In this candid conversation, Shedrica opens up about her lupus diagnosis journey, the mental and emotional battles of living with an invisible illness, and how faith has been her foundation. She shares how using a physical planner transformed her daily life—helping her track symptoms, manage her household, and create space for both rest and joy. We talk about the importance of planning around your body instead of against it, using creativity as a source of healing, and finding hope when life looks different than you expected. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or years into your chronic illness journey, this episode offers encouragement, practical tips, and a reminder that you get to decide what your “brighter day” looks like.
🙋♀️ Guest Info:
Bio: Shedrica is a stay-at-home mom, lupus warrior, and founder of Chronically Planned. She helps women with chronic illness stop waiting for the “perfect time” and start living with intention through faith-based planning tools and her Inner Circle Community.
- Chronically Planned Podcast – Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Website
- Shedrica: Instagram – @lupuspeaks | TikTok | Chronically Planned YouTube
Transcription
April Aramanda: Today I am joined by Shedrika Holmes, stay-at-home mom, lupus warrior, and the heart behind Chronically Planned. Since her lupus slee diagnosis in 2008, Shedrika has been building a life that honors her energy, her faith, and her purpose. Through her podcast, Planning Tools and the Inner Circle Community, she helps women with chronic illness stop waiting for the perfect time and start living one plan, one pivot, and one intentional step at a time.
April Aramanda: Welcome, Shedria. I am so glad to have you here. and that whole thing about your inner circle and and what you’re trying to help women do so resonates with what I’m doing. So, I’m very excited to
Shedrica Holmes: Yay.
April Aramanda: have you here.
Shedrica Holmes: Yay. I’m glad to meet you and have another fellow chronic warrior just like doing the thing and
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: not waiting. Not waiting and just doing what you got to do.
April Aramanda: Exactly. Exactly. So, I know a little bit about lupus itself, but I don’t think I really understand what lupus SLE is. So, if you could explain that to us in a as short a amount of time as you can, that’d be great.
Shedrica Holmes: So basically it is just a chronic illness is an autoimmune disease that affects all of your organs. Um and it’s pretty much like they say your body is fighting against itself. I typically like to say your body is just giving you a warning
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: and um letting you know that it’s something going on and it it differs for everybody. Some people have, you know, kidney issues, um liver, heart, but for me personally, it affects my skin. So, when I am in a lupus flare, um it basically attacks the biggest organ of your body, which is your skin. And so, I’ll just break out and like chronic hives all over my body. Like I mean the b the palms of my hand, the soles of my feet, they’re just completely inflamed. Um so basically that’s what it is. I mean you can just vary from hair loss, fatigue, um weight loss, weight gain, um and and
April Aramanda: pretty
Shedrica Holmes: joint
April Aramanda: much
Shedrica Holmes: pain.
April Aramanda: anything and everything. It sounds
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah.
April Aramanda: like
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah. Just Yeah. Basically
April Aramanda: it’s always
Shedrica Holmes: that sums
April Aramanda: crazy.
Shedrica Holmes: it up.
April Aramanda: Oh, it affects everything. It’s fine. You know, that’s that’s kind of how I feel sometimes when I’m explaining chronic illness.
April Aramanda: It’s like it has this, this, and this, and they go, “Your whole life.” Yeah, pretty
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah.
April Aramanda: much.
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah.
April Aramanda: Well, can you share with us what that diagnosis journey looked like for you to get to that place of knowing what you’re dealing with so you can actually treat the symptoms even though lupus is an unccurable disease?
Shedrica Holmes: Correct. So basically I went through a journey of just uh like I said I started with the skin. So I would just itch like this internal itch that just would not go away and I would just be red and you know it was like me losing my hair and me getting like really sick like if I did get sick it was just be really really bad and it would last a long time. And it wasn’t until the guy I was dating at the time, his mother took me to a urgent care. And I guess it was say I would say it was about a year or so of me just dealing with symptoms like just really fatigued.
Shedrica Holmes: Like I just could not get out of bed. And I mean at that time I was only 20 years old. So it was one of them things like why are you so tired? Like why? And and it’s not like oh you’re lazy tired. It was like lethargic, like no movement and just the sensitivity to light, the sensitivity to sound. Like I was just so sensitive to everything. And um I got to urgent care and I got my diagnosis that exact same day of just eating
April Aramanda: Wow.
