Welcome to Between the Lines
An Introduction from Anna aka Lovely Lotus
Welcome to Between the Lines — a space for truth-telling, myth-breaking, and everything the polished narratives tend to leave out.
Whether you’ve followed my work on LinkedIn or just stumbled in, I’m grateful you’re here.
This isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a place to explore what it means to live fully — with disability, through burnout, and across all the messy, beautiful in-between moments that make us human.
Before I jump into what you can expect, I want to share a bit of my own story, not because it’s extraordinary, but because it’s real.
I’m Anna — a 30-something city dweller who loves animals, astrology, psychology, and science. I drink too much coffee, have a complicated relationship with sugar, and believe there’s no such thing as too much chocolate. Or cheese.
I was diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) around the age of four. It started with muscle weakness in my feet, lower legs, and hands—subtle signs that slowly became more pronounced. By the time I was ten, I was using a mobility scooter full-time. Not because I had given up—but because my body was asking for something different. And I listened.
That decision like so many others I’ve made wasn’t about limitation. It was about liberation. About honoring the truth of my body rather than fighting it. And while I’ve always known how to adapt, there’s a weight that comes with being endlessly adaptable in a world that rarely meets you halfway.
These days, my condition’s still progressing because apparently it didn’t get the memo that I have things to do. My diaphragm's a bit over it, which means long conversations (or, say, public speaking) can leave me feeling like I just went for a long jog that I definitely didn’t sign up for. And since talking is basically my love language, it’s been an adjustment… but I like to think I’m just learning to make every word count.
Still, I’ve built a life I’m proud of.
I work full-time in Inclusion, Diversity, and Belonging, where I use my lived experience to create meaningful change in corporate spaces. I’m a model, a speaker, the founder of a disability-focused employee resource group that grew from 18 to almost 1,800 members, and I serve on the Board of Directors for the Center for Disability Inclusion.
I’ve learned to move through the world with both softness and strength. And I’ve learned that thriving isn’t about overcoming disability—it’s about living fully with it.
So, what is Between the Lines?
It’s a space for the stories we don’t always tell.
I never set out to write about disability. Or burnout. Or any of the heavy, tangled things that fill this space.
What I set out to do was survive—to live in a world that wasn’t built with me in mind. Eventually, I figured out how to thrive in it. Somewhere along the way, writing became a lifeline. Not just for me, but for others, too.
This newsletter is where I share what I’ve learned (and what I’m still learning). It’s for anyone who’s ever felt unseen. Anyone who’s felt the slow creep of burnout. Anyone who’s been told to shrink themselves or mask their truth just to belong.
What I write about
Disability, because I live in a body that demands creativity, grit, and constant adaptation—and because the world often gets the story wrong.
Burnout, because I’ve lived it—again and again. Not just from overwork, but from people-pleasing, masking, and proving myself in spaces never built for me.
Everything in between, because real life doesn’t fit into clean categories. The most honest truths live in the grey zones—in the contradictions, the quiet moments, the comebacks no one claps for.
Many of the pieces I share here are inspired by real questions I’ve been asked over the years. And I want that to continue.
So, tell me:
What are you curious about?
What feels missing from the conversation around disability, identity, or burnout?
What do you wish someone would talk about—but never does?
You can drop a comment below or reply to this post. I’m an open book and I’d love to hear from you.
And yes, if you’re wondering about the name Lovely Lotus that story’s coming soon. Spoiler: it’s much more than just a nickname.
Whether you're here for the stories, the solidarity, or the occasional sass, THANK YOU!
I’m so glad you found your way here.
Until next time, 🪷🪄
Anna aka Lovely Lotus