Was it a stroke of luck?“You’re lucky.” It’s a phrase I’ve heard often since my stroke—lucky to have my sight, lucky to have avoided more severe deficits, and lucky to be here.
I don’t feel lucky about what happened. But I do feel grounded in gratitude for the path of healing I’m on, for the people walking beside me, and for the ways this experience continues to shape how I see myself and the world. This blog is where I make sense of that journey in real time—through story, reflection, and the quiet work of rebuilding. |
 Self-talk is the internal dialogue we have with ourselves. It’s normal to engage in negative self-talk because the brain is wired to pay more attention to negative rather than positive information, which is heightened after a brain injury. Addressing Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS) through positive thinking/self-talk is important to interrupt self-limiting thoughts that undermine our ability to heal and thrive. It's not about ‘looking on the bright side’ or convincing ourselves everything is okay. It’s a tool for showing ourselves some self-compassion.
Q: What’s one positive outcome of your brain injury that you maybe didn’t expect? It may seem odd but I actually believe there are a number of positive outcomes. First and foremost, I have never been as tuned in to myself as I am today. I have a heightened awareness of my body, how it functions, and how to most positively engage myself. I've learned a great deal on the importance of self-care and how to be okay with making my health (physical and mental) a priority. I've developed a more steady stream of self-kindness and have been able to witness my on-going resilience.  Realistic optimism reinforces the belief that progress comes with effort & learning new approaches to challenges. It's our ability to acknowledge obstacles without getting bogged down; seeing opportunities to work towards what’s possible.
Q: What’s one challenging outcome of your brain injury and how are you growing from it? I think one of the most challenging outcomes are my issues with executive functioning - the skills that help me plan, focus my attention, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks. It's forced me to be in the moment much more than I've ever been. Despite hitting many road blocks these last 3 years, I've always kept hope that things could improve (even slightly) through hard work and learning/using new strategies. I feel fortunate that I've never limited myself to where I currently sit, instead I've been able to imagine and work towards what might become possible. I've become really good a workarounds, and leaving myself open to observing and appreciating the journey. |
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