Kris Krause Coaching

01/09/2026

Planning ahead is often framed as a tool for efficiency or discipline. But what if, at its best, it’s simply a way of caring for your future self?

Not the idealized version of you with endless energy — but the one who comes home overstimulated and forgets what she meant to cook. The one who opens her laptop and instantly loses track of time. The one who feels decision-fatigue before the day even begins.

Here’s how planning can quietly serve as an act of protection — not just productivity:

1. It gives your nervous system something to rely on.
When stress levels are high, unpredictability can feel overwhelming. By making small decisions in advance -- such as what you’ll have for lunch or when you’ll finish work -- you can ease the tension of the day. This approach provides a sense of structure, allowing your body to feel more settled and at ease, without being overly rigid.

2. It makes room for the version of you who isn’t always at full capacity.
You may plan your meals not just to stick to them, but because your 6 p.m. self often feels too tired to think clearly. In this way, that plan becomes a lifeline instead of a rule.

3. It reduces unnecessary decision-making.
The brain treats every choice, regardless of size, as a task. Planning alleviates that burden before it becomes overwhelming.

4. It strengthens the habit of self-consideration.
Every time you plan thoughtfully, you reinforce the belief that your future wellbeing is important — even in the smallest ways. Over time, this alters your self-perception.
Planning doesn’t have to mean following strict schedules or perfect routines.

Sometimes, it simply involves packing a snack, setting a timer, or writing a note for your future self to find when she needs it most.

While these small acts of foresight may not solve every problem, they can provide quiet support to the part of you that often bears the most weight.

01/09/2026

If you’re tired of explaining how you can look “fine” but feel anything but — RISE was created for you. Support, community, and coaching from someone who truly gets it. 🧡 Comment RISE for more information

01/08/2026

Most people don’t think about digestion until something feels off. A little bloating, low energy after meals, or that heavy feeling at night often gets brushed off as “normal.” But digestion is one of the body’s key inflammation regulators. When it’s struggling, inflammation often isn’t far behind.

Digestion isn’t just about what you eat. It’s about how your body processes food over time—how well nutrients are absorbed, how stress is handled, and how your nervous system responds. When digestion is under strain, the body quietly adapts… until it can’t.

Supporting digestion doesn’t require extreme diets or cutting out entire food groups. It starts with awareness. Noticing patterns, timing, and signals your body is sending can reveal where inflammation may be building beneath the surface.

Here are four often-overlooked signs your digestion—and inflammation—may need more support:

1. Meals sit heavy for hours
Feeling overly full, sluggish, or drained long after eating can be a sign of slowed digestion. Eating quickly, while distracted, or irregular meal timing can disrupt digestive rhythm and increase inflammatory stress on the body.

2. Hunger cues disappear
When digestion and the nervous system are overwhelmed, hunger signals can dull. Skipping meals without noticing or going days without feeling hungry may reflect inflammation-driven burnout rather than balance.

3. Daily, predictable bloating
Occasional bloating happens. But if it shows up at the same time every day, it’s worth looking beyond food alone. Skipped meals, stress, eating on the go, or fatigue can all contribute to digestive inflammation.

4. Brain fog creeps in
The gut and brain are deeply connected. Digestive inflammation can show up as poor focus, mental fatigue, or decision-making difficulty—often before any major gut symptoms appear.

Digestive inflammation rarely shouts. It whispers, compensates, and waits. Learning to listen early can change everything. 🧡

01/07/2026

Stress doesn't always manifest as panic or pressure. Sometimes, it is subtly interwoven into quiet moments, lurking within routines we tend to overlook.

Here are several ways stress can appear, along with some suggestions on how you can support your well-being during these times:

1. You forget what you were just doing.
You walk into a room and forget why you're there. It's not because you're careless, but because your mind is busy scanning your surroundings instead of focusing on the task at hand. Taking a slow breath while standing still can help your brain catch up to your body.

