How to Struggle Less and Adventure More š£ā”ļøāļø
I used to think that death was a bad thing.
Then I died. š
And I saw that death is just a transition that I chose not to take. š¼
I used to think that pain was a bad thing.
Then I came back to life with a beaten and battered brain and body. š¤
And my existence was painful af! Can you relate?
At the time, I was unable to eat, walk, or talk, my left hand was completely flexed inward, and I was breathing and receiving nutrition through tubes. š„
Before the accident, most of my free time was spent writing and playing music. šøš¶š
Now I couldnāt talk, let alone singā¦ and I couldn’t wrap my fingers around a guitar, let alone play. š
I remember looking at my unusable left hand, and thinking to myself that my life was overā¦ wishing that I hadnāt woken up toĀ sufferĀ this existence.
This feeling of pain and loss overwhelmed me. š¢
Then I looked around and saw my family and my friends and I began to think about the malleability of my perspective.
I began to look at my state as temporaryā¦ as part of the adventureā¦ and Adventures in Brain Injury was born. š¤āšŗ
What ifĀ strugglingĀ were optional… a choice?
What if the struggle was not in the experience of going through something difficult, but in the story I told myself about itā¦ theĀ dramaĀ that I attached to the experience. š¤
Salmon that have to swim upstream are not strugglingā¦ šĀ Ā
Trees that are growing in harsh environments are not strugglingā¦ š²
Bacteria that are exposed to antibiotics are not struggling. š¦
They do not tell themselvesĀ storiesĀ about their struggle to give it a deeper meaningā¦ that is what humans do.
We humans yearn to feel and to feel deeply.
To feel more intensely, we humans tellĀ stories… beautifulĀ stories… dramaticĀ storiesā¦Ā poeticĀ storiesā¦ painfulĀ stories.
In order for us to create feelings that are intensely good, the traditional story must precede with aĀ narrativeĀ that brings us feelings which are intensely painful. š
Often it is theĀ storyĀ that creates the struggle, the beauty, and the triumph.
The struggle is real because it is part of the storyā¦ The beauty is real because it is a part of the storyā¦ and the suffering is real because we make it real.
We are the author of our stories!Ā š
The experience is real, but the struggle is only as real as we make it.
We can choose to tell a story of struggle, or suffering, or pain; or we can tell a story of Adventure.
Wishing you a beautiful and adventurous week!
As always, stay empowered, my friends!Ā
You may also like
How to Modulate Pain
November 17, 2022
An Intro to the Neurology of Vision š§ š
February 9, 2022
