazing new business venture: Spoonie Boxes. You can follow @spoonie_box on Instagram, where you can keep up to date with the latest boxes on sale and how to order YOUR box today. Whether you opt for a monthly subscription or purchase as a gift, there is SO much in every box that every 'spoonie' would love to receive. Focusing the products on mainly self-care, which box feels very personal and full of love which is what Kristina wanted.  Kristina deserves every success and I wish her all the luck in the world. She has 2 SPECIAL boxes for December being Christmas, so don't miss out on all the goodies! I hope you enjoy this episode & I hope you all feel empowered to take on your own goals and dreams. THANK YOU Kristina, you were a fabulous guest. 

Today, I am joined by a dear friend of mine Joanne Monck talking about a very serious & upsetting issue of hate crime. Sadly Joanne has been subject to truly awful hate crime just recently and so I really wanted her to come on and tell us what a huge issue hate crime is, how it has personally affected her and how she is fighting back. Putting a Facebook group into action for support & talking about what needs to change! I am truly upset my friend has had to go through this hell and it has just really hit home how serious, soul-destroying, and life ruining hate crime is! For me, it has really opened my eyes and I just really wanted Joanne to come on today and share some hints, tips, advice and share how she is really fighting back!! She is a hero in so many ways. She could have allowed this to beat her, but she has turned a huge negative into a positive and we all need to take strength and motivation from her story. THANK YOU Joanne. PLEASE reach out to Joanne if you want any help or to follow her journey: @joannemonck on Instagram, drop her a message and she will get back to you. You can continue to follow my own journey on Instagram on @sophiewardy and PLEASE feel free to message me too. BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, always. 

Happy Monday everyone! I have an amazing episode this week for you! The lovely and inspiring Ruks-Taj who is a data analyst, certified hair an beauty artist, full time Mum and is battling Crohn's & colitis. With over 48,000 Instagram followers Ruks-Taj is an inspiration to all of us, as she shares her struggles so openly yet is determined to be a positive influence and raise awareness on Crohn's and colitis! Please give this episode a listen and follow Ruks-Taj’s Instagram to keep following her journey @ruksoffical . Enjoy and thank you!

Today, I am joined by the wonderful Elina, from OZ! How insane? Recording this podcast with the time difference was a struggle to work out but we got there woooo. What an amazing episode this is and it was a real delight to have Elina on as a guest. As a 16 year old, she has some major, soul-destroying battles she fights every day and she really does put up a good fight. Her blog documenting her chronic illness journey is going from strength to strength: www.justsoelina.com and follow her amazing Insta: @JustSoElina. Elina is still in the process of finding out the root of her health problems but she is becoming a real chronic illness advocate and is also a brand leader for Invisiyouth as I am. Supporting people battling chronic illness find purpose in their battles and make friends along the way. Thank you Elina for being so open an honest today! So glad we connect and you have become a dear friend. You were a delight, and everyone please enjoy. xo

Faith Abbott, battles Graves Disease but has an amazing outlook on her approach to fighting her illness and life. She talks with us today about managing her health & the healing journey she is on. She is so empowering & offers so much insight & advice over social media at @thathealingfeeling ! Please do give her a follow, you won’t regret it. I hope you learn more about this hard chronic illness here today & are inspired by Faith’s amazing journey, fight & advice given here today. Faith was a delight to interview & it sure is an honour to have her on the podcast. ENJOY!

YES, YES, YES! We are back in town and how good it is to be back. I have missed you, I hope you have missed me and CHRONIC BUT ICONIC too! I wanted to kick start the series with some questions that were submitted to me over on my Insta:@sophiewardy , head over and give me a follow to follow my story and all the blog, podcast & things I get up to along the way. I hope you enjoy and find this episode useful, but most importantly GET EXCITED for another amazing series, with FAB guests talking about all things CHRONIC ILLNESS. Here on this channel we aim to raise awareness, bring understanding, be open and honest but also be positive, empowering and motivating. So sit back, plug in, headphones on and come with us for the ride. ENJOY. xo

WOW! What an OUTSTANDING series one. Thank you so much for all the love and support. It has surpassed my goals for the podcast. I never really knew how people would take to this podcast idea. I wanted to create a platform with content that was interesting, empowering and relatable for all to enjoy with ease. I know and FULLY understand how difficult it is to concentrate and enjoy content with a chronic illness. Whether it is light, noise sensitives and so on. It isn't always easy to read, follow a video and so I wanted to create content that people could check in and out of at their own leisure and listen ANYWHERE. At first, I will be honest I thought I would just have to discuss chronic illness topics on my own but when amazing guests came forward and shared with me their AMAZING stories with so many hints and tips for the listeners. The sparkle was added to the channel and it became my baby. Such a joy and a project that inspired me so much. It pushed me outside of my own comfort zones. I had to learn how to conduct interviews and keep things balanced, informative and interesting. Hand on my heart, I am so incredibly grateful for all the support, outstanding guest and listeners. Now, we have SERIES TWO to get excited about and for. Here are just SOME of the amazing highlights from series ONE. I hope you enjoy and once again, the BIGGEST THANK YOU! XOXO  Keep following my journey via my Instagram: @sophiewardy . 

