I chose my health over the job I loved

BY: ALYSON ROGERS

For two and a half years, I worked at a social service agency for youth in Toronto.  I worked as part of a team to provide basic needs and case management to youth from diverse backgrounds.  Every day was different; on some, I ran workshops and danced to Drake in the girls’ dorms.  On others, I spent hours in an emergency room with survivors of human trafficking that had just escaped their exploiter.  Whether it was a day of fun or a day of crisis, I loved my job.

I loved my job so much that I was taking classes while working full time, with the goal of moving up within the agency.  My job combined my passion of working with young people, ability to respond to sexual violence, and knowledge of disabilities.  I loved my job so much that I worked through multiple concussions when I probably should have taken a leave of absence.  I loved my job, but two months ago, I abruptly quit.

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

My departure was shocking to my coworkers, the young people I worked with, and even to myself.  When people leave a social service job, they usually have something else lined up. I had no other job waiting for me, and it was not the time of year to be applying to master’s degree programs.  Quitting my job came down to a choice; my job or my health.  I chose my health.

In the span of a year and a half, I had four concussions at work. With new symptoms and challenges, this was the worst my brain injury health had been since my diffuse axonal injury in 2008. Even though I was able to do my job, I was on medication for the first time and felt like I was struggling to stay afloat in such a fast-paced and demanding work environment.

On top of what I was feeling physically, some of my coworkers didn’t take too kindly to the minimal accommodation (working day shifts) I needed.  My own disability began to discredit the knowledge I had of various disabilities that dated back to before I even I had a brain injury.  My goal was to move up within the agency, so I kept how much I was struggling to myself while sharing just enough to keep the accommodation I needed. It was a fine balance.

In the New Year, I took a short contract in another department; the work was similar, but I had the freedom to work at a pace that accommodated my brain injury needs.  A few weeks in, I saw a huge improvement in my health; I had fewer symptoms, felt less fatigued and was able to participate more in my life outside of work.  My contract ended early and I was expected to return to my previous position.  This also meant returning to brain injury symptoms.  I’d had a taste of a life that didn’t only consist of work and brain injury symptoms, and I wasn’t going back.

I got a doctor’s note, spoke to the appropriate external agency for support, and came up with my own ideas, but no further accommodations were available to me.  I always knew that the decisions I made as a Youth Worker could lead to repercussions, but I never thought my disability would be used to carry them out.  The writing was on the wall – I was done here.  As much as I loved my job, I loved my health more.

On the last day of my short contract, I packed up all my things with the help of a few friends and slipped out the back door. I knew I wouldn’t be back. A few days later, I quit from home by e-mail. I had previously booked a vacation that overlapped with my two-weeks’ notice, and used my sick days to cover the rest.

Everyone was surprised by my abrupt resignation because I loved my job so much, but was it really that abrupt? For over a year, I worked in an environment that simply tolerated my disability. When I spoke about anything, let alone disability, I was met with eye rolls, and a flood of unrelated and unfounded complaints were brought to my supervisor. The youth group I facilitated couldn’t get any support, but blossomed after I left. When I had a medical emergency and needed to go to the hospital, I was left on my own until a supportive co-worker found me. Two of my head injuries were caused by the same environmental factor that remained unchanged at the time of my resignation. Looking back, I should have quit much sooner.

I loved my job.  I miss the youth I worked with and the coworkers that supported me, but I have no regrets about resigning.  I thought picking between the job I loved and my health would be a hard decision when I was finally faced with it, but it wasn’t.

I can (and did) find another job, but I can’t find another brain so I need to keep this one as healthy as possible.

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Alyson is 26-years-old and acquired her first brain injury ten years ago. She graduated from Ryerson University and is a youth worker at a homeless shelter. In her spare time, Alyson enjoys writing, rollerblading and reading. Follow her on Twitter @arnr33 or on The Mighty.

 

Yoga Brain

BY: ALYSON ROGERS

Before my brain injury, I was convinced yoga wasn’t for me; I was a year-round athlete and long-distance running legs were not yoga legs in my mind.

After my brain injury, I was convinced yoga wasn’t for me; I went to a few classes and struggled to keep up and do the poses.  I usually left with a headache and feeling defeated.  Ten years and 6 concussions later, I practice yoga everyday – both on and off the mat.

In 2017, a bad concussion completely changed my lifestyle. In under a year, I went from an active person who went out for drinks with friends after work, to someone who stays home due to fatigue and symptoms; someone figuring out a new life on medication and alcohol-free.