Shedrica Holmes: at le
April Aramanda: Wow.
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah.
April Aramanda: I I’ve had hives. I know exactly how they feel. I call it a boneed deep pain because it’s such a deep itch combined with that pain that just makes you want to claw all the way to the bone and get rid of it. Um, so I I do not envy that. Um, gosh, I wish that you had something other than this skin issue because I know how how difficult that can be.
April Aramanda: Um, what’s been one of the hardest parts of living with all of this that people don’t necessarily often see? Like you can see the skin issue, but you may not be able to see other things. So, what’s one of those things that’s been the hardest,
Shedrica Holmes: Um, excuse me. I think the hardest thing for me is the mental. Um, being able to because a lot of people say, “Well, you don’t look sick
April Aramanda: right?
Shedrica Holmes: and you don’t appear that anything is wrong with you.” So I think the mental is the battle of staying in a good mindset
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: because obviously I don’t look sick but I am have moments where it is unbearable internally. Um because I do have joint pain sometimes.
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: Sometimes I am tired and because I don’t appear to be what everybody think I should be. It’s that ongoing constant battle of like well you’re not lazy. you really are battling something, you know, you know, don’t do it too much.
Shedrica Holmes: Don’t push too hard because you are battling something because sometimes I forget, you know, I just do all the things and I’m reminded by my body like, uh, okay, yeah, hold on. I think that’s the hardest thing to navigate is the mental capacity of not overdoing it and you know just staying within my own well-being of not being negative you know
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: because there’s a place that chronic illness can take you mentally where you just want to be sad you want to be negative Nancy and sorrow and what your old life is and wish you could do wish you would have could or should have like you And it’s just like just let it go. You know, you’re never going to be that person. And do you want to be the person that had the lifestyle, the things that brought you to this point? No. So, you just guide yourself mentally in the place where you need to be and just listen to your body and heal. And so, I think that could be challenging um because I am a mother of two.
April Aramanda: And it’s that idea of shifting the mental side of it where because I do what you do. I think, “Oh, I’m having a great day. I’m going to get it all done. I’m not as sick as I thought I was. I’m not, you know, that whole internal battle.” And then you overdo it and you’re stuck in bed for three weeks because you can’t hardly move. Um, that I agree. I think the mental battle is the hardest part of being chronically ill. Um, so what what does that look like for you daytoday? Like how do you manage in your daily everyday life?
April Aramanda: I mean, you’ve got two kids at home. Um, thankfully all mine are grown and I have grandb babies, but you’ve got two kids at home that need you. And so, how do you balance? I need to be there for my family. I’m also really really hurting and and tired and whatever else the case may be. And so you’re trying to deal with all this mentally. How do you balance that dayto day?
Shedrica Holmes: I basically used a planner in 2016. And I’ve always been like a paper and pen, like write stuff down type of person.
April Aramanda: Me too.
Shedrica Holmes: Like I love like the color code, highlighters, all of those things. Overly prepared. Like I’ve always been that. But when I had my first daughter in 2014, I saw myself uh going through a lupus flare. I think that
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: the pregnancy kind of ignited that. And then about 2016, I was like, “Okay, like we’re not going to do this. We’re not going to be sick.
Shedrica Holmes: We’re not going to be reminded of the mom that’s always in and out of the hospital or just and I understand if there’s a season that that that’s just my life, but intentionally I wanted to do something. I had gained like 180 pounds just from being on prennazone. So, I was getting to the point where I wasn’t able to move around easily because it was bearing down on my hip. And
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: they were like, “Oh, you’re going to have to have a hip replacement.” And I was like, “No, my baby’s two. I just can’t do that. Like,
April Aramanda: You’re
Shedrica Holmes: I
April Aramanda: too
Shedrica Holmes: want to
April Aramanda: young.
Shedrica Holmes: be able to run around and play.” And so, I took my life serious and what I could build on that. And I used a physical planner to plan everything. My wellness, my my mood, my symptoms, what was triggering triggering me emotionally, what was triggering me triggering me with food. Um, and just being able to stay on top of things because sometimes with a chronic illness, I don’t know if this is for you, but insomnia is really, really bad.