Emma Franklin joins me today to share her Lyme Disease journey, her treatments, struggles and advice. Emma has gone through the mill when it comes to her health. She is a warrior for sure. I felt it was important to show how debilitating this disease is. How hard it makes life, the prices we pay and the torture we go through. Emma is a beautiful lady in her 20's and I felt it was important to talk about how it is truly hard having to not only come to terms with poor health but managing poor health. Finding a balance. Being able to live SOME form of life with our health complications. Emma does a lot of work over social media to share & document her journey with Lyme. It is inspiring to see her with her main supports helping her get around, live life and break free from four walls. We all need our supports as they are truly our life-line. Emma's Instagram handle is @emmablondevoyage , so please give her a follow and see for yourself the tough Lyme journey us LYMIE's live through. Some of Emma story is heart-breaking but her strength and will power to keep trying to live regardless is inspiring. She is amazingly lucky to have strong supports and it is so nice to see Emma and her boyfriend being amazingly strong together. Thank you Emma for being a guest on my podcast, so many will be able to relate to your story and struggles. I hope one day we can meet in person and you were a delight to interview. Thank you! Enjoy!xo

How lucky am I? I am SO lucky, AND HONOURED this week to have Ash on the podcast talking about some VERY important subjects, such as: mental health, career paths, trans issues, diversity and just feeling confident in ourselves. Ash shares with us his story and the work he does today to try and help people find the bravery to find their voice and be the person they want to be. Ash shares his amazing story to prove we should NEVER GIVE UP on our dreams and set back's aren't failures but massive lessons to help us to continue growing and moving forward. Having had his own experiences with mental health, Ash shares good advice on self-care and self-love, which we all need to take his advice and practise to help us in our own mental well-being. Ash is always SO busy filming with his gripping and challenging storyline on one of the British top soaps - Emmerdale and this has helped him become a champion of diversity! Getting involved in the amazing National Diversity Awards and even becoming a judge at this years awards. Ash is such a lovely person inside and out and one TALENT that is for sure. He ensures he does his research, uses his own experiences and the feedback from the public to keep himself growing and developing as a person as well as an actor. THANK YOU ASH for taking the time out of your MANIC busy schedule to talk to me today and GIVE ASH a follow over on Instagram: @ash.p.x ! I hope you enjoy this episode and give it some love.

Angie Sudduth Walsh is a force to be reckoned with. Despite battling Lyme and her own struggles, after battling for years and coming out fighting she has now set up her own amazing life coaching business. Having being through all of the challenges life has thrown her way and how she has overcome so many obstacles, Angie now feels in a place where she can offer sound, honest and amazing advice that can help SO many people across the board. Whether you battle a chronic illness or not, we all have times we find challenging, go through tragedy and suffer with self-guilt, low self-esteem, confidence issues and self-loathing that we want to recover from and gain tools that we can use to protect us. Helping us live the best possible life, in the best frame of mind we possibly can. Angie targets a subject each week *example: self-love* and offers daily Facebook lives, exercises to work on, personal message and tips a long the way that will help you reach a *healthier* mindset and reach your full potential. Please visit Angie's website for more info: AngieSudduthWalsh.com. Angie's price is $37 a month/£29 a month and membership can roll on and be cancelled at anytime. However, I really don't think you will want to miss out on all the amazing skills, advice and exercises Angie has to offer. Knowledge is power and we continue to learn more and more about ourselves EVERY DAY. Thank you Angie for helping and to continue helping me. I wanted you to come on the podcast and I am so thankful to you for coming on because I think so many of my listeners can gain SO MUCH from your programme. THANK YOU, Everyone check Angie out, she is amazing and I am so lucky to call her my dear friend. ENJOY THIS EPISODE.

