Last month marked my fourth stroke anniversary. I was extremely flattered, elated and, yet, really calm to reach that point. I had a quiet celebration of life with my tribe. 

Through a hell of a lot of work, I’ve gotten here– because I didn’t let anyone tell me that I couldn’t.  It leaves me wondering about our decisions… because we each have a choice to make…

To my friends, I always give the advice “Don’t be so hard on yourself!” or “Speak to yourself, the way that you would to a friend.” So why is it so hard for me to take my own advice? Why is it so hard to forgive ourselves?

Have you ever been so overwhelmed that you took refuge in a safe place?

I can remember those months, after surviving my stroke, as some of hardest, darkest days I have ever experienced in my life. To say the simplest of words cost me an extraordinary amount of effort. I would like to share with you these listening tools that enhanced my recovery, expedited it and made it more pleasurable.

From a stroke survivor’s tool box, written for you.

Scared because this world has shown me that it is a big, dark creepy place, one where bad things happen to unsuspecting people. I am not saying that this is a rational thought, but it is my fear, one which I try to manage every day.

With all of the mental tennis going on in my head, it strikes me that I have another few lessons to re-relearn.

3 Steps to finding your stroke-recovery mojo:

#1 Take a Break

#2 Reconnect with Your Goals

#3 Set Yourself up for a Win

It sounds simple, right? To put it into action, to get back your stroke-recovery mojo or to just get you re-focused on your path read along.

I wish someone had clued me in on these: 3 self-advocating TIPS on how to MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR STROKE RECOVERY. (Especially the first one.)

If I can give just a little advice for days when the world seems like your number one enemy, conspiring with your stroke, it’s this.

Go back to bed! But not before you have read this.

Your resilience, your stick-to-it-ness and your willingness all play a monumental part in your stroke recovery!

Read my three tips for you to survive a no good, rotten sort-of-a-day!

You might have never realised what it takes for someone suffering the results of a stroke to ‘fit-in’ with her normal life. Things which I could do automatically pre-stroke can cause a slight moment of panic for me now. Maybe you can identify with some of my stroke-isms… because, let’s face it, sometimes we all have strokey moments.

And other stories which I shouldn’t laugh about, but do.

When it comes down to it, there’s not much funny about the situation. I suffered a stroke after an internal carotid artery dissection.

But, I was one of the lucky ones. Surgery could fix me.