Today I want to begin talking about the process of acceptance. Through my process of acceptance, I came to a life changing awareness. I found that I could not begin to accept myself and move on with life until I first made peace with the losses. The losses that I experienced because of my traumatic brain injury. In my quest to make peace with those losses I needed to address … [Read more...]
Self-Acceptance after Brain Injury
Self-acceptance may be difficult for an individual living with a brain injury. As a result individuals living with brain injuries may begin to doubt themselves. This doubt can undermine their ability to trust or believe in themselves. Societal labels and stereotypes may lead them to believe that they are their brain injuries. In this belief, individuals living with brain injuries may find themselves angry at themselves. Angry at the "world". After coming out of my own denial concerning my brain injury, I was angry. I was angry at the impact of my brain injury. I was angry at the labels, stereotypes that society placed on me. I was angry for being minimized and marginalized because of what was out of my control. I was angry at what I was powerless to change.
But, I am grateful for this anger. My anger motivated me to make changes. Changes that helped me to begin on a journey of self-acceptance.
I am grateful for the anger I experienced. The anger helped me to move through a grieving process. A grieving process that helped me to accept what could not change. I am grateful for the acceptance of what I could not change. The acceptance of what I could not change gave me the ability to change what I could. By changing what I could, I grew in self-acceptance. My self-acceptance gave me the gift to be able to get into action. Action that would prove to me that I was not my brain injury. The action that gave me the ability to create hope in my life. The hope that gave me the ability to grow in self-acceptance. The self-acceptance that helped me to realize that I was not my brain injury. To discover my unique creative capacity to use my gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for me.
The self-acceptance that helped me to define my identity as an individual living with a brain injury. To discover my unique creative capacity to use my gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for me.
Self-acceptance that gave me the ability to trust myself. The articles in this category can help the individual living with a brain injury to love, accept and approve of themselves. To love, accept and approve of themselves to create. To learn how to trust themselves. To discover their unique capacity as an individual living with a brain injury. To discover that they are not their brain injuries. To discover their identify as an individual living with a brain injury. To discover their own unique creative capacity to use their gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for them. To find the freedom to be themselves. To discover that they are not limited because of their limitations. To discover that they no longer have to allow societal stereotypes or stigmatization to get in the way.
Living Life with a Brain Injury and Finding Freedom From Shame and Guilt
I realize this article is long, however I would encourage you to read through the entire article. Please do so at your own rate and pace, a little at a time, if that is what you decide. That is good enough. I want to share what I learned through my study of family systems theory. Family systems theory speaks to how family members relate to one another. The information … [Read more...]
A Question to Ask: Will Your Brain Injury Awareness Make You Bitter or Better?
Several days ago, I wrote an article, Why I Needed to Challenge My Brain Injury Awareness. I shared in the article that brain injury awareness is good, however awareness changes nothing. And as I have heard said: "If nothing changes, it will remain the same". Remain the Same Awareness, in and of itself; can leave the individual angry and stuck if that awareness does not … [Read more...]
Living and Thriving Beyond Brain Injury Awareness to Create a Good Life for Ourselves Zoom Presentation
Until I was able to move beyond my brain injury awareness, I had no idea how to live or thrive. I had no idea how to thrive because of my brain injury awareness. Did not know how to thrive because I saw brain injury awareness as a “stop sign”, not as a “yield sign”. Yesterday, I published my article: Living and Thriving Beyond Brain Injury Awareness to Create a Good Life for … [Read more...]
Living and Thriving Beyond Brain Injury Awareness to Create a Good Life for Ourselves
I have also created a zoom presentation of this article to share with your group, organization or as an in service to your clinical staff: Living and Thriving Beyond Brain Injury Awareness to Create a Good Life for Ourselves Zoom Presentation Below are several quotes that encourage me to live and thrive beyond my brain injury awareness. Below these quotes is the … [Read more...]