Simon Green, where do we start? How lucky am I to have interviewed this amazing hero. Simon is the brightest role model. Not only surviving the odd's when it comes to his health but how he goes from strength to strength raising awareness and achieving greatness. All Simon's work, got him an honourable invite to the Queen's Garden Party this year and was so excited to hear more about how that event went. What a privilege but one that is well deserved. Simon fights hard to gain more diversity and inclusion within our society and works tirelessly campaigning to remove judgements from our society. He is a judge for the National Diversity Awards and is pretty much a key piece of the NDA's furniture . His own story and determination doesn't just motivate the nominees he is judging but the other judges too. It is such an honour to have Simon on the podcast and I am so honoured to have him as a guest . Simon was a delight and I KNOW so many of you will enjoy this episode but also get so much motivation from it. Thank you Simon! ENJOY all, xo.

This week I was lucky enough to interview Miranda Turley on her Lyme journey. Having met Miranda at the Ashton Memorial light up I felt her story had to be told because so many of you will be able to relate. Miranda's life, as all of ours do, got turned upside down and having to adapt is only the start of the hard work. Gaining acceptance, support and often fighting the medical community is extremely draining. It leaves sufferers like Miranda having huge medical bills as we are forced to seek private care and treatments in order to get treated. Miranda has a GOFUND me page:https://gogetfunding.com/Lyme-Morgellons-Disease-76/?fbclid=IwAR3u8D1HYLbcO5KltbwYFC8jk-RJKXlb_D8EhACVZuAnoVW-nvvGgCstzLY We talk a lot about how awful this disease is, the ignorance there is towards it and also how hard it is for our support's to understand our struggles. I would like to thank Miranda for sharing her story with me today and being so open as it isn't the easiest to be so honest. Thank you. I hope you enjoy this episode. Leave a comment and get in touch. XO

John was amazing on this episode, as he openly talks about his own personal struggles with his own mental health and diabetes. Mental health especially for men still sadly has a lot of stigma behind it. It has taken more celebrities to open up in public about their own mental health struggles for more support and acceptance to become common place. This shouldn't be the case however, we must be grateful in the shifts within society it has caused and the positive changes it has achieved. It takes brave people like John, sharing his story and being open vital to the every day, 'real' people. Celebrities, have access to amazing doctors and support, where as we don't always have that strong level of support. This can often lead to the mental health issues to worsen as we panic about not having the support these celebrities come out and claim there is around. People like John, who is in a band, runs his own business, has a wife and a family is far more relatable and people gain so much courage to come out of the wood work when people like John are brave enough to open the door first. I thank John for being so honest with me. Diabetes is also a massive worry and struggle for John. People forget that not so long ago diabetes meant death. People didn't survive long and there were no real effective ways to treat to condition or at least manage it. Although it isn't seen as much as a 'killer' these days the stats of the population that are affected by the disease are on the rise. The symptoms are often over-looked and not seen as deadly, when they most definitely are. Unfortunately, with cancers & heart disease being so common place within our society and such killers often chronic illnesses such as diabetes lose their support, funding and public standing. I thank John for again being so open but for bringing this awful, terrible disease back into the lime-light. To help people gain more of an insight into the disease and get more education/awareness out there. I hope you all enjoy this episode and can relate in the many subjects we touch on. Thank you John for coming on the podcast and being a wonderful guest.

Wow, what a breath-taking awareness month we have had. I thought it was important to celebrate our success over the month and just run through everything. We are always so quick to move on to the next projects and I am very guilty of this. We should give ourselves time to celebrate our successes and how far we have come. First of all, thank you so much for supporting and being a MASSIVE part of this awareness month with me. It means the world to have your support and to see you enjoying the podcast so much. I couldn't have done it without my amazing guests and I am so grateful to them. Truly. Thank you. We have truly left our mark this month, lighting up landmarks, media coverage and more and more people WANTING to educate themselves which is amazing. I have had a few rough days with my health and when that happens, often inspiration and words flood to my head as I try to cope with the symptoms going on. So I wrote this poem and wanted to kick start this podcast by reading it out to you. I think it is important to share this work to prove that we can always make good out of the bad and that we should use our talents and skills in a creative, positive way. I hope you enjoy, I hope it covers what a crazy, exciting and amazing month it has been AND THANK YOU. Thank you for your support, amazing feedback and being my main source of motivation. I am forever grateful to you. Follow me on Instagram: @sophiewardy, Twitter: @sophwardy and follow my blog for all the updates: www.sophantastic.org/. Credits to Adam Simpson who has composed all the music in this episode. Thank you! Thank you, sit tight and stay tuned for so MUCH MORE. xo