2. You’re tired, but wired.
You may feel exhausted, but it's hard for you to relax. This usually indicates that your nervous system hasn't calmed down. Try dimming the lights and lowering the noise level slightly. Then, pay attention to which part of your body feels the most restless.

3. Your digestion is off.
Stress can manifest as bloating, gut tightness, or sudden loss of appetite. When the body feels overwhelmed, it prioritizes survival over digestion. Warm meals, consumed without distractions, are generally easier to digest.

4. You’re snapping at small things.
Irritability is not just anger; it's often a sign of exhaustion. Taking a moment alone, even if it's simply pausing in a room with the door closed, can help recharge your energy.

5. Everything feels like “too much.”
Making basic decisions can feel like navigating through fog. This isn't a mindset issue; it's a bandwidth issue. Drinking water, stepping outside, or changing rooms may help restore your system's balance.

Stress is not merely a feeling; it has a shape, pace, and pattern. By learning to recognize its subtle signs, you can choose to respond in a way that creates space for it, rather than attempting to eliminate it.

01/06/2026

There are weeks when having a structured plan feels supportive, and then there are weeks when even planning dinner seems like one decision too many. The pressure to meal prep, batch cook, or adhere to someone else's full-day-of-eating template can quickly become more exhausting than helpful, especially if your energy is already stretched thin.

Instead of striving to follow a perfect plan, I have adopted a much simpler approach: two proteins, two carbs, and two vegetables. This isn’t a strict blueprint for meals but rather a flexible base to work from.

This approach is about eliminating friction during those moments when your mind feels foggy and your body still requires care.

1. Two proteins you actually want to eat more than once
Select ingredients that maintain their quality across various meals and don’t require complex preparation to taste good. For example, consider roasted chicken thighs and soft-boiled eggs, or canned tuna and lentils simmered with garlic.

Focus less on variety and more on how likely you are to want to eat the same items again tomorrow without feeling apprehensive.

2. Two carbs that can stretch and anchor
Instead of concentrating on what is considered “clean” or “low,” emphasize what helps you maintain stability. This could include brown grain rice, a loaf of seeded sourdough bread, roasted sweet potatoes, or even frozen naan that you can heat in just five minutes.

3. Two vegetables that don’t require constant chewing
Not every vegetable needs to be eaten raw or crunchy. In fact, on days when you're feeling overstimulated or lacking patience, cooked vegetables can be easier to digest and provide more comfort.

Roasted carrots, sautéed greens, or broccolini, accompanied by a squeeze of lemon, all keep well and require minimal attention while you eat.

This meal prep method doesn’t promise complete control. Instead, it acknowledges how you might feel when you open the fridge at 7:30 PM on a Tuesday. When you’re already dealing with stress, simplicity isn’t a sign of laziness; it’s a smart choice. These types of ingredients don’t impose decisions on you; they offer options. Sometimes, having options is all you need to stay grounded.

01/06/2026

Living with an invisible disease has shaped the way I coach in ways a certification never could. I understand the unpredictable days, the flares, the frustration, and the need for flexibility. My goal is to support you where you are — not where you “should” be. 🧡

01/05/2026

You’ve probably heard that breathing can help slow your heart rate. But this isn’t just a wellness phrase -- it’s a built-in response your body knows how to follow.

Breath plays a direct role in how your nervous system regulates itself, not by thinking through it, but by sensing changes in pace, pressure, and rhythm.

Here’s how that shows up in real time:

1) Longer exhales shift internal pace
The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate, and it responds attentively to the duration of your exhale. When your out-breath slows down, even just a bit, your body interprets this as a signal to relax. This effect is subtle yet noticeable -- similar to easing your foot off the gas pedal while still driving.

2) The diaphragm sends signals that the heart can follow
With each full breath, the diaphragm shifts in a way that gently affects the heart. This influence is not through pressure, but through proximity. It’s one of the few muscles that communicates directly with the system responsible for managing stress, energy, and rest. A steady breath is not about control; it's about communication.

