Experiencing Hope in a New Way after a Traumatic or Acquired Brain Injury
Introduction
I hope you are doing well today. I am. After sustaining a brain injury hope can be like a carrot hung out in front of a horse, that drives the horse. Drives the horse, but is just…
Just out of reach. Hope for individual living with brain injuries can be like that for us. Consequently, we may find ourselves feeling discouraged and defeated with little hope.
But there is good news. Hope is not out of reach.
in my experience, after years of being discouraged and feeling defeated, again and again, I discovered something about hope. My discovery changed the way that I experienced hope. In this article, I share what helped me to see and experience hope in a different way. In a different way that actually, gave me hope.
Sharing a Metaphor — A Switch on the Railroad of Life
Today I would like to share a metaphor with you. A way that helped me to be able to see my lived experience with a brain injury in a new way. A way that gave me hope. Hope that helped me to realize that I had choices. I had the ability to take a new course of action, although things had changed after my brain injury. As you read this article may you be encouraged.
Circumstances Redirecting
In life, events, circumstances and disappointments may redirect our experience. In an instant, like a switch on a railroad, life events (like a brain injury) can set us in the opposite direction of the way we hoped our lives would take us. Now faced with the challenges of living with the impact of a brain injury those hopes and dreams may have vanished.
Note and a Comment from 2008:
I first wrote about this idea — the switch on the railroad of life — in April 2007, in my article “Following Your Bliss… Regardless.”. May this metaphor encourage you to realize that your brain injury is and was not a mistake.
More will be revealed to you with time, as it has been for me and will continue to be revealed. Revealed to you and to me, one day at a time.
Following your bliss…regardless
Comment in response to the article
Pam R. — February 19, 2008 — It brought tears to my eyes when I read the comment you made about not being as smart as you used to be. My daughter has battled with her accquired brain injury for the last 6 years- she is 22. She says all the time about how she constantly messes up and it breaks my heart. I am yet to find someone to spend time with myself because they have a hard time accepting her for who she is. I also love the- circumstances do not define who we are in this life- THANK YOU SOOO MUCH. Caregiver of a survivor
Good News to Consider
But there is good news. Although we may not be able to pursue those now, we can create new hope in our lives. Hope that will help you and me to (little by little) be able to build dreams. Dreams out of what may not appear to be disappointment and discouragement. Create possibilities a little at a time, one day at a time, without losing hope each day.
I will prepare and someday my chance will come.” Abraham Lincoln
“You are the only person on Earth who can use your ability.” Zig Ziglar
“Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, it’s very hard” John Bytheway
“Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities.” Norman Vincent Peale
“I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison
“Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it.” Zig Ziglar
“Dreams do not vanish, as long as people do not abandon them.” Phantom F. Harlock
“It is not that I am so smart. It is just that I stay with problems longer.” Albert Einstein
“Believe in yourself, go after your dreams, and don’t let anyone put you in a box.” Daya
“If you want to improve your self-worth, stop giving other people the calculator.” Tim Fargo
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell
“Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new-ending.” Carl Bard
“We are all here for some special reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future.” Robin S. Sharma
“Not everyone will understand your journey. That’s okay. You’re here to live your life, not to make everyone understand.” Banksy
Creating Hope in Our Lives after Brain Injury with Scrabble Letters
In March 2022 I wrote an article that you may find hope in reading. Below is that article:
Having Hope after Brain Injury
Having hope or believing that we can have a part in the process of creating hope can be very difficult for individuals living with the impact of a brain injury.
Through my recovery process, I discovered that my definition and expectations of hope clouded my ability to see the value of, in creating hope in my life.
My Concept of Hope
My concept of hope held me hostage to my concept of hope when things did not change. When things did not change I became discourage and distraught.
I became discouraged and distraught because hope did not operate on my terms. That if I just hoped enough then I should get what I hoped for in my life.
Magical Belief
You see, my concept of hope held me hostage to a “magical belief”. This belief led me to believe that if and when hope did not meet my expectations, having or maintaining hope was of little value. Little value because I failed to realize that I could create hope in my life.
Seeing things Differently
But I am glad that I discovered that hope is not limited by my definition or my expectations. I am glad that I discovered that I could both have a proactive and engaging part in the process of creating hope in my life.
Like combining each letter in a scrabble game, I could learn how to create hope in my life. By combing one skill and one skill set at a time, I could experience hope. By working on one skill and one skill set at a time, I could accomplish goals. By accomplishing goals, i could create hope and learn to thrive, instead of survive.
Hope is Not
Through my experience I discovered some thing that helped me tremendously. Hope is not some thing that tethers me to some thing that may happen in the future. Hope, instead is something to experience in the present. What I discovered helped me to realize that hope, like faith; becomes evident by taking action.