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: And so a part of that was having to keep up with a lot of stuff in my brain. And
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: so if I were to write it down and use my planner, it would help me rest because I’m not pondering on that all night long.
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: And so planning has been my saving grace. It’s been my tool of how I manage everything. You don’t see me without some type of planner tool or you don’t see me without some type of organization because it has to go together in order for me to have peace.
April Aramanda: Yeah. Oh, that’s that’s so good. I’m I’m a paper and and pen and coloring, highlighters, all the things. Brings me joy.
Shedrica Holmes: It
April Aramanda: Um
Shedrica Holmes: brings me joy. People
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: don’t get it. Like adults are like, “How do you get so much out of these?” Because I am a a Happy Planner lover. So, I
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: have all the stickers and the like every And they’re like, “How do stickers make you happy?” And I’m like, “You mind your own business. I’m gonna mind
April Aramanda: That’s
Shedrica Holmes: mine.
April Aramanda: right. That’s right. Totally. I I’m right there with you. I have so many little boxes with stickers lined up in our house. It’s crazy. Um but yeah, I mean that actually makes a lot of sense. One of the things that I’ve not been good at that I need to get better at is just constantly writing down whatever’s going through my head. And that sounds like that’s what you’re talking about, right?
Shedrica Holmes: Mhm.
April Aramanda: Writing it all down and getting it out of your head.
Shedrica Holmes: Mhm.
April Aramanda: That that would help me so much with insomnia. So, right there, you’ve already given us a great win for the day. Write it all down and you’re good. That’s
Shedrica Holmes: Mhm.
April Aramanda: fantastic. What are some other small joys or mindsets throughout your day that help you, especially on those really tough days when you are in a flare and you don’t feel good and the kids are still needing to eat and to go to places and you know the husband’s like, “Hey, you know, what’s for dinner?”
April Aramanda: And what are some things that kind of bring you a little bit of joy in those days?
Shedrica Holmes: Um, gospel music.
April Aramanda: I love it.
Shedrica Holmes: Gospel music is the number one go-to. And I’m not going to lie, I have and I’m so thankful and I and I and I empathize with people who have to suffer in silence or
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: have no support. Um because I have a great support system, people
April Aramanda: Amen.
Shedrica Holmes: who surround me, who love on me, who remind me who I am when I’m feeling down, when I’m feeling low. Um but between the two, like gospel music and my leaning on my support system and I’m going to go back to planning, just sitting down and having that space of creativity. Those are the small joys that that just put a smile on my face,
April Aramanda: See,
Shedrica Holmes: you know,
April Aramanda: I
Shedrica Holmes: being
April Aramanda: think
Shedrica Holmes: grateful.
April Aramanda: that’s what it is about planning. It’s that creativity. It scratches two sides of my brain, right?
April Aramanda: It scratches that analytical side that needs to write it all down, see it on a piece of paper, actually look at what it looks like. Because I mean, I use Google calendar, too.
Shedrica Holmes: Right.
April Aramanda: But when my husband comes to me and says, “We need to decide on a weekend for this.” I’m going to grab this planner in my hand, and I’m going to spread it open so I can actually see it all at one time. Plus, the stickers, the the the pens, the markers, all of that then scratches that creative side of my brain, which does bring joy. You are totally right about that because I get really, really happy and excited when I’ve got stickers all over my planner, and right
Shedrica Holmes: Mhm.
April Aramanda: now it’s a little plain and I’m wishing I was at home with my stickers. All right. So, you have created this company, Chronically Planned. I would love to hear about what led you to create this, what it actually is, what you offer to your clients.
Shedrica Holmes: Okay.
Shedrica Holmes: So, basically, Chronically Planned came from a rebrand. Um, I was formerly called Lupus Speaks and this is
April Aramanda: Okay.
Shedrica Holmes: my podcast. And initially I just went into it of like I just want to vent out what I’m
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: experiencing. You know, I’m young and I just wonder who else is going through what I’m growing through.
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: And I’m like, so let me just speak. So I just started using Luba speaks. Um, and then I was like, I I want to find a way. I was talking to a friend and everybody around me knows that I’m like obsessed with planning. I
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: think probably in 2017 I started hosting visual vision board parties and
April Aramanda: Oh, wow.
