Recovery can feel like an enormous, truly daunting, feat. Rebuilding a system that got shattered because of something that happened in a heartbeat and has consequences that can last forever. This can feel like moving a mountain. And when you’re living with an infection-induced chronic condition, even the idea of rebuilding can bring up fear, frustration, grief, and uncertainty.

We understand you, but we also want to take the weight off and help you to see recovery as something that’s doable - a series of achievable small steps that add up to transformative change. Steps that you can continue to use every day - through your recovery and beyond -  turning them into a routine that can help you move beyond recovery to build resilience and perform. While the level you are working at may shift over time, the principle and the tools will serve you at all stages - continuing to help you optimize your systems to function as well as they are able to at that moment, while supporting your brain and body to have stronger and stronger foundations to operate from.

Most people are taught to think about progress the way we think about elite performance: you push harder, you try more, you “rise to the challenge.” You imagine dramatic breakthroughs — the kind we see at the Olympics right now in Italy.

But here’s the truth that most people don’t realize: even at the Olympic level, what you see is just the surface, and I don’t just mean years of training hard. The medals, the moments, the celebration — they only exist because the athletes spent years attending to the quiet work of the right balance of effort and recovery. Not as an afterthought, but as the foundation for their health and performance. 

When their training intensity is higher, or they are facing other stressors from illness, injury or life their recovery efforts need to be stepped up as well. The goal is to allow them to maintain their physical resilience so they can continue to operate at a high-level, or even to use that as a platform to improve further - to become even stronger.     

And that’s where your story and the story of the Olympians meet.

Recovery Isn’t the Opposite of Progress — It Is Progress

Olympians don’t get better because they train harder than everyone else. They get better because they regulate the demands on their body more wisely than everyone else and actively manage their recovery, every day. They learn to notice when their system has capacity and when they need to create additional capacity. They will also recognise when their system needs protection and regulation. Athletes build their levels of strength and ability in layers, not leaps.

The recovery “work” is often invisible to others — the gentle sessions, the boring drills, the early nights, the slow walks, the adjustments to diet and their surroundings to remove unnecessary strain. None of it looks heroic. None of it feels impressive. But it changes their baseline and builds their capacity.

People with Long COVID and post-infection conditions face a remarkably similar situation. The shock to their systems means they are much more sensitive to stimuli, effort, foods, environmental factors, etc., just like elite athletes who are operating on fine margins. So paying attention to things that produce small gains can have a big impact - especially when a few small steps are added together. The effort is real. The limitations are real. The benefits are real if recovery “work” is set up well. And yet the pathway forward is not built through force — it’s built through care and consistent application.  

Small adjustments help your brain and body feel a tiny bit safer. A bit sharper. A bit more capable. And those small pieces begin stacking up into something that feels like resilience — something that feels like life returning, at first in fragments, then in fuller days then in weeks.

Why It Feels Daunting (And Why That’s Normal)

It’s daunting because you’re already tired.
It’s daunting because symptoms can change from one day to the next.
And it’s daunting because recovery is not linear, especially for infection-induced chronic conditions — and your brain remembers every setback. 

Humans naturally avoid things that once felt threatening.
After a tough crash or symptom spike, your system becomes cautious — sometimes overly cautious. So the idea of “working on recovery” can trigger fear or skepticism: What if this makes things worse? What if I can’t keep up? What if nothing changes?

Those are not signs of weakness. They are signs of a body trying to protect you, and you want to listen. Skipping recovery as a result will not change the process to the better, but changing  the recovery “work” to an approach your system, especially your brain, can interpret as safe, can make the shift.

From this perspective the work becomes less about pushing yourself and more about understanding yourself — and choosing steps that feel possible rather than punishing.

Resilience Doesn’t Come From Pressure — It Comes From Repetition

Olympians don’t rely on motivation. They rely on behaviors, habits and good guidance.
These are not perfect behaviors — but are intentional, fit around their lives and are consistently applied.

You don’t need a strict routine, but a flexible one that is doable. You don’t need high intensity, but effective tools that support your system. You don’t need to change everything at once, but take one step at a time. You want one or two practices that support your system and fit into your reality. A breathing drill. A slow walk. A mobility session. A pacing strategy that helps you stay inside your energy window - letting you do an activity while avoiding a crash afterwards.

When done repeatedly, these tiny actions reshape your capacity. They both help you work within your safe limits and increase your tolerance for activity. Your system learns it can move, think and do things again: I’m safe. I can adapt. I can find my rhythm again. And slowly, more and more things become possible, your capacity becomes ready for more demand. It means you can do more of the things you would like to do, just like the athletes who want to be fast, better and more precise, you can have more energy, mental clarity, coordination as you move through your day.

This isn’t about a heroic moment. It doesn't take super human strength.
It’s a biological process — one that anyone can access, no matter their starting point.

Recovery Can Also Bring Joy — Not Just Effort

We often think of recovery as work. And yes, it asks for attention and consistency. But the other side of that work is meaning — the return of things that matter, small moments that offer hope and give you energy that helps propel you further forward.

Making a connection with a friend you didn’t have energy for last month.
The walk that felt impossible six weeks ago.
The moment you realize you can think more clearly, or tolerate a longer conversation, or cook a simple meal without crashing afterward.

These small wins feel almost magical.They remind you that you are not stuck — you and your systems are changing, gaining capacity, one step at a time.

And just like Olympians find joy in the process — the community, the rituals, the shared purpose — you can find joy in the gentle pieces that support your nervous system, your energy, and your sense of self.

Recovery is not just a destination.It’s a place where life starts to feel like yours again.

You Don’t Have To Climb the Whole Mountain Today

This is the most important part.

You don’t have to be brave every day.
You don’t have to get everything right.
You don’t have to “power through.”

You only need to start where you are, with what you have, and the right set of tools.

This is how Olympians succeed — through steady application of the right types of approaches. And this is how people with post-infection conditions rebuild their futures — not by ignoring their limits, but by honoring them and building their recovery habits.

What feels daunting becomes manageable.What feels overwhelming becomes familiar.What feels impossible becomes possible again — slowly, safely, and at a pace your system can sustain.

You deserve to feel better.You deserve tools that support your capacity.And you deserve to know that rebuilding resilience is absolutely within reach — not because you should be stronger, but because your body and brain can adapt when given the right conditions.

One step. One supportive practice. One gentle shift at a time.

Warmly,
Katie & Andrea

Related Blog posts: 

Quick Win vs. Lasting Impact

Rethinking Exercise for Long COVID Recovery

Why Making Small Decisions Helps You Feel Better

The Unexpected Link between the Olympics and Long Covid Management