My 2 ways of thinking that have really helped me on this journey and will probably help in every life situation.
Firstly, I want to point out that your life is your responsibility.
Your success is your responsibility.
Your failure is your responsibility.
Your reaction is your responsibility.
Your behavior is your responsibility.
It is not anyone else’s responsibility for how you choose to show up in this world.
Take responsibility and make a change!
Secondly, I want to remind you to be stubborn on your goal, but flexible on the journey.
Be willing to change direction and make difficult decisions.
No one's path to success is linear! Keep this in mind as you look at their highlights!
I run a metaphorical extra long marathon. I will finish as a winner!
My only goal in life right now is to recover 100%.
The difficult part about recovery, however, is that I exercise and go to physiotherapy and massage, etc., etc., and nothing changes - days-weeks-months. My body doesn't give me any signs that it is getting better… It's quite overwhelming. Makes you wonder if the body has really reached its limit and will not go any further?!
And that's why I have to do the things that make my heart beat faster. This is my way of taking control of my life. Yes, I had an hemorrhagic stroke, and yes, I have hemiparesis, but…
I went wakeboarding… Actually, I went to see the finals of the wake competition and say hello to friends I haven't seen since last year. Let it be said that this company is pushy, but in a very good way, and they want people around them to shine and develop. They know me well enough - through their own words: Karmel is a full on ‘send it’ type of person.
So I found myself standing there wearing neoprene costume and ready to wake! I put my right hand around the handle and said alright, let’s go! The cable started to move and my right hand was already loose… The question came to my mind that am I able to pull myself up with only my left hand and then I was already up! See the video 😉
Of course, on the turn, in the memory of old times, my friend shouted: Karmel, do the kicker! And the cable pulled me up from the water again. I stared at the kicker and thought: should i, should i not, should i, etc…
And when I got to the kicker, it was so natural for me to ride on it… Even though I was contemplating it, my subconscious had already decided that of course I will do the kicker! I didn't land it because the right leg is still very weak and the right hand is living its own life, so I can't use it for balance. But the fact that I did it, is awesome and made my heart pour over of happiness and love.
And if the goal is very clear to myself, and I stay on that path, despite the tears and setbacks, then things like that happen:
For example, how did I discover that I could raise my arm without gritting my teeth? I left my friends place and she thought that the sky was so beautiful that she had to take a picture. Then I raised my arms, knowing that I will be in the picture. No, this is not the moment when I realized that my body had started working more without my knowledge…
I got home and my friend had added the picture to the chat and when I looked at it, I was surprised that my hand was up in the air on the picture! Totally high up! Not only halfway up! And thinking back, I just raised my hand, I didn't have to go through much trouble for it. AND I DID IT WHEN WALKING! (You may think that what is so special there, but doing several things at once and controlling both movements at the same time, is a VERY big thing for me! But only a person who has been in such a situation will understand that.) I went straight to the mirror and I raised my hands in the air to see this sight with my own two eyes! 😁
And I have been going to the gym a lot. So much that my left muscles are sore. And on my right side, I doesn't feel much, but… I FEEL A LITTLE MUSCLE PAIN! Just in the glutes and front and back thighs! (Yes, I took a small goal from wakeboarding to get my right leg strong enough that I could land the kicker again).
Summary.
Us humans need a goal to strive for in order to function at our best.
Whether your goal is to get rid of an illness or climb the career ladder, etc.
Only YOU are responsible for your life! It's up to YOU whether you go uphill or downhill in life.
Set a goal and make a change! 😎