Shedrica Holmes: planner events and then COVID hit so it kind of changed things but prior to co I would just do that just to bring people in because I’m like people got to understand the importance of planning
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: and just because I mean I go from a faithled based uh portion of that which is in the Bible about how important it is to plan and that you know faith without works is dead.
Shedrica Holmes: So that’s the execution
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: part of it. And so faith plan and execute is my framework that I teach in my
April Aramanda: Love
Shedrica Holmes: chronically
April Aramanda: it.
Shedrica Holmes: plan in inner circle which is a small group and we just pretty much keep each other accountable and share our wins and I just teach planning uh techniques and styles and you know get people comfortable with their intentions on the day-to-day planning around their body and not against it. And um so basically chronically playing came from being able to get comfortable with speaking and sharing my story and I’m like I have to incorporate like chronic illness which is my lupus and planning together. And that
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: way people can see how important it is to have this as a tool to navigate their journeys. You know, like I said, just even if you start with keeping track of things, like when a doctor
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: comes in and say, “Well, what happened or what day was you in pain from 10 to like, well, what day did that was?”
Shedrica Holmes: And I’m like, “Uh, I do not remember what day it was.” It’s like,
April Aramanda: All
Shedrica Holmes: “But
April Aramanda: right.
Shedrica Holmes: I got that written down in my planner.” Oh, that was Tuesday, you know? So,
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: I just felt like that’s where the idea really came from was putting both of them together.
April Aramanda: Well, I love the name of it. I mean, chronically planned. I How could you not know what that’s about? It’s fantastic.
Shedrica Holmes: Thank
April Aramanda: And
Shedrica Holmes: you.
April Aramanda: I do love the idea of writing down and I think that’s that’s something that I needed to hear from you today is is writing down what you’re going through as well. Not just what you’re thinking about or what you need to get done because a planner is not just a to-do list, at least for those of us with chronic illness.
Shedrica Holmes: Exactly.
April Aramanda: Um it’s it’s a tracker also. And so rather than having 15 different books to go and put all this information in, why not just write it down in your planner and have it done?
April Aramanda: That’s that’s yeah, that’s a win for me today already before we’ve even gotten halfway through this call.
Shedrica Holmes: So you got two wins.
April Aramanda: There we go. I got two wins. So, you did say something to me about using a physical planner being essential for healing.
Shedrica Holmes: Mhm.
April Aramanda: So, could you explain that to us?
Shedrica Holmes: I mean, I think that sometimes, well, not even sometimes, we know that there are moments where we just don’t feel like it. We don’t
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: feel good enough. And I felt like in my seasons, it was always that I want to write something down and I want to experience something in my mind in real time outside of doctor’s appointments.
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: So it was like what is my intention? What is it that I want to experience? Who do I want to become? Who do I need to become? And that’s why I say chronically becoming is also a
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: part of the brand because it’s like at the end of the day and then you know chronically like that’s like excessively like having
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: something going on. So it’s like putting the two it’s like how bad do you want to be healed? How bad do
April Aramanda: No.
Shedrica Holmes: you want to live the dreams that you set out to do? They might not look exactly the same, but you can create that. And
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: so I just feel like creating healing by just saying because at one point I never really experienced exercise or yoga
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: or anything like that, but I would just write down go to attend yoga, attend yoga, attend yoga. And
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: then, you know, when you write something down over and over and over again, it kind of programs your brain to like that’s something you need to do. So, it’s like, I need to eat cleaner. I need to eat cleaner. Here’s my clean grocery list. You know, like I was just starting to do research on just different things on how to intentionally get there and eventually I did.
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: So I think that’s just for me that’s the way that you could use planning or a planner or a notebook or a journal to
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: heal your way with intention by writing down those like getting it out of your head and writing it down and being clear
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: like just imagine like what would this look like if I felt this way you know what would I do during the day?
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: So yeah.
April Aramanda: And we’re not necessarily talking for those listening about necessarily a physical healing, though there are some people that do get to experience that by what they change in their life. We’re more talking about making some of those symptoms better for ourselves, which is a form of healing. and being able to heal that piece in our hearts and in our minds that is broken because of this because this
Shedrica Holmes: Oh
April Aramanda: does
Shedrica Holmes: yeah.
April Aramanda: break you and
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah.
