On the Pursuit of Wellness podcast, Mari opens up about the significant mental and emotional toll that the IVF process has taken on her. She shares the strategies she employs, like mindfulness, spiritual practices, and seeking community, to maintain her mental well-being during this challenging time. Mari also touches on the strain IVF places on relationships and priorities, as well as her need to re-evaluate her intense dedication to biohacking and lifestyle optimization.
The episode offers an candid look at the struggles and realities of IVF from Mari's perspective, including the obsessive thoughts and anxiety she experiences leading up to embryo transfer. By sharing her journey openly, Mari hopes to enlighten others facing similar challenges and provide solace through her relatable experiences.
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According to Mari, IVF is all-consuming and challenging, with constant emotional swings. Before embryo transfer, she experiences heightened anxiety and obsessive thoughts. The mental toll necessitates a slower lifestyle - Mari has forgone her high-energy routine in favor of a more focused pace. This shift has triggered guilt and an identity crisis for the once high-powered professional.
Mari stresses maintaining daily wellness routines to feel grounded and prevent anxiety, like taking walks, hydrating, and preparing nutritious meals. She finds solace through spiritual practices like prayer, keeping a gratitude journal, socializing, reading fantasy novels, and spending time with animals.
Mari acknowledges the importance of not overburdening her support network, especially her husband Greg. While appreciating his comfort, she understands men may offer support differently for issues they can't fully relate to.
Conversations about friends' pregnancies are emotionally painful for Mari during IVF. The demands have forced her to re-evaluate priorities - she now focuses more on pregnancy topics versus her previous intense dedication to biohacking and extreme wellness.
Mari shares her journey on TikTok, finding camaraderie with others facing similar IVF challenges. Beyond social media, she leans on her therapist with personal IVF insight and friends who guide her through the emotional toll, framed through the "spoon theory" metaphor. Mari hopes her experiences can help enlighten and provide solace to others.
1-Page Summary
Mari shares the emotional toll and lifestyle changes that IVF has exacted on her life, from daily emotional swings to a fundamental shift in her daily routine and professional identity.
Mari is currently navigating her way through the demanding process of IVF. She describes her journey as all-consuming and challenging, marked by constant emotional upheavals that vacillate between positive optimism and overwhelming sadness. On some days she manages to maintain a semblance of hope, but there are also days when she finds herself in tears from dawn to dusk.
Mari’s experience leading up to the embryo transfer is fraught with anxiety and obsessive thoughts, adding to the preexisting emotional strain. The IVF process continues to influence her mentality, presenting a difficult obstacle before the critical step of the embryo transfer.
IVF has necessitated a slower-paced lifestyle for Mari, as she feels her mental capacity is no longer as robust as it once was. The demands of IVF have led her to forgo her previous high-energy morning routine, which included waking up at dawn and engaging in intense physical training, as well as her ...
Mari's IVF Experience and Challenges
During challenging periods, Mari Llewellyn has developed a personal strategy to safeguard her mental health by adhering to daily routines and engaging in activities that offer solace and distraction.
Mari emphasizes the importance of consistent wellness routines in her life.
Mari understands that sticking to certain routines is essential for her mental well-being. She maintains specific non-negotiable wellness activities, even when traveling, to set herself up for a successful day. Her morning routine includes taking a walk upon waking up, hydrating with water that has electrolytes, taking colostrum, and preparing a nutritious breakfast to keep her mood stabilized. Additionally, Mari avoids too much alcohol and ensures she starts her day right to prevent slipping into anxiety.
Mari Llewellyn also identifies regular workouts as vital for her mental health, acknowledging that remaining sedentary, such as sitting on the couch all day, does not bode well for her well-being. She incorporates self-care practices such as face masks and finds solace by spending time around animals, including chickens, dogs, and a horse, which act as a lifesaver for her.
Mari's spiritual practices provide her with comfort and help her to maintain perspective amidst difficult times. She begins her day with prayer and gratitude, acknowledging the positive aspects of her life, such as her health, home, and husband. This practice of gratitude allows her to recognize that good things are occurring around her, d ...
Managing Mental Health and Emotions In Tough Times
Mari discloses the personal strains and shifts in priorities that IVF introduces into one's life and its profound effect on relationships and lifestyle.
During the emotionally taxing journey of in vitro fertilization (IVF), Mari has experienced potential strain on her relationships. She acknowledges the tendency to self-isolate and the importance of being mindful not to overburden her support network, especially her husband, Greg.
Mari is grateful for Greg's support, who is deeply involved in their business but still provides comfort and encouragement through her IVF journey. Recognizing that men might offer comfort differently, especially on topics they can't fully relate to, she appreciates his gestures, like presenting Valentine's Day gifts early.
Mari struggles emotionally with her friends’ pregnancies, especially when announced in the wake of her challenging egg retrieval process. The contrast between her IVF efforts and others' successful pregnancies results in complicated feelings, a phenomenon confirmed by others who have experienced IVF and infertility. Although she desires to be supportive, Mari admits that these conversations are painful.
Impact of Ivf on Life and Relationships
As individuals navigate the emotional and physical complexities of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), community and support systems emerge as pivotal elements in coping with the journey. Mari's story exemplifies the importance of these connections and shared experiences in the realm of reproductive health.
Mari discovered a sense of camaraderie and understanding within the IVF community on TikTok. She uses the platform to share her personal experiences and emotions during the IVF process. This openness not only helps Mari articulate her journey but also connects her with others facing similar challenges. The responses from women who engage with her content, sharing their own stories, provide Mari with reassurance and a feeling of community. Support groups extending beyond TikTok, such as Facebook communities specifically for individuals undergoing IVF, have also offered Mari a virtual shoulder to lean on during tough times.
Apart from the online community, Mari has tapped into her immediate support network which includes her therapist and friends with IVF experience. Mari's therapist, who has personally journeyed through IVF, equips Mari with relatable insights. This understanding is framed through the concept of "spoons" – a metaphor for energy – underlining that during IVF, Mari's capacity to deal with life's demands diminishes. The idea of having fewer spoons parallels the intensified emotional and physical toll IVF takes on Mari, guiding her to allocate her energy thoughtfully.
Furthermore, Mari values the safety and guidance her friends offer, particularly those who have themselves undergone IVF multiple times. This shared understanding breeds an environment where Mari can freely express her emotions and receive empathetic advice. She has found ...
Support Systems and Community in IVF Coping
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