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.