Two New Podcast Episodes on Living With Sarcoidosis, Purpose, and Invisible Illness

This week on Thoughts While Surviving: Chronic Illness, I released two podcast episodes that explore something many of us living with chronic illness quietly wrestle with: purpose and invisibility.

When you live with sarcoidosis, heart issues, or any long-term illness, life often shrinks in ways no one prepares you for. Dreams get rearranged. Energy becomes currency. And somewhere between medications, appointments, and trying to function like a regular human, it’s easy to wonder whether you’re doing enough — or whether you were meant for something more.

The first episode, “Maybe Your Life’s Purpose Isn’t Huge—But It’s Still Enough,” leans into that question. It reflects on the pressure to have a big, shiny purpose and what it feels like when chronic illness changes the scale of your life. Instead of chasing grand meaning, this episode gently explores the idea that small, human acts — kindness, presence, survival itself — may be more than enough.

The second episode, “What You Don’t See: A Chef’s Reflection on Living With Sarcoidosis,” looks back to the early days of diagnosis, when everything felt frightening, confusing, and deeply invisible. From the outside, I looked fine. Inside, my body was staging a full-scale rebellion. This episode reflects on what it means to live with an invisible illness, to be told you don’t “look sick,” and to carry realities that most people never see — then or now.

Together, these episodes aren’t about answers or inspiration wrapped in a bow. They’re about honesty. About living with chronic illness in a world that prefers tidy narratives. About meaning, visibility, and learning — sometimes slowly — that surviving counts.

If you live with sarcoidosis, an invisible illness, or chronic health challenges — or if you love someone who does — I invite you to listen to both episodes. You might hear your own thoughts echoed back. And if something resonates, I’d love for you to share, comment, or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations.