This morning, during my usual scroll through Facebook, I came across an advertisement looking for Just Strong Ambassadors.
For those unfamiliar with the brand, Just Strong is an athleisure wear company created to empower and inspire strong women. Their message goes far beyond fitness—it’s about resilience, confidence, perseverance, and embracing the strength that comes from overcoming life’s challenges.
Normally, I would have kept scrolling.
Instead, I stopped.
Something about it caught my attention.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt like the universe was trying to tell me something.
Because if there is one thing my life has taught me, it’s how to be strong.
Not gym strong.
Not fitness influencer strong.
Life strong.
Strength Looks Different for Those of Us with Chronic Illness
When people think of strength, they often think of physical fitness, lifting weights, or pushing their bodies to the limit.
But for those of us living with chronic illness, strength often looks very different.
Strength is showing up to work when your body is exhausted.
Strength is smiling through pain that no one else can see.
Strength is navigating doctor appointments, medications, procedures, and treatments while still trying to live a normal life.
Strength is fighting battles that most people will never understand.
For me, strength has meant living with Crohn’s Disease for nearly two decades.
It has meant spending years searching for answers before finally being diagnosed with MuSK Myasthenia Gravis.
It has meant learning how to breathe again.
Learning how to rest.
Learning how to advocate for myself.
And learning that some of the strongest people in the world are the ones fighting invisible battles every single day.
Why I Applied
Will I become a Just Strong Ambassador?
I honestly don’t know.
But something inside me said, apply anyway.
Not because I need a title.
Not because I need recognition.
But because I believe our stories matter.
People living with chronic illnesses deserve to be seen.
We deserve representation.
We deserve to remind the world that strength isn’t always visible.
Sometimes strength is simply choosing not to give up.
What resonated with me most was that Just Strong celebrates women who embody strength in all its forms. While many ambassadors may inspire others through fitness journeys, I believe there is also room to recognize the women fighting invisible battles every day.
Women navigating chronic illnesses, disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, grief, and life’s unexpected challenges are strong too.
Their strength may not always be visible, but it is no less powerful.
If given the opportunity, I would proudly use that platform to bring awareness to Crohn’s Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, and the realities of living with invisible illnesses.
Because someone out there is fighting the same battle and wondering if anyone understands.
I want them to know they are not alone.
Maybe I Already Am Just Strong
As I reflected on that advertisement, I realized something.
Maybe being “Just Strong” isn’t about becoming an ambassador.
Maybe it’s about recognizing the strength that’s already within us.
The strength to keep fighting.
The strength to keep believing.
The strength to keep moving forward when every step feels harder than it should.
For most of my life, strength meant surviving.
It meant pushing through.
It meant carrying burdens quietly.
It meant fighting.
As I’ve shared before, in the words of Sofia from The Color Purple:
“All my life I had to fight.”
That quote has resonated with me for as long as I can remember.
Not just because of Crohn’s Disease.
Not just because of Myasthenia Gravis.
But because fighting has been a recurring theme throughout my life.
Yet these days, I am learning that strength is more than survival.
Strength is advocating for myself.
Strength is resting when my body needs rest.
Strength is allowing myself to be vulnerable.
Strength is sharing my story.
Strength is helping others feel less alone in theirs.
Anyone living with a chronic illness knows that strength isn’t measured by how much weight you can lift.
It’s measured by how many times life knocks you down and you find a way to get back up.
And by that definition, every person fighting a chronic illness is already stronger than they realize.
Today, I submitted my application.
Whether I am selected or not, I am proud that I took the chance.
Because sometimes the universe sends us reminders exactly when we need them.
And today, mine came in the form of a Facebook ad.
Final Thoughts
To everyone living with Crohn’s Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, or any chronic illness:
You may not feel strong every day.
You may not see your own strength.
You may be tired.
Frustrated.
Scared.
Or simply exhausted from fighting battles no one else can see.
But every day you choose to keep going, you are proving just how strong you truly are.
Never underestimate the power of your resilience.
You are stronger than you know.
And sometimes, all it takes is a simple reminder to see it.
Living with one autoimmune disease is challenging. Living with two requires resilience. Welcome to The Dual Diagnosis Diaries, where I share the realities of navigating life with Crohn’s Disease and Myasthenia Gravis—one day, one treatment, one challenge, and one victory at a time.
– Kia Lorice 💚🦓💜
“Your diagnosis may be part of your story, but it does not define your ending.”
The Dual Diagnosis Diaries | Kia’s Journey 💜 
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