I’d like to say there was some magical movie moment where I wandered into a yoga studio and found my place, but in reality, I dusted off the yoga mat I never got around to donating and rolled it out onto my living room floor because I had nothing else do to at home.  I remembered poses I had learned in classes and did simple stretches. I was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt afterwards and kept coming back to my mat. I’d found a practice that didn’t hurt my brain, but benefited it.

Fast forward to November 2018. I was searching Myrtle Beach for a yoga mat while I was on vacation because I couldn’t imagine going four days without one. Yoga had become a huge part of my life. I practiced at least 3 times a week, was seeing improvement in my flexibility, recognized how good yoga made my mind feel, developed an interest in spirituality, began exploring meditation, and was reading yoga books, including Yoga Girl by Rachel Brathen and Yoga Mind by Suzan Colón.

The physical and philosophical aspects of yoga did more than make me flexible and centre self-care in my life; it helped with my concussion symptoms and how I feel about having a disability.  After I started practicing yoga, I noticed improvements in my concentration, balance, spatial awareness and other physical symptoms. I also saw improvements in my mood and overall mental wellness. Learning about the philosophical tools of yoga allowed me to have a healthier and honest perspective of my current concussion issues, and having a brain injury in general. I’d found something that was both beneficial for me, and that I could do no matter what symptoms I was experiencing on a given day.

I’ve written about my brain injury for years and decided I would write about the benefits of yoga for brain injury in the hope of helping other survivors, but I didn’t. If I was going to do this, I would have to be honest about the emotional and mental symptoms of brain injury I had experienced; I was ready to write about it but not attach my name and face to it. Stigma lives on and it was staring me in the face; what if someone from my workplace saw it?  Would people think I’m “crazy”?  Would I be taken less seriously?

This is how Yoga Brain came to life on Instagram (@yogabrain).  I created an anonymous account to talk about yoga and brain injury. At first, I didn’t show my face in any photos; if someone I knew saw it, they would know it was me, so it stayed hidden for quite some time.  Slowly, I started to show me face, and 6 months after creating the account, I put my name on it.  The shame and embarrassment I felt about brain injury symptoms I had never talked about faded away, and I was ready to be a face for more than just physical brain injury symptoms.

Since creating Yoga Brain, I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of connecting with brain injury survivors, yogis, yoga teachers and organizations all over the world. I was invited to be a guest on the Concussion Talk podcast and have been featured by Can Recover, Beyond Concussion and Fierce Calm. Brain injury can feel like a lonely place, but by putting myself out there, I’ve learned from others and used my experience to support other survivors.  My posts document my yoga journey, brain injury journey, and my new life that includes travelling (something I never thought I’d do after my brain injury).

Yoga Brain and my love for yoga took me on a journey I never expected. I recently finished my 200-hours Yoga Teacher Training Certification…in California.  I’m not sure where this will take me next, but I can’t wait to find out.

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Alyson is 26-years-old and acquired her first brain injury ten years ago. She graduated from Ryerson University and is a youth worker at a homeless shelter. In her spare time, Alyson enjoys writing, rollerblading and reading. Follow her on Twitter @arnr33 or on The Mighty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 2019 Community Meeting: Vision Boards with Celia Missios

BY: JULIA RENAUD

I’ve been getting lots of good feedback about the Quick Facts section, so this month I am condensing the recap in hopes of better tailoring the article to the entire brain injury community. For this post, there is no need to scroll to the bottom of the article, just find the headings you like and read on! Also, don’t forget to let us know what you think!

Our inspiring speaker and leader of the evening, Celia Missios.

Rolling into a new year or season is exciting and can usher in endless possibilities. For BIST’s January Community Meeting, we got our creative juices flowing to make Vision Boards. Celia Missios, ABI survivor, BIST board member, and founder of  the self care website Reslientista, stopped by to teach us what vision boards are all about. 

Discovering the power of manifestation – Celia’s Story:

While recovering from her ABI, Celia was looking for something to do to bring meaning to her life. She discovered scrapbooking and decided to create a scrapbook of her own about where she wanted her life to go and what she wanted it to look like. A couple of years later, while looking through her scrapbook, to Celia’s surprise, she realized that the things she had included in her books were coming to fruition!

One of the many vision boards of the evening.

What’s a vision board? 

A collage of images, phrases, and quotes specifically made to help you manifest your life’s desires. They act as a reminder to envision your goals and take steps toward achieving them.

