Creating Hope through Repetitive Body Movement

On June 16, 2015  I launched Create a Spark of Hope to share what I discovered that has helped me to create hope in my mind and body. Following a brain injury the individual can be faced with predictions and other news that can serve to undermine hope.

Individuals may believe skills once easy to perform are not out of reach. In today’s article I would like to share with you what has helped me to achieve skills once out of my reach.

The journey of creating a new life after a brain injury can seem overwhelming and insurmountable. As a result the individual may face discouragement and disappointment. Getting better and attaining goals may seem very far out of reach. As a result, the individual may find themselves wanting to give up on hope and on themselves.

In today’s article I would like to share some thing that has helped to set me free. What helped to set me free was my understanding of hope. What I began to realize was that hope involved a journey and a process, not a destination. With my change in understanding, I began to realize that I could have an active part in creating hope in my life. With my understanding, I began to realize that I no longer had to wait for some thing to occur in my life to have hope.

In today’s article I would like to share some thing that has helped to set me free. Repetitive Mirrored Body Movement.

With my understanding, I began to realize that I could begin to create hope in my life through intentional and repetitive movement. I could create hope by mirroring body movement on both sides of my body. Mirroring body movements engaging the non-dominant side of my body with movements done by the dominant side of my body. For me this has meant drilling skills using my left hand, arm, elbow, leg, knee and foot. Drilling skills and skill sets a “bazillion times” to match movements done on the right side of my body. Over time, through time and commitment I have seen my ability to do things with the left side of my body that I never dreamed possible.

What I discovered was that over time I developed skills that I previously thought were out of reach.  My muscle memory, gross and fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, balance, body awareness, agility and focus have all steadily improved. Using different martial art disciplines through repetitive body movements has helped me to create hope in my life.

Hope that has given me the ability to overcome insurmountable odds and accomplish what I never dreamed was possible. I share the above with you to encourage you to create hope in your life through repetitive body movement. To start, if you have not already begun; work on mirroring movements on the non-dominant sides of your body with those of your dominant side of your body.   As you do, over time; you will begin to accomplish things — on both your right and left side of your body — that you never dreamed possible. In the process you will begin to create new hope in your life.

To start, if you have not already begun; work on mirroring body movements. What you are able to do, start doing a little at a time with the other side of your body. Over time and through time and commitment you will accomplish what you previously through was out of reach.

 My Own Use of  Mirrored Repetitive Body Movement

In August of 2015  a friend of mine captured some of the gains that I have made over the course of the past year. Below is a link to the 3 minute video presentation. In August of 2014 this same friend captured some of the gains that I made over the course of the preceding year. In August of 2013 another friend captured some of the gains that I had made during the previous 13 or so years, through intentional and repetitive body movement.

I would invite you to watch each of these short video presentations by clicking on each of the links. And remember, creating hope is an ongoing process.

Creating Hope through Repetitive Movements 2015

Neuroplasticity Video Presentation 2014

Neuroplasticity through Martial Arts 201 3

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