I will be discussing my experience of learning to accept who I became after my ruptured brain aneurysm. I will be talking about the challenges I faced and the lessons I learnt along the way. I hope that my story will inspire others who are facing similar challenges.
Prior to the brain aneurysm, I had never even considered the possibility of completely changing my life but I didn't get a choice. I had always wanted the simple pleasures of life; from a family weekend or a quiet walk to the beach, or just wondering around my neighborhood with friends. But I was ambitions for the future. I was successful and loved my job. I spent more time working than with my family. I was able to provide for my son, but, looking back I should have spent more time enjoying life.
Looking back, life was simpler then; I had never felt the need for any major changes. I certainly didn't consider the prospect of dealing with brain injury or the changes it would bring. I was content in the way things were; I never thought I needed to be anything other than what I was.
However, that all changed after the brain aneurysm. It was a long road to recovery. It was difficult accepting the person I became but, through it all, I began to feel good. For the first time in my life, I felt like I could do something more than what I had been doing before. I felt inspired and motivated to not only survive but to live my life to the fullest. It was a daunting prospect at first and I was filled with a mix of anticipation, excitement, and fear. But I listened to my heart and decided to follow my ambitious.
The hardest part about learning to live again was confronting my fear of acceptance. It was something I had never had to face before and even years after the brain aneurysm, it still proved to be a major obstacle. It wasn’t just the fear of not being accepted, but it was a fear of the unknown and the fear of failure. The fear of not being able to do something that I had dreamed of doing, not being able to control my own destiny.
The other difficulty I faced was finding a way to focus on who had believed in me and helped me to learn how to accept myself. After my brain aneurysm, I had to rebuild my confidence in order to fly again. Fortunately, I was able to find a supportive group who inspired me and reminded me that with the right amount of optimism and support, anything was possible.
Finally, I also had to accept the reality that I may not ever be able to succeed as well as I had before. Learning to accept life after a brain aneurysm was a new challenge, and I had to learn the necessary positive thoughts for achieving the goals I had set for myself. I had to accept that it would take time and dedication to reach the level of competency I desired. But I was ready to take on the challenge and I was determined to do whatever it took to fly again.
The most challenging thing since my brain aneurysm has been my struggle with anxiety. Throughout my journey of learning to fly again, I was often plagued by anxiety which made it difficult to focus and process what I was trying to achieve. Even though I had the mental capacity to understand what I was trying to plan my anxiety prevented me from processing the information. This made it hard to stay on track with my plans and to pick up where I left off after taking a break.
I also struggled with accepting my limitations and my changed abilities. I had to come to terms with the fact that I may not be able to reach the same levels of skill and potential that I once had. Instead, I had to begin from scratch and accept my slower learning pace. It has been tough to find comfort in not being able to reach the milestones I had before and to accept that my journey to becoming a blog writer would take longer. Despite these challenges, I have kept going and am proud of my progress so far.
The most rewarding thing since my brain aneurysm has been learning to live again. After almost five years of recovery, I was finally able to take up where I left off and get back in the cockpit. As I progressed in my life lessons I felt increasingly more capable and self-assured in my abilities. This feeling of accomplishment was incredible and pushed me to continue reaching my goals.
Alongside the physical gains, I have also seen mental growth when it comes to how I can cope with any setbacks I encounter. My brain aneurysm gave me a much deeper understanding of the incredibly important lesson that every setback is an opportunity to grow. Even though it is difficult to experience, this new insight has enabled me to be resilient and stay motivated in my goal to become a writer and to be able to support others that are going through traumatic brain aneurysms.
Learning to live again after my brain aneurysm has been my most rewarding experience. It has taught me the importance of resilience and the power of perseverance, and I am beyond grateful to have been given a second chance in life.
Learning to enjoy life again after my brain aneurysm is probably one of the best achievements of my life. It has taken a great deal of hard work and dedication, and I am so proud of how far I’ve come. It has not been an easy journey, but it has been one of extraordinary growth on both a physical and mental level.
By learning how to live again after a major setback, I have come to realise that we can always develop our skills and learn more about ourselves. It may sound clichéd but every setback does present a unique opportunity for growth, and being able to soar through the air reminds me of this every time.
The feeling of being able to fly is one that I can never express enough, and I encourage anyone and everyone to take on their own journey. You may not have wings, but with the right mindset and effort, anything is possible.