Why use one:

If you have dreams, goals, enjoy creative activities, or are interested in trying something new. If you like scrapbooking and/or motivational mind mapping, making a vision board is likely right up your alley.

Materials:

• A canvas or thick paper backing (even cereal box cardboard will do!)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Markers
• A few magazines or pictures

Steps for making your own:

1. Assemble all of your materials.
2. Decide on the type of vision board you’d like to make:

• Themed: Can help you hone in on a specific area of your life for a more focused manifestation. Examples: Nature, Career, Family, Travel, Design, etc.
• Life: A smattering of everything and anything that resonates with you!

3. Flip through magazines or browse the internet to find pictures, words, or quotes that you are drawn to.
4. Get cutting and gluing, arranging your chosen clippings in a way that is pleasing to you.
5. Make sure to leave a blank space somewhere on your board. Here you will write, ‘This or something better’
6. Once complete, look, appreciate, and become inspired!

One of the BIST members how to arrange their board.

Work together:

Making vision boards as a group activity is quite fun! Not only can it help save time, but if you are working on a themed board, you can make your theme known to the group so they can send found pictures, words, or quotes your way.

Three Steps to using your vision board:

Step 1:  LOOK! 

Hang or prop up your vision board someplace you will see it every day (think bedside table, beside your television or computer, or, if you’re anything like me, near your fridge!)

Step 2:  IMAGINE!

Spend a few moments every day looking at your vision board and imagineyourself experiencing all of the wonderful things on your board.

For example, if I have a picture of a person crossing the finish line of a race, I would envision running (or walking, or rolling – whichever suits you) toward the finish, and paying attention to how I feel while doing so.

Step 3: ACT!

Do something to align yourself with your vision.

Using the race example, I would go for a walk as a way of working toward my goal in hopes of manifesting the act of crossing the finish line.

Not feeling crafty? You could try this instead:

• Make a Vision Board on Pinterest!
• Prefer words to pictures? Make a word-only vision board by displaying words that resonate with you. Alternatively, write a vision journal where you describe what you would like more of in your life.

The BIST Social Learning Attendees holding up their (mostly) completed vision boards. Great work everyone!

My Experience:

I have been looking at my vision board every day since I have made it. It was really fun to make and I find it beautiful, inspiring to look at. While I’m still working on manifesting my dreams and desires, I’m definitely enjoying the process!

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Julia Renaud is a very talkative ABI survivor with a passion for learning new things, trying new activities, and meeting new people – all of which have led her to writing this column. When not chatting someone’s ear off, Julia can be found outside walking her dog while occasionally talking to him, of course!   

 

 

New Year’s Eve: midnight is past my bedtime

BY: ALYSON ROGERS

Statistically, the likelihood of me being up to ring in the New Year on January 1^st is slim. I can count on one hand the amount of nights I’ve been awake at midnight this year. I’d say for 360 out of 365 days in 2018, I was in bed and asleep before 12 a.m. hit.

Fatigue from a brain injury and the medication that can go with it aren’t exactly what I’m used to mixing on December 31^st, which is vanilla vodka and coca cola. Life changes, concussions happen and I’m no longer the life of the party that plays flip cup.

Last year, I spent my first New Year’s Eve at home and alone, a first for me. I’d always gone to parties, bars or a friend’s house to ring in the New Year – but last year was different – I’d had so many concussions with new symptoms that just the thought of staying up until midnight, let alone going out and being social, was exhausting. So I stayed home.

At first, I had a lot of negative thoughts towards myself. What 25-year-old stays home on New Years Eve? I logged onto Facebook and Instagram and saw everyone in their nice outfits at parties, and I felt jealous and embarrassed. Jealous, that I couldn’t participate in this holiday and embarrassed that I had no New Years Eve plans. I was prepared for a night of feeling down and mentally pictured answering the dreadful ‘What did you do for New Years?’ questions the next day, but that’s not what happened.

Instead of lining up at the LCBO and going through my closet to find an outfit, I started cleaning my apartment. I had gotten some home décor items for Christmas and wanted to set them up. After that, I ordered a pizza and watched a movie. Then, I lit some candles and put on my diffuser. By just being at home, I was able to think about 2017 and reflect on everything that had happened to me. I looked around at my freshly cleaned and decorated apartment and I felt content; I started to reflect on 2017 and all it had brought me and taken away as the result of concussions.

Around January 1^st, the phrase ‘new year, new me’ is very popular. It was a new year but I was still going to be the same me, with the same mystery brain injury symptoms.

