Finding Purpose Through Illness, Art + Resiliency with Cheri Warcholak Lohrey (Part 2)

What if the life you planned falls apart and something brighter takes its place? We sit down with a writer and artist living with MS who turned a mother’s heartbreak and a tough airport moment into a creative movement powered by one simple rhythm: pause, breathe, pivot. From the birth of Cleo the Caterpillar to a forthcoming book titled I Am Cleo, she shows how self worth grows when you stop hiding, accept help, and choose a new path with intention.

We dive into the real mechanics of resilience—how to pause without getting stuck, breathe without drifting into endless reflection, and pivot without spinning in circles. She shares the walking aids that expanded her world, the illustrator who pushed her to own “real artist,” and the readers who echoed her mantra back. Music threads through her process, with Kelly Clarkson’s Broken and Beautiful surfacing as an anthem for steady, underestimated progress. Along the way, a son’s candid insight and a daughter’s essay on a meaningful life become mirrors for how adversity reshapes a family’s values.

Anchored by the quote “In a gentle way, you can shake the world,” we explore gentle influence, authentic voice, and the courage to keep your words intact while letting editors fix the commas. There’s a screenplay in the works, a growing platform, and a belief that timing can be trusted: I trust, I believe, I receive. If you’re navigating illness, career upheaval, or a dream that feels out of reach, this conversation offers practical steps and proof that purpose can bloom after plans shatter.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Theme Of Reigniting
• 0:41 Cleo The Caterpillar Begins
• 1:58 MS, Mobility, And Travel Friction
• 3:42 I Am Cleo And Self Worth
• 4:23 Powered By The Pivot Framework
• 6:07 Joy In New Creative Purpose
• 8:19 Trust Believe Receive And Timing
• 10:24 Lessons Reflected By Her Children
• 12:03 Pause Breathe Pivot In Practice
• 14:13 Music, Poetry, And Sharing Wider
• 15:38 Gentle Ways To Shake The World
• 18:18 Projects, Website, And Final Advice
• 19:28 Closing Thanks And Listener CTA