3) Rhythmic breathing gives your body a reference point
In a chaotic internal environment — characterized by racing thoughts, tight muscles, and scattered focus — a steady breath pattern creates a rhythm that the body can rely on. Like listening to the same low drumbeat in the background, even as everything else intensifies.

4) Breath acts faster than thoughts do
You can tell yourself to relax, but your body needs more than just a suggestion. Focusing on your breath—both the inhale and exhale—provides a physical anchor. It's one of the few tools that simultaneously influences both the mind and the body.

The body instinctively knows how to respond even before the brain understands why it matters. You might notice a change in your jaw or find that your next sigh comes more easily.

That’s often enough to get started.

01/05/2026

My word for 2026: BOUNCE

Bounce back to me.
Bounce back from setbacks.
Bounce forward with more wisdom than force.

This year isn’t about pushing harder or proving anything.
It’s about learning how to respond when life (and my body) throws curveballs.

✨ Bouncing back after flares — without guilt
✨ Building strength that supports arthritis, not fights it
✨ Helping women bounce forward, not just “get back to normal”
✨ Creating habits that bend without breaking
✨ Choosing rest as part of resilience

I’m bouncing toward deeper connections, supportive friendships, and experiences that light me up.
More adventure. More travel. More retreats that restore — not exhaust.

2026 is about progress that adapts.
Resilience that feels human.
And trusting that every time I fall, I can bounce again — stronger, steadier, and more aligned. 🧡

What’s your word for the year? Comment below as I would love to hear it.

01/04/2026

Living with an invisible illness can feel… isolating.
Even when you’re doing “all the right things.”
That’s why I created Rise Coaching Group — a space for women with arthritis and invisible diseases to feel supported, understood, and guided.
✨ Monthly group coaching calls
✨ A place to ask questions without judgment
✨ Monthly challenges to keep you moving forward (without overwhelm)
✨ Simple recipes + meal plans that actually support inflammation
✨ A community of women who get it
This isn’t about perfection.
It’s about progress, consistency, and not doing this alone.
💛 $39/month
💛 All arthritis + invisible diseases welcome
💛 Come as you are
We already have an amazing group of women, and we would LOVE to welcome you in.

👇 Join us inside Rise

RISE: Rooted & Resilient Coaching Club — a monthly membership created just for women living with autoimmune conditions.

01/03/2026

Living with an invisible illness can feel isolating, especially on the hard days. That’s why community matters so much. Being seen, understood, and supported changes everything. If you’re walking this road too, you’re not alone here. 🧡

01/02/2026

When energy drops, focus scatters, and nothing sounds appealing, it’s easy to assume you’re just being lazy or falling behind. But what if your system is just overwhelmed, not underperforming?

Here are a few ways dysregulation can quietly show up — and how to recognize it before assigning blame:

1) Does rest actually restore you?
If you’ve taken a break, but still feel scattered, agitated, or low afterward, it might not be a lack of motivation. It's possible that your system never felt secure enough to settle in the first place.

2) Are basic tasks starting to feel strangely complex?
Deciding what to eat. Responding to a simple text. Picking a shirt. These aren’t hard in theory, but when your nervous system is on edge, even low-stakes decisions can feel oddly paralyzing.

3) Do you feel distant from your own preferences?
Not knowing what you want to eat, watch, or even feel — this disconnection isn’t a sign of laziness. It’s often a sign that your body is trying to conserve energy and simplify input.

4) Is your self-talk getting sharper?
Feeling like a failure or getting irritated with yourself for “wasting time” might feel like a form of accountability. But often, that inner criticism shows up when your system is already strained and trying to cope with discomfort it can’t name.

5) Are you stuck between wanting to move and wanting to shut down?
That push-pull between needing a break and needing progress is a common sign that your system hasn’t fully landed in either rest or action.

What if the real question isn’t “how do I get motivated again,” but “what kind of support would help my body feel safe enough to come back online?”

The difference is not only emotional, but also physiological. This is often where change begins.