Joanne and I are both humbled and extremely honoured to have been nominated for a National Diversity Award this year. This means more than words can describe to us because diversity amongst our society is SO important. We have both faced our troubles and our battles but we have found the courage to talk about our stories and now go on to inspire other's to do the same. This confidence and support is all backed by the National Diversity Awards, along with the amazing BREATH-TAKING heroes and role models who fight for diversity nationwide. The sky really is the limit now, as big companies get on board, people are more educated, aware and understanding and so we really are shooting for the stars. Joanne and I have both made it our mission in life to try to create a less judgemental and fair society. We want to leave a positive legacy and a mark on the world. We go out on the frontlines talking, raising awareness, working to shift people's mindsets and change the world we live in. We have both face rocky journeys but that has made us passionate about helping PEOPLE, healing hearts and soothing souls because we have been through and felt pain which we hope we can prevent other's from experiencing. I hope you enjoy this chat! I HOPE YOU ALL GET BEHIND THE NATIONAL DIVERSITY AWARDS and show your support. It really does go a long way and mean so very much. Thank you NDA's for inspiring us all and to all the amazing heroes out there, you motivate Joanne and I everyday with your OUT OF THIS WORLD work. Follow Joanne on Twitter: @JoanneMonck Follow me on Twitter: @sophwardy and on Instagram: @sophiewardy . Join in on the conversation and have your say! I hope you enjoy this episode! FINALLY, to finish A MASSSSSSIVE thank you to the National Diversity Awards, the whole team and the organisation for all your hard work and current work you put in day in, day out. We are so thankful to you!

Morven-May is an extremely talented and successful author. She has written the book JOY, which is available on Amazon and in most bookstores. FINDING JOY is told from three different perspectives which makes the book an ideal read for not only Lyme sufferers but friends and family to. To help people understand the true hardships and terror the sufferers and their loved ones go through when battling with Lyme Disease. Morven-May is an amazing campaigner, giving talks to companies and schools to name a few, along with hosting book promotions, heading to festivals and setting up stalls, events and fundraising. She is even crazy enough to jump out of a plane. CRAZY. But all for an amazing cause. She has enjoyed a successful but busy awareness month, getting Inverness Bridge to light up green and hosting a meet up to witness this amazing event. Even though we are into June now, the campaigning never slows down as we keep fighting to educate people in hope we can protect and save lives. An amazing guest with an amazing Lyme story. I know so many people will be inspired by this episode and will enjoy it immensely. Many thanks to Morven-May for coming on the podcast and motivating us all. DON'T forget to check out Morven-May's book FINDING JOY on Amazon or at most bookstores. ENJOY. XO

It was an honour to have Kiki on the podcast channel. She is has suffered with Lyme since the age of 15 and now feels she is chronically healed at age 28, hence her social media platforms mirroring this. You can find her on Instagram: @chronicallyhealed and her amazing website : www.chronicallyhealed.com where you can find links to her YouTube journey too. Kiki has taken her life back and is an inspiration to us all. She is now managing her all social media platforms, documenting her journey and successes but she is also wow'ing us all being a working model too. Which is a very demanding career, so every credit to Kiki. I hope that so many of you can gain motivation from this episode and realise despite illness we all deserve life. Her message and hope is that she can carry on inspiring people & protecting other's from the disease. Thank you ! Be sure to check out Kiki's social media platforms.

Award-winning author of Anatomised. Fiction mentor. Historian. Lyme patient, campaigner & advocate, A.F.McGuiness ( Andrew) kindly came on Chronic But Iconic today to talk about his book, career, Lyme journey, awareness work and his thoughts on the disease. It was an absolute delight to talk to Andrew and I know you will all love & enjoy what Andrew has to say on this episode. It was such a massive honour having Andrew as a guest because he is in HIGH demand. Having been on Sky News and the BBC raising awareness, he really is a force to be reckoned with and truly inspiring to all of us. Anyone who has read and enjoyed Andrew's book please reach out to him over Twitter: @AFMcGuinness or via Andrew's website, below. Andrew really values your feedback and it really does mean a lot to him. So please don't be shy. Reach out today. Andrew was a delight to interview & talk to. He is very knowledgeable, wise and an incredibly talented writer. I am so honoured to have had te opportunity to interview him. So please take a listen and enjoy. https://www.afmcguinness.com/ Enjoying the podcast so far? Let me know: www.sophward024@gmail.com or Instagram: @sophiewardy . Thank you.