April Aramanda: chronic illness breaks you and it makes you have to rethink what’s important in your life.
April Aramanda: It makes you have to rethink how your life is going to look. And some
Shedrica Holmes: Mhm.
April Aramanda: people get stuck in that spot where they can’t get out of the it’s never going to be the same. I cannot believe that now my life is ruined. You know, and I think what you’re saying and what what I like to say also is that there are ways to find those joy moments and there are ways to find those pieces that heal that side of us that says it’s never going to be the same anymore and I don’t know what to do with that. And it brings us around to a better place of okay, I can I can function now.
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah. I mean, I think it’s a phases, you know, it’s
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: at the end of the day, it’s grief. You know, you’re grieving the
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: old part of yourself that you thought you were going to be, the part you were, and again, creating a new life, a new vision,
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: a new space for yourself. And I always say, you know, you are what you speak. You
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: know, if you speak, I’m sick. I’m sick. I’m sick. If you speak, it’s never going to get better, then it’s not because then your intention is not to get better. is speaking on what your current situation is versus I’m going to get better. I’m going to, you know, I don’t know, whatever it is for for that person,
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: you know. So, for me, it’s like I’m going to live a full joyful life so I could
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: be able to see my kids, my grandkids, my great grandkids,
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: whatever it is that you want. You know, you have to one, which I’m going back to my framework, you have
April Aramanda: Go
Shedrica Holmes: to
April Aramanda: for
Shedrica Holmes: believe.
April Aramanda: it.
Shedrica Holmes: You know, faith is belief. It’s
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: like you can’t have anything without believing you can have it first.
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: And I mean, that’s the same thing if you take that in a negative spin. You believe you’re exactly right. Whatever it is that you believe that does, you’re right. And then
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: you go into your planning portion of what you believe. If that’s something great, then you move with intention like let me plan this out. When am I going to do it? What day of the week? How many times of the day? You know, how can I break my day up? Maybe in the morning I do faceled stuff. In the afternoon I do planning stuff and then on the end I execute all out and so it’s just
April Aramanda: It’s pieces. Yeah, it’s
Shedrica Holmes: yeah
April Aramanda: putting
Shedrica Holmes: it’s
April Aramanda: all the
Shedrica Holmes: pieces.
April Aramanda: pieces together.
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah.
April Aramanda: Well, so what is one of the biggest mindset shifts that you’ve seen your clients experience when they’re working with you in in these programs that you’re doing?
Shedrica Holmes: I think that the biggest thing that I recognize is the actual practical use of their planner because
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: like you said, most of them from what I find, they just have these to-do lists, these long to-do list, and they’re not broken up in categories. They’re not
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: uh broken up in a way where it’s actually effective. and also um connecting and working with their bodies because just because you wrote it down doesn’t necessarily mean mean you’re going to be
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: able to execute it. You
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: know, we’ve done that. So, being able to break things down in categories and actually effectively show them how to use pen and paper is what I’ve seen be effective for them, you
April Aramanda: That’s
Shedrica Holmes: know.
April Aramanda: awesome. That’s awesome. Yeah. Because I think sometimes you you’re talking about the long to-do list. That has been me in the past, which is why I’ve kind of backed up some from writing things down because I wanted a new way to think about it.
April Aramanda: Um, and those long to-do lists, I can’t necessarily pick up a basket of laundry today, but my husband can pick it up for me while I can do the load if he’ll just bring it in there,
Shedrica Holmes: right?
April Aramanda: you know? So, being able to write some of those things down and then next to it, writing, okay, Victor can pick up the basket, I can do the load, you know, and I can fold later when he brings me the basket back. That kind of thing. I love that. I think that’s great. Um,
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah.
April Aramanda: so we have talked about faith a little bit and about your gospel music and and all of that, which I love. Um, so how does your faith play a role in your life with chronic illness but also in your business?
Shedrica Holmes: It is B- roll. It’s
April Aramanda: There
Shedrica Holmes: not
April Aramanda: you
Shedrica Holmes: a
April Aramanda: go.
Shedrica Holmes: roll. is zero.
April Aramanda: Love it.
Shedrica Holmes: I mean without it I don’t think that it’s coming from me just cuz I exist.
