This Is Me, Showing Up Anyway

Usually, my life doesn't appear dramatic to anyone from the outside.

It just looks real, probably boring.

No glorious victories, no dramatic moments in a movie, just cold tea, a cat sleeping on my lap, and a silent assessment of what my body will allow for in a given day. Love is part of all this, pain, lots of figuring out.

I am Zoe Dixon, and this is me, showing up anyway.

I am a writer, but this isn’t the whole truth. I have multiple chronic illnesses, so exhaustion and pain are part of my reality. However, I’ve learned over time to listen to my body and redefine what ‘strength’ really means.

Strength lies not in pushing all the way but in adjusting, resting, and prioritising.

What I have experienced has altered me, but not diminished me.

I cope in small, intentional ways. I write to make sense of things that don't come with an instruction manual. I create rituals that are soft rather than harsh. I rely on community because loneliness makes everything weigh more. Humour is a good way to cope, and so is drinking tea.

I am not doing this work alone.

Robert is my constant. He gets to see the whole picture of everything I do in a day, and he wants to walk this path with me. Cats are a comfort without an agenda, encouraging me to stop, rest, and be where I am.

In my experience with all of this, I have come to realise that love is a pragmatic thing. It manifests in subtle ways and always has substance. Actions really do speak louder than words at times.

Through writing, everything connects. That's where lived experience makes sense and creates connections. Resilience, memory, grief, and hope explored in fiction and self-reflection become a part of lived reality rather than an abstract idea in writing.

What I am working towards is simple.

I want to keep showing up. I want to tell stories that have a ring of truth and some that ring of complete fiction and fantasy. I want to create spaces where people will feel less alone. I want to show that we can lead meaningful, creative, and full lives despite our struggles.

This isn’t a story about overcoming everything. It’s a story of coexistence with it.

This space will be honest and gentle. At times, it’s going to be funny. Other times, it’ll be tough. But it’ll never be fake.

If you’re dealing with your own struggles in silence, or if you appreciate the art of writing that allows for complexity, you’re in the right place. Follow me if you’d like to continue this conversation.

Leave a comment if you have a thought to share or if you want to share a part of your story with me concerning this topic.

We don't need perfect solutions in order to keep moving forward.

Showing up is enough.