Mindset refers to our state of mind, the way we think and feel and how this influences our behavior. Our mindset is our attitude that affects how we perceive the world. Positive mindset or positive mental attitude means being optimistic about the world around us and expecting good things will happen to us. In contrast, a negative mindset or negative attitude indicates that you expect bad things to happen and we struggle to perceive the world in a positive way.
Thinking positive after a brain injury such as stroke can support healing and fight depression and anxiety and allows us to build up healthy coping skills. It also strengthen our immunity and help us fight with illnesses. How did I know? Because I went through deep depression and anxiety after my stroke. I was taking medication and had to see a mental health counselor for 1 year to get help and change my negative mindset.
After my stroke I was always scared. I always expect bad things to happen to me if I do this and do that. I don't go out and I avoid people like friends and family. My doctors and therapists will tell me it's a normal feeling because my brain just went through a traumatic event. So, what's "trauma"? According to Cambridge Dictionary it refers to a severe emotional shock and pain caused by an upsetting experience. A normal reaction to an abnormal situation. According to Peter Levine an American psychiatrist, it's feeing like end of the world. Trauma diminishes our ability to manage problems we faced, causing total breakdown.
One of the many things I learned during my 3 years and 9 months journey as a stroke survivor is the importance of having a positive attitude. Although I struggled being positive during the first year but I learn so much from it. I learn that being positive doesn't mean you don't have negative thoughts sometimes but you don't let the negative things control your life. I learn that having a negative mindset can hold us back from achieving our goals because we are essentially setting ourselves up for failure. I learn to accept that things won't always go our way but when things go wrong, I can bounce back. And I should not let it stop me from achieving my recovery goals. I learn to focus on the good.
To achieve a positive mindset I try to start my day with a positive affirmation. And I started a routine to provide myself with an automatic way to begin a positive behavior. One of my favorites is my daily mindfulness meditation. It helps me to learn how to slow down my racing thoughts, let go of negativity, and calm both my mind and body. I also have daily routine exercises to achieve gains in limb movement and function that works for me.
Stroke recovery can be a lifelong process but having a positive attitude and a strong will to get better can be helpful to our recovery. It helped me and it give me my life back. So stay positive and never give up and know that there's always a way to pick up the broken pieces and discover the joy of living a new life. We just have to learn to embrace it in a positive way.
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