172 - Jo Thomas - Overcoming the Curse of "Recovery Perfection"

Long Covid Podcast

Recovery doesn't have to be perfect to be effective, and sometimes the very quest for perfect recovery can keep us stuck in our healing journey. Jo Thomas shares her personal experience with overcoming POTS and chronic fatigue, highlighting how shifting mindsets and letting go of perfectionism accelerated her healing process.
• Jo's recovery journey came in layers—medical management first, followed by lifestyle changes and nervous system regulation
• Perfectionism, people-pleasing, and overachieving often contribute to chronic fatigue and can hinder recovery
• Focus on responding appropriately to your body rather than pushing for linear progress
• Your responsibility is to take appropriate recovery actions, not to control how your body responds
• What feels like a setback might actually be a normal bodily response to increased activity
• Recovery often means living life differently than before—usually in better alignment with your values
• Becoming overly focused on achieving "full recovery" can create pressure that impedes progress
• Our bodies communicate through symptoms—learning to interpret them rather than fear them is key
• Many people discover that post-recovery life is actually better than pre-illness life
• "Keeping yourself in wellness" becomes a lifelong practice rather than reaching a finish line
Links:

Jo's website: https://jothomascoaching.com/

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(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

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**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Chapters

1. Welcome and Introduction to Recovery (00:00:00)

2. Jo's Personal Journey with POTS and Fatigue (00:02:31)

3. Mindset Shifts for Healing (00:10:21)

4. Moving Beyond Recovery Perfectionism (00:16:42)

5. Understanding Normal vs. Abnormal Symptoms (00:24:34)

6. Finding Value in a Changed Life (00:34:04)

7. Keeping Yourself in Wellness (00:43:03)