Amanda is 23 from the U.S who has battled with Lyme Disease since the age of 8. She struggles with many symptoms and this means that life is often hard to balance as well as being so young. Amanda has a wonderful Instagram page @brokeinlove_art where you can see her amazing work, talents & links to her YOUTUBE channel which you should all check out. Amanda is proof that even with battling a chronic illness we should still fight & chase our dreams and that often we can use our talents in a positive way to help us heal. Thank you Amanda. Take a listen and enjoy. xo

I felt this was an important interview to do. I didn't plan to do it on a day I wasn't feeling well because of the full moon but in the end it worked out perfectly. This episode will really bring home the realities of a chronic illness and how valuable amazing support is. It isn't always easy to find support, not at all and we do all go through the process of feeling alone, a waste of space, a drain and write ourselves off as un-dateable and unlovable. I have felt this way for so many years until Adam. Adam has only been in my life a short amount of time but he has never been over-faced or run a mile when reality has hit or back off on the bad days. Adam had little to no real prior knowledge about Lyme before we met and he really has had to learn quickly and get up to speed with awareness month being May.  I felt it was good to go back and review the month and what he has learnt. To share his take on it all but also give people proof that there ARE people out there that see past your illness and see you for you. They are support and massive cheerleaders.  They don't see your illness as a flaw but as a challenge and I think that is so important. We must always keep faith in fate and hope in our hearts. We are always quick to make judgements, pull away and run in this day and age and we watch it all the time when suffering with a chronic illness. We lose friends, family and partners, that naturally we do lose hope. So, here Adam and I are trying our best to restore your faith. I know people may say, it is easy for me to say but believe me I know how lucky I am to have found Adam because I had really lost hope and faith. I hope this episode is enjoyable and restores some hope for you all too. Links: if you would like to read & purchase my book to follow my story you can purchase In The 'Lyme' Light on Amazon in Kindle & Paperback versions. You can purchase natural soap sponges via my website: www.sophantastic.org/ And you can follow Adam and I on our Instagram's @sophiewardy & ajsimpson1991 . Thank you and enjoy! xo

Wow, how lucky am I to have the wonderful Laura Brown BACK on my podcast channel. So many of you were touched by Laura's fight and journey with Lyme Disease but were also so inspired by her amazing talent. Her music has been a massive healer of her's and GUESS WHAT? She is releases brand new music on Friday 24th May, 2019. You can pre-order NOW via her website: https://www.lauracbrown.com , so please head on over to Laura's website and be inspired by her wonderful musical talents. You can follow Laura's journey on her Instagram: @lcbrownmusic . I am so thankful to Laura for coming back on the channel and talking more in depth about her music but also her family life. It truly means so much to me and Laura has a BUSY summer ahead of her, so keep your eyes peeled for all the updates and exciting news. For Mother's wondering how to balance, health, life , relationships and a family the topics we talk about in this episode and Laura's hints and tips will REALLY help so many of you. Thank you Laura, you deserve all the success in the world, you are so talented and it was an honour to have you back on the channel. Take a listen now and enjoy. 

Julia is a superwoman is so many ways. She is extremely hard working and does SO much for the Lyme Disease UK community. She has a heart of gold, always making sure she is giving people the best advice possible and the best form of support to every single member. Her journey has been a heart-breaking one however, and I am so thankful to Julia for being so open and honest about her own Lyme journey which at some points even made me really upset hearing the pain and struggles Julia has gone through. We touched on many pressing subjects such as: awareness, education, the media, celebrities speaking out, the growing community & lots more. I think so many of you will be able to relate to the destressing circumstances that Julia faced with support networks, doctors and how she has come about learning to deal with her health. Please give this episode a listen, I am sure you will find this episode inspiring and informative. Thank you so much Julia for being an amazing guest and remember if you want more information on Lyme Disease please head to the Lyme Disease UK website: www.lymediseaseuk.com and if you kindly would like to donate to the cause please head to the website and head over to the donate page. Thank you. 

Kirk is an incredibly talented chef, who's journey with Lyme Disease has led him to eat a plant-based diet. He has used this to his advantage to create amazing, show-stopping dishes and take his career in a new direction but also to help him heal. Kirk explains how hard it has been to deal with his health and balance his career & sport. I think he has a very motivation message throughout the interview that he has never really 'given up' he is still achieving, chasing dreams and adapting around his health in order to aid in his recovery and find a better work/life balance. We touch on the dark years before being diagnosed and some of the treatments Kirk has undergone. Kirk puts it perfectly that we are all in control of our own journey and have to listen to our guts when it comes to our treatments. We have to do what feels right for us not just dive in without really thinking things through or doing the research. Kirk caters for all sorts of events and if you want more information PLEASE check out his website: www.plates-london.com and his Instagram @Kirk_haworth & @plates_london . Kirk says on the podcast that please reach out to him, he is willing to give advice and help wherever he can. Whenever it is on a personal level, diet level or just about more information about Kirk's journey. Sometimes reaching out and having those hints, tips and advice can really help us. Thank you Kirk for being an amazing guest! You were a delight & I am so honoured to have been able to share your story, get to interview you and be inspired by your amazing work. Thank you!