Shedrica Holmes: I think that it’s something they poured into me through my life experience what I have already been blessed with. Like I see so many people that are suffering or don’t have support systems or communities or loved ones
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: that’s there to understand or you know just just even being able to speak and walk and do things on their own to go to the mailbox to drive to feed themselves like I’ve been in journeys where I literally could not walk and I could not speak you know
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: I had to have somebody do every single thing for me so I always go back to my faith and my reflection of like where I’ve already come from. You know what
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: I mean? And it wasn’t for my own right. And so I believe that within my business when I’m like taking a shower, that’s usually when I get my pouring in and my messaging and he’s like, “Okay, you do this.” And I’m like, “Okay, cool. Got you.” Or
Shedrica Holmes: I have a dream or something that just reveals to me like that’s what my next move is. And then I would
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: pray and I would reflect. Um because I didn’t get here without praying. I didn’t get
April Aramanda: Right.
Shedrica Holmes: here with other without other people’s prayers, praying over my body, praying that I got better, praying that I got
April Aramanda: Yes,
Shedrica Holmes: well, you know. So that is the leading foundation of my life.
April Aramanda: that is awesome. I love to say a friend of my well my business coach um you know talked about making God the CEO of your business
Shedrica Holmes: Yeah.
April Aramanda: the top person the one that all the decisions filter through that’s who the CEO is and I love when you said well that is that I mean faith is it it’s the priority because that’s true and I think that that’s something that sometimes people struggle with when they’re doing a business is figuring out how to okay Well, I believe and I have all of this over here and I know that God, you know, I’m praying about my chronic illness and I’m praying about today or people are praying for me, but then they can’t figure out how to incorporate that.
April Aramanda: And I think that that’s such an important piece of where I am and how I’ve gotten this podcast even up off the ground because I decided, okay, I’m going to start this with God. And it’s
Shedrica Holmes: But
April Aramanda: that decision
Shedrica Holmes: it’s the decision because I think in class Friday someone mentioned something about well they just lack discipline and
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: you know one of the members was sharing that we automatically disciplined people. You know what I’m saying?
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: We come with that. You know we just all we have to do is decide. He giving us that choice. And so it’s really just again how bad do you want what
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: you wanting. You know what I’m saying? And making that decision that this is what I’m dedicating myself to. This is what I’m ded. And it’s easier to do those type of things when you have that faith. When you do devote yourself
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: to God, something outside of yourself.
Shedrica Holmes: And then I feel like everything else around you kind of flows and work into place because you know you’ve already learned how to devote you know
April Aramanda: That’s awesome. Well, for someone who is newly diagnosed with any chronic illness, but especially because you know you have lupus um with lupus and they’re struggling right now, what’s something you want to say to that person?
Shedrica Holmes: hold on. pain ends, you know, and it may not be the physical pain. You know what I’m saying? Maybe it’s the emotional
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: pain. Maybe it’s the uh the pain of the loss or whatever that you’re going through in your experience, but it does end.
April Aramanda: Mhm.
Shedrica Holmes: And you know, there is a brighter day on the other side. But it it but you get to decide what that looks like.
April Aramanda: Yeah. So true. Well, are there any tools or products that you love that make your life a little bit easier or a little bit more joyful? I You said you are a Happy Planner lover.
April Aramanda: So, we know Happy Planner. What else?
Shedrica Holmes: the Happy Planner. Um, and some of my cooking gadgets because my thing
April Aramanda: Ah,
Shedrica Holmes: about planning is you, you know, you stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.
April Aramanda: right.
Shedrica Holmes: And some of my cooking tools is like my Instant Pot, my
April Aramanda: Oh,
Shedrica Holmes: air
April Aramanda: I
Shedrica Holmes: fryer,
April Aramanda: love mine.
Shedrica Holmes: like because sometimes, you know, they’re cooking, you just you just don’t feel like it. But
April Aramanda: Yeah.
Shedrica Holmes: when you have easy things you can get to like and planning your meals out and being like it just those are the things I like. Um I love my planner tools. Um
April Aramanda: We’ll
Shedrica Holmes: that’s
April Aramanda: have to
Shedrica Holmes: basically
April Aramanda: do some
Shedrica Holmes: it.
April Aramanda: We’ll have to do some recipe swaps. That would be
Shedrica Holmes: Yes.
April Aramanda: awesome.