By reflecting on 2017, I was hopeful that 2018 would be different, I would find out what was happening to my body and return to my former life.  It led me to write a post for The Mighty about the challenges I had experienced and despite such drastic changes, I still loved my brain. I compiled a list of all of the things I loved about my brain injury.  This was a hopeful turn in what would have been a very dark night.

New Years is drawing close again and it’s amazing what has changed this year. My brain continues to heal and I began medication to control my new and unwelcome physical symptoms. I also shifted my perspective in how I see my brain injury, I never returned to my former life but created a new one that I find joy in. This allowed me to go to New York and Myrtle Beach by myself. I ziplined, rode a bike and held a conversation without my eyes glazing over and so many other things that 2017 couldn’t give me.

My life has changed a lot in the past year but one thing won’t. I’ll be spending New Year’s Eve at home and by myself, but this time I’m happy about it.

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Alyson is 26-years-old and acquired her first brain injury ten years ago. She graduated from Ryerson University and is a youth worker at a homeless shelter. In her spare time, Alyson enjoys writing, rollerblading and reading. Follow her on Twitter @arnr33 or on The Mighty.

Improve Your Sleep Quality to Reduce Your Symptoms

BY: ALISON

Studies have long shown that sleep deprivation, especially when chronic, can have detrimental effects to our health.

Just to name a few, poor sleep quality can impair brain activity, cognitive function, decision-making, concentration, learning, memory, balance, coordination, and emotional state. It also increases the chance of being involved in an accident. 

All of these are common to the symptom profile of brain injury survivors. One of the most frustrating lingering effects from my concussion was disrupted sleep. At night, I had trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and entering deep sleep. I either felt like I was half awake or I’d have terrible and vivid nightmares.

PHOTO: burst.shopify.com via Pixels

During the day, I was beyond tired and frequently took long, restless naps. I thought that I would never get better until a simple change to my sleep schedule triggered drastic improvements across all of my symptoms.

A neuropsychologist was the first to suggest that I focus my efforts solely on waking up at the same time each morning. Coupled with avoiding napping, this reset my circadian rhythm (i.e. internal clock) and improved the quality of my sleep. The medical director of the sleep laboratory that I visited also recommended this approach. After adhering to the new routine for just a few days, my headaches lessened in frequency and severity, the brain fog lifted, my mood stabilized, and I was able to tolerate more stimulation. Instead of relying on pharmaceuticals, I have adopted the following strategies for sleeping problems to my lifestyle.

Guidelines for Optimizing Sleep Health

Reset your Circadian Rhythm

Our bodies were meant to sleep after sun set and to wake with the sun rise. In fact, the highest quality of sleep that you can have is before midnight. However, bright lights in large cities, sedentary lifestyles, and modern technology has resulted in bad sleep habits that disrupt our internal biological clocks. Here are different ways that you can reset your circadian rhythm.

Go camping for one week

Studies have shown that camping for at least one week can reset adults’ internal clocks.  This result was contributed to increased exposure to natural sunlight during the day and reduced exposure to artificial lights at night. That means that you don’t have to go camping to sync your body’s clock to nature’s light and dark cycle.  See other strategies below.

Set your alarm and wake up at the same time, every single day

Setting a daily routine will help your body shift its circadian rhythm. It is difficult to control when you fall asleep at night, so focus more on when you wake up. Be sure to get out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off. If desired, set your wake up time half an hour earlier every three to four weeks, until you’ve reached the ideal time for your lifestyle. Eventually, your body will be conditioned to naturally wake up at the same time. The remaining tips will help you fall asleep faster and will make getting out of bed easier.

Get exposure to sunlight

Get at least half an hour of sunlight during the day. According to my sleep clinic, this is most effective if done within 30 minutes of waking up.

PHOTO: NOAH ERICKSON VIA PIXELS

Don’t take naps!

If you must take a nap in the middle of the day, set an alarm and don’t nap for more than 20 minutes.

Avoid blue light before bedtime

Artificial lights and electronic devices emit blue wavelengths of light that suppress the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.³ Using a TV, computer, phone, or tablet within 1 hour before bed will make your brain think that it’s still day time and disrupt your circadian rhythm.

An extreme method

I stayed awake for 36 hours straight so that I would be sleepy enough to fall asleep at an appropriate hour on the second night. I then applied all of the other healthier techniques moving forward. My neuropsychologist said that this extreme method is not appropriate for everyone, so consult your doctor first.