By Taking Taking Action
By taking action, I discovered that I can experience hope in the now. With this awareness, I don’t have to wait for hope. With this awareness, I discovered that I am able to experience and celebrate hope in the now.
Building Hope a Little at a Time
Having hope or believing that we can have a part in the process of creating hope can be very difficult for individuals living with the impact of a brain injury. Through my recovery process I discovered that my definition and expectations of hope were clouded by my ability to experience hope. My concept of hope held me hostage when things did not change.
Hostage to the belief that hoping did not change anything. But I am glad that I discovered that hope is not limited by my definition or expectations. I am glad that I discovered that I could have a part in creating hope in my life. I am glad that I discovered that by creating hope in my life I could learn to thrive, not merely survive. Survive my brain injury.
I am glad that I discovered that by creating hope in my life I could learn to thrive and not merely survive. Not merely survive as an individual living after brain injury.
Through my Experience
Through my experience I discovered some thing that helped me tremendously. Hope is not some thing that tethers me to some thing that may happen in the future. Hope, instead is something to experience in the present. What I discovered helped me to realize that hope, like faith; becomes evident by taking action. And by taking action, I discovered.
I discovered that I can experience hope in the now. I don’t have to wait for hope. Instead, I can create hope in my life by being a proactive participant in my life, instead of as an observer of my life. This realization helped me to realize that I could actively participate in my life, regardless of my limitations and deficits do to the impact of my brain injury and disability.
I have created a category of articles about creating hope to encourage, empower and motivate you and I to show up in our lives. Below is a list of articles that contain information that helped me to realize that I could both have and create hope in my life. Scroll down the list of article titles. Click on the title and the article will open for you on Second Chance to Live.
Category — Creating Hope after a Brain Injury — List of Articles
To see the full archive of articles written on creating Hope after Brain Injury click on this link.
Below are several articles archived in this category
Yes, I am Disabled, but Don’t Count Me Out, because I am Not my DisabilityMaking Our Lives Magical after a Brain Injury and Stroke Video PresentationMaking Our Lives Magical after a Brain Injury and StrokeEmbracing the Cracks: A Journey of Healing and Purpose After Traumatic Brain Injury Video PresentationSecond Chance to Live Resources to Create Hope Lost after Brain InjuryFacing Adversity and Having Options when Life Does Not Make SenseNeuroplasticity, Setting Goals and Creating Hope After Brain Injury Power Point Presentation and Rehabilitation HospitalsBrain Injury Recovery: How long will it take until I am able to get back to being able to do…?Second Chance to Live added to Brain Injury of America’s National Speakers BureauColoring Outside the Lines of Our Brain Injuries and Invisible DisabilitiesLiving with a Brain Injury, an Invisible Disability and Change after Brain Injury and Stroke PresentationCreating Hope in Our Lives after Brain Injury with Scrabble LettersCelebrating Second Chance to Live 15th Anniversary with Available ResourcesThe Clam, the Irritant and Building Something Beautiful in Our LivesNeuroplasticity 2021– Using Modern Arnis, Kali, Western Boxing, Knife and Wing ChunWhat I Discovered about Myself, My Brain Injury, and My Disability Video PresentationWhat I Discovered about Myself, My Brain Injury, and My DisabilityCelebrating the 14th Anniversary of Second Chance to LiveCreating Fun in Our Lives after Experiencing a Brain InjuryDiscovering a “New Normal” after Experiencing a Brain Injury Video Presentation SeriesLetting Go of Unrealized Expectations to Empower Choice Video PresentationLetting Go of Unrealized Expectations to Empower ChoiceBackground Information Inspiring, “The Power of Creating New Neural Pathways and Brain Reorganization Power Point Presentation”The Power of Creating New Neural Pathways and Brain Reorganization Power Point PresentationBrain Injury, Suicide and Wishing We Were Never Born Video PresentationLetting Go of Things that I can Not Change, Opens Doors PosterCreating a Healthy Relationship with Hope Slideshow PresentationBrain Injury, Facing Denial and Creating Hope to Have a Good Life Part 2 Video PresentationBrain Injury, Facing Denial and Creating Hope to Have a Good Life Part 1 Video PresentationLearning to Live My Life Once Again With Hope Video PresentationNeuroplasticity, Small Successes and Learning/Relearning Skills and Skill Sets
Good job, Craig.
Lots to read and lots to think about.
Hope heals!
Thank you, Ken. I agree. Not a novel, but a platform to experience Hope after a brain injury.
Thank you for leaving a comment, Ken.
Have a great day.
Craiog