Shedrica Holmes: Yes.
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: I love to cook.
April Aramanda: That
Shedrica Holmes: So,
April Aramanda: would be
Shedrica Holmes: I
April Aramanda: so
Shedrica Holmes: don’t
April Aramanda: great.
Shedrica Holmes: want that to be taken away from me. So, it’s like, what can I do to make this meal a little bit easier instead
April Aramanda: Yes.
Shedrica Holmes: of waiting by the oven? Like, let’s make these lamb chops in this Instant Pot for 20 minutes.
April Aramanda: Oh, I want a lamb chop recipe. My husband would be happy. Yes. You have to send that to me. All right.
Shedrica Holmes: Yes.
April Aramanda: So, what is your favorite quote or phrase that you come back to over and over again?
Shedrica Holmes: I feel like I I answered it in the quote, but now like I want to
April Aramanda: It’s all
Shedrica Holmes: do
April Aramanda: right.
Shedrica Holmes: do another one.
April Aramanda: Or
Shedrica Holmes: Um,
April Aramanda: it can be a scripture because like I have I have a scripture that is my life verse. So it could be that too.
Shedrica Holmes: the one that I like, I don’t know like the actual scripture and I feel bad about that,
April Aramanda: That’s okay.
Shedrica Holmes: but I want to say whichever verse it is when they talk about God works all things out for your good.
April Aramanda: Yes. Okay, hold on. I’m gonna get it.
Shedrica Holmes: Yes. I want to say it’s not I’m all over the place. It’s either Proverb, it’s Proverbs, it’s Hebrews, it’s somewhere.
April Aramanda: It’s in the Bible. I got
Shedrica Holmes: It’s
April Aramanda: it.
Shedrica Holmes: in the
April Aramanda: Okay,
Shedrica Holmes: Bible. But whatever it is, whoever
April Aramanda: let’s
Shedrica Holmes: does good
April Aramanda: see.
Shedrica Holmes: works or whatever, I can’t remember. But I need to write that down. Actually,
April Aramanda: Yeah, because I’m sitting here going, I’m not sure my Bible app just found what I But I know what you’re talking about. Yes. Oh, that’s going to drive me insane now. We’ll find it. We’ll post it in the show notes so you’ll have the scripture because that will drive me nuts.
Shedrica Holmes: okay.
April Aramanda: Well,
Shedrica Holmes: Uh,
April Aramanda: know the
Shedrica Holmes: it
April Aramanda: other
Shedrica Holmes: is
April Aramanda: thing.
Shedrica Holmes: Romans
April Aramanda: Oh,
Shedrica Holmes: 8:28. I
April Aramanda: there
Shedrica Holmes: was
April Aramanda: you
Shedrica Holmes: all
April Aramanda: go.
Shedrica Holmes: off.
April Aramanda: Okay, I’m
Shedrica Holmes: All the
April Aramanda: gonna
Shedrica Holmes: way
April Aramanda: blame
Shedrica Holmes: off.
April Aramanda: brain fog today because I should have known that. I’ve said that scripture a million times. It’s not like I didn’t know that. Yeah. Okay, we’re just going to call it a brain fog moment for all you listeners because you know that chronic illness causes a lot of brain fog and sometimes we can’t remember things. So, that’s what it was and that’s it.
Shedrica Holmes: Yep. Thank you. If I have my
April Aramanda: Awesome.
Shedrica Holmes: back on that one,
April Aramanda: Always. Always girl, we got to have each other’s backs. All right. So, where can listeners connect with you more? Where can they find you?
April Aramanda: Where do you hang out?
Shedrica Holmes: so um they can find me on Instagram, lupuspeaks, and on Tik Tok and then Chronically Planned on YouTube. And please, please, please, please check out my podcast, Chronically Plan Podcast on Spotify, Instagram, I
April Aramanda: Awesome.
Shedrica Holmes: mean Spotify, Instagram, and Apple Podcast. Yeah.
April Aramanda: Perfect. We will have all those links in the show notes for people to be able to go and click and find you. Shedria, it has been an amazing conversation with you. I am so glad that we had you on the podcast. And if you want to learn more about her chronically planned podcast or her program, please go to one of the links in the show notes and give her a shout out. Thank you so much.
Shedrica Holmes: Thank you. Bye.