Adjust your diet

Avoid caffeine after 10 am

An even better idea would be to give up caffeine altogether for at least four weeks. Keep in mind that caffeine may be hidden in foods and beverages other than coffee and tea. This includes chocolate (i.e. cocoa), soft drinks, energy waters or drinks, coffee or chocolate flavoured ice cream, medications, etc.

Avoid alcohol

Alcohol’s initial effects may make you feel sleepy, but it will actually wake you up in the middle of the night and/or decrease the quality of your sleep.

Don’t eat three hours before bedtime

You shouldn’t go to bed hungry either, so if you must eat before bed, choose healthy, light snacks and consume small portions.

Adjust your lifestyle

Regular physical activity, especially outdoors, will do wonders for your overall and sleep health. But if you exercise after 6 pm, it may end up stimulating instead of relaxing you.

PHOTO VIA RAWPIXEL.COM

Use your bed only for sleeping and sex

You don’t want to condition yourself to associate your bed with any activities other than sleeping. Also, if you’re unable to fall asleep or fall back asleep after 30 minutes, get out of bed and do something that is non-stimulating and does not involve electronic devices. When you feel sleepy, go back to bed and try again.

Don’t try too hard

When it’s time for bed, don’t try too hard to fall asleep. If you focus on the fact that you aren’t able to sleep, count the hours left in the night, or fixate on all of the things that you need to do the next day, stress and anxiety will prevent you from relaxing and will keep you awake even longer.

Inspect your bedroom

1. Ensure that your mattress has the right firmness for your comfort.
2. Ensure that your pillow supports your neck sufficiently.
3. Use blackout curtains in your bedroom.
4. Remove all artificial lights and electronic devices from your bedroom.

This will also prevent you from looking at the clock when you’re having trouble sleeping in the middle of the night. Checking the time when you can’t sleep can stress you out and keep you awake.

Ensure that the temperature is optimal

The optimal temperature for sleeping is different for everyone, but falls within the range of 62 to 72 degrees F.⁴ The bedroom should feel slightly cool and comfortable.

Create a bedtime routine and start getting ready 2 – 3 hours before bedtime

Take a hot bath or shower

Taking a nice hot bath or shower will relax you, but doing so within 2 hours prior to bedtime will keep you awake.

Write down your stressors and plans

As our bodies relax, our minds tend to wander and fixate on past mistakes, present stressors, and future plans. So 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, sit down with a pen and paper and write down your concerns, ideas, and to-do lists. Then set them aside so that you don’t have to worry about them until the next day.

Turn off lights and electronic devices before bedtime

At least 1 hour prior to bedtime, turn off all electronic devices. It is also preferable to turn off all of the lights. At the very least, dim the lights or use candlelight. Research also shows that wearing amber lenses in the evening can be effective at blocking blue light and improving sleep quality.⁵ Furthermore, keep all lights and devices turned off if you wake up in the middle of the night and are unable to fall back asleep. Just be very careful making your way to and using the bathroom in the dark.

Have a warm beverage

Drink a cup of warm milk before bed, because it contains tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes sleep. Alternatively, a naturopath recommended drinking a cup of herbal tea (e.g. chamomile flowers, lemon balm, or tulsi/holy basil) within 30 minutes to one hour before bed. If you are taking any medications, speak to your doctor and/or pharmacist to ensure that your herbal teas won’t interact with your drugs.

Take a magnesium supplement

Taking magnesium 30 minutes to one hour prior to bed may help with sleep disturbances. Consult your doctor and/or pharmacist to determine your proper dosage and to ensure that it won’t interact with any of your medications.

Wash your face and brush your teeth 1 hour prior to going to bed

Washing my face and brushing my teeth, especially when done with the lights on, tends to invigorate me, so I do these before I really start to wind down.

Engage in a relaxing activity

The goal of your night routine is to unwind your mind and relax your body before bedtime. Try a non-stimulating activity such as meditation, gentle yoga or stretching, colouring, or reading a boring book or magazine.

I still struggle with fatigue and sleep some days, but I’m confident that if I consistently practice these good habits, high quality sleep will soon come easily.

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Alison suffered a concussion in 2013 that completely changed her lifestyle. She is finding her way back to her old self and still loves traveling, dogs, cooking, and helping others. She hopes to help other brain injury survivors and their caregivers by sharing her experience and by spreading awareness.

 

 

References

Holzman DC. What’s in a Color? The Unique Human Health Effects of Blue Light.Environmental Health Perspectives. 2010;118(1):A22-

Burkhart K and Phelps JR. Amber lenses to block blue light and improve sleