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USING MY VOICE
Looking back in order to look forward after a stroke
In May 2019, I was recovering from rotator cuff surgery when I had an unexpected stroke. As I continue to recover and learn to live with the challenges of aphasia and apraxia, I will share my story which usually requires me to look back at what happened so I can move forward. It is my hope that by sharing my experiences I can help other stroke survivors and their care partners and help them not only survive but THRIVE.
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Day 31: Continue to Live Well
🌟 Day 31 ✨ Affirmation: I will continue to grow, hope, and live well—one day at a time. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will carry forward one practice or mindset from this journey into the new year. 💭 Reflection: Reaching the end of this 31-day journey is truly something to celebrate. Living well doesn’t mean every day is easy—it means you keep showing up for yourself, even when it’s hard. You’ve built habits of hope, reflection, and connection. This isn’t the end; it’s a new begin
Cheryl
3 days ago1 min read
Day 30: Live Fully
🌞 Day 30 ✨ Affirmation: Each day offers me a chance to live with joy, purpose, and gratitude. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will do something that brings me joy—big or small—and be fully present in the moment. 💭 Reflection: Living fully isn’t about doing more—it’s about being more present, more open, more grateful. After my stroke, I realized that life’s richest moments often come in quiet ways: a walk outside, laughter with someone you love, or accomplishing something new. Living
Cheryl
4 days ago1 min read
Day 29: Your Story Matters
🌹 Day 29 ✨ Affirmation: My story matters, and sharing it can bring hope to others. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will open up about one part of my journey—through words, art, or simply a conversation. 💭 Reflection: Telling your story can feel vulnerable at first, but it’s also deeply freeing. When I began sharing about my recovery, I realized how much power there was in connection and honesty. Our stories remind others that they are not alone. Each time you share, you light a path
Cheryl
5 days ago1 min read
Day 28: Connection
🌸 Day 2 ✨ Affirmation: Connection keeps my spirit strong and my heart open. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will reach out to someone—a friend, family member, or support group—and let them know they matter to me. 💭 Reflection: Isolation can make recovery harder, but connection brings healing. Whether through a phone call, message, or simple smile, relationships remind us that we’re not alone. Community gives courage on the days when words are difficult. Staying connected means letti
Cheryl
6 days ago1 min read
27: Shine Your Light
💫 Day 27 ✨ Affirmation: My story has the power to inspire and bring hope to others. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will share something positive—my smile, my gratitude, or a story of strength—with someone else. 💭 Reflection: When we share our light, we remind others that healing is possible. I used to hesitate, unsure if my story mattered—but each time I spoke, someone would say, “That’s exactly how I feel.” Our experiences can guide and comfort others. Shining your light doesn’t
Cheryl
Jan 271 min read
26: Unique Journey
🌻 Day 26 ✨ Affirmation: My path is my own, and every step forward matters. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will look back at how far I’ve come and celebrate one small victory from my journey. 💭 Reflection: After my stroke, I often compared myself to who I was before—or to others moving faster. But every recovery is different. The moment I started honoring my pace, I began to feel proud again. Progress isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence. When we celebrate our journey, we
Cheryl
Jan 261 min read
Day 25: inner self
🌹 Day 25 ✨ Affirmation: Even when I am alone, I am whole and deeply connected to life. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will spend quiet time with myself — reading, listening to music, or simply resting — and treat it as nourishment, not isolation. 💭 Reflection: Loneliness after a stroke can feel heavy — like being surrounded by people yet still unseen. Over time, I learned to make peace with solitude, to see it as a place to reconnect with myself. Being alone became a time to reflec
Cheryl
Jan 251 min read
24 - Frustration
🌋 Day 24 ✨ Affirmation: It’s okay to feel angry — I’m learning to respond with calm and compassion. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will notice when frustration rises and choose one calming strategy that works for me — like pausing, walking away, or breathing. 💭 Reflection: Anger and frustration are real parts of recovery. I’ve learned that they don’t make me weak — they make me human. What matters is what I do next. Every time I pause instead of reacting, I grow stronger. Every tim
Cheryl
Jan 241 min read
23 - Breathe
🌼 Day 23 ✨ Affirmation: Each breath brings me back to peace and presence. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will pause and take three slow, mindful breaths whenever I feel overwhelmed. 💭 Reflection: Mindfulness taught me that even when I can’t control what’s happening around me, I can return to the moment I’m in. Breathing deeply helps calm the body and quiet the noise of frustration or fear. Every mindful breath is a reminder: I am here, I am safe, and I am doing the best I can. Heal
Cheryl
Jan 231 min read
Day 22: Rest is not a weakness
