Thank you Dr. Cheung, my mentor, for advising that I focus on what I have, rather than what I don’t. She continually promotes the health of my spirit. Gratitude, studies have shown, uplifts our souls/spirits (1 in the same, from my perspective). I’ve certainly illustrated for readers of my profound & prolific losses, as well as the resulting sorrows which were experienced & still are, to a far lesser degree, as a result of incurring my Severe TBI.
My present mental hardships, as I’ve relayed specifically, in past blogs, are consistently lessening with time. Pre TBI, I only experienced a minutia of difficulties, infrequently. As a result, the extreme initial severity of them, were shocking and devastating to me. Perspective as well as mindfulness have granted me acceptance of what is & gratitude of my fortunate circumstances, both pre-TBI & post.
My mental hardships have been relatively fleeting (a few years vs. lifelong) as opposed to the truth for the vast majority of survivors that incurred Severe TBIs. For instance: The all-encompassing depression I had for years, began lifting grandly a year & a half ago. Like all else, it continues to lift in bits, with time. Similarly fortunately, I haven’t experience any trouble with my vision or my auditory functions, as many survivors do.
I was & am engulfed by profound goodness, LOVE of all varieties: people, opportunities, environments…This is what I focused on, pre TBI. Hence my lifelong adoration and practice of mindful living. The more aware I am of the beauty within life, the more joyful I’m enabled to be!
Before incurring this Severe TBI, I was used to nearly solely focusing on the abundance available to me: where opportunities for growth lay, in order that I could seize them! I’d long ago accepted what I didn’t have. I rarely allowed my happiness to dwindle as a result, in any long-standing way.
The loved ones in my life (of many varieties) are assisting me currently in reclaiming the profound love of life I previously held.
None of my losses are ever-present (aside from 3 ribs & a spleen = all of which are unnecessary to live a healthful & joyful life, currently). That truth is what I need to keep in mind, in order to change my attitude & strengthen my motivation (still!). It’ll no longer serve me to morn. Instead I must continue to revel in the joy that ever-is in life.
I am monstrously thankful that my quality of character remains. Though my actions in the last few years, have infrequently, given a very different impression to some of my loved ones. I will state, yet again, that I’m ridiculously fortunate, to know the beautiful souls that I do.
My psychiatrist tells me that the vast majority of survivors of moderate, Severe or Critical TBIs experience a tremendous loss of friends. *some* of my friends and I have built imperishable love. Now provenly so! Despite needed clarifications (thank goodness that’s a forte of mine) and ample understanding, we remain loyal to each-other. That’s, without a doubt, enabling my reclamation of a quality life.