One difficulty that I personally have experienced following my brain injury is it can be hard to recognize Mental and Emotional progress during my recovery.
The physical aspect provides me with visibly tangible results overtime.
No matter how small after a certain period under most circumstances I experience more movement in limbs, higher responsiveness, better dexterity, improvements in weight regulation and cardiovascular health etc.
Although this plays a crucial role in self-preservation, social dynamics and basic functionality… my ability to even motivate myself to work towards this change comes from my mentality!
Everything that we do is dictated by our minds after all.
Although to recognize the changes in our mindset however can be very difficult.
Grief in particular is a universal experience and a very natural response to any significant loss real or envisioned, however the likelihood of us discussing our inner most feelings with others in modern day society can be minimal!
Even in circumstances where we do discuss our emotions, they can be a tailored and blanketed verbalization of what we truly feel based on our fears of acceptance or even our audience.
By journalizing we allow ourselves to compose a record of our raw emotional thoughts during this process without adjusting and structuring them knowing that we await feedback and acknowledgement from others.
So pick up an old diary, notebook, fill up your phone notes or even find an old travel journal your parents bought for you when you were 14 that you still haven’t used.. (my bad)
It allows you to say anything you want, whenever you want, however you want without the fear of judgement.
You can rant, rave, scream, swear and explore any feelings or beliefs you may have.
You can even illustrate them if you like, with varying displays of the male anatomies reflecting your frustration.
I know my brothers for example can be real “male reproductive organs” sometimes!
Through this form of expression we can go back and re-assess how we felt, thought and acted in a better light, allowing ourselves to realize just how far we have come in time.
So I encourage others to let out your inner author, allow yourself to be free of mental restraints, and even later if you feel confident enough why not share your experience for others to learn from too.
After all as alone as you might feel going through your experience, there is always someone out there who can relate and learn from your story.
Like I hope you can from mine.
besides…
It’s like writing a status on Facebook and then liking it yourself.
You know your guilty of it.
