Celebrating Every Victory

Even in pain, there can be purpose – a lesson we can use to turn our setback into a success story. Journaling can help us zero-in on our victories, even as we walk through the healing process.

As you might now know, I recently experienced a little setback called conversion disorder. This “setback” involved temporary paralysis, and I became distraught as neurologists initially struggled to diagnose my condition. Upon learning the reason behind my sudden limitations – stress, shock, and anger – I came to the conclusion that my feelings were running the show. How did I change my feelings? I changed them with a bit of wizardry that involved the re-evaluation of my thought process. I journaled gratitude lists, positive affirmations, uplifting quotes….and most importantly, I jotted down my victories, no matter how small. I also looked for the purpose behind the pain – the lesson, if you will. It was simple. I needed to balance out the stress in my life with vanilla latte face masks, sunny mornings by the pool, and Cary Grant movie nights. I needed to voice my displeasure rather than letting my anger simmer, unchecked. I needed to find the silver linings in otherwise unpleasant circumstance. And as I flipped the neurological switch from negative to positive, I began to take my first steps as a new woman.

My Wins:

• Started a small business
• Created a new product line to sell in stores
• Wrote a motivational (unpublished) book
• Gained upper body strength
• Recorded and published a podcast on Spotify
• Learned about stress management
• Began a healthy diet
• Took my first steps without assistance