🪷 Day 22 ✨ Affirmation: Rest is not weakness — it’s part of healing. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will notice my body’s signals and give myself permission to pause when I need to. 💭 Reflection: Neurofatigue can be one of the most invisible and misunderstood challenges after stroke or brain injury. I used to push through exhaustion, thinking it was strength — but true strength is learning when to stop. Rest is a form of self-respect. Listening to our brains allows recovery to happ
Cheryl
Jan 221 min read
21 Acceptance
🌿 Day 21 – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) ✨ Affirmation: I can accept where I am and still move toward what matters. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will notice my thoughts and feelings without judgment — and take one small action toward my values. 💭 Reflection: ACT taught me that healing isn’t about pushing away pain — it’s about accepting it, making space for it, and choosing to move forward anyway. I learned that between a thought and a reaction, there’s a pause — a spac
Cheryl
Jan 221 min read
Day 20: Express Yourself Beyond Words
🎨 Day 20 ✨ Affirmation: Creativity helps me express what words cannot. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will use a creative outlet — drawing, writing, photography, or crafting — to share a feeling or story. 💭 Reflection: After my stroke, I discovered new ways to communicate — not just through speech, but through color, texture, and image. Creativity gave me freedom when words felt far away. Every painting, collage, or photograph became part of my voice. We all have a story to tell, a
Cheryl
Jan 221 min read
Songs
🎶 Day 19 ✨ Affirmation: Music reminds me how strong and alive I am inside. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will listen to one song that lifts my spirit or connects me to a special memory. 💭 Reflection: Certain songs seem to speak the words we can’t always say. During recovery, I found myself returning to songs that carried both my pain and my hope. They became companions — helping me cry, smile, and believe again. Music connects us to emotion, memory, and meaning. When words are lim
Cheryl
Jan 191 min read
Music as Medicine
🎵 Day 18 ✨ Affirmation: Music helps me heal, express, and reconnect with my voice. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will listen to or sing along with a favorite song — not for perfection, but for joy. 💭 Reflection: Music has a magic all its own. The rhythm, melody, and emotion reach parts of the brain that words can’t always touch. For me, music was both comfort and therapy — a way to speak without speaking. Even humming or tapping along builds connection and calm. Music reminds us t
Cheryl
Jan 181 min read
Learning
🌷 Day 17 ✨ Affirmation: I learn best when I’m doing something meaningful. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will turn an everyday activity — like cooking, crafting, or writing — into a chance to practice communication. 💭 Reflection: Therapy becomes more powerful when it connects to real life. Working on projects like a blog, recipe, or photo album gave me a purpose beyond exercises — it helped me find joy in progress. Every project tells a story of effort and creativity. When therapy
Cheryl
Jan 171 min read
Tools
🌼 Day 16 ✨ Affirmation: I can make communication easier with the tools that work best for me. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will use one tool — like a notebook, alphabet board, or photo card — to help express my thoughts. 💭 Reflection: Sometimes, simple tools make the biggest difference. I remember using a small whiteboard early in recovery — it felt like my lifeline to the world. Low-tech doesn’t mean low value. Whether it’s pointing, writing, or using a picture, these aids bridg
Cheryl
Jan 161 min read
Communication Tools
🌻 Day 15 ✨ Affirmation: I use every tool available to help me express myself. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will try one communication strategy or device that makes speaking or writing easier. 💭 Reflection: There’s no “one right way” to communicate — what matters is being understood. Using tools like writing, pictures, apps, or gestures isn’t cheating; it’s smart communication. Every aid gives us more freedom to connect and share our voice.The goal isn’t to speak perfectly — it’s
Cheryl
Jan 161 min read
Practice and Grow
🌸 Day 14 ✨ Affirmation: Everyday moments are opportunities to practice and grow. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will use something I learned in therapy (speech or mental)— a word, sound, or strategy — in my regular activities. 💭 Reflection: Therapy isn’t just what happens during an appointment — it’s what we carry into our daily lives. Speaking slowly, practicing sounds, or using gestures during real-life conversations helps progress stick. Remembering to breathe when a word excape
Cheryl
Jan 141 min read
Managing Frustration
🌿 Day 13 ✨ Affirmation: I stay calm and patient, even when communication feels hard. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will take a deep breath before responding when I feel misunderstood. 💭 Reflection: Frustration is a natural part of recovery — especially in conversations where words don’t flow the way they used to. I’ve learned that it’s okay to pause, breathe, and take a moment before reacting. Calm doesn’t always come easily, but with mindfulness, it becomes possible. Each time we
Cheryl
Jan 131 min read
Advocating for Others
🌺 Day 12 ✨ Affirmation: My story and my voice can help others find their strength. 🌱 Intention: Today, I will speak up — for myself or for someone who hasn’t found their voice yet. 💭 Reflection: At first, I didn’t see myself as an advocate. I was just sharing what I’d learned, hoping it might help someone else. But that’s where advocacy begins — in small acts of honesty and courage. When we speak out, we give others permission to believe in themselves too.You never know w
Cheryl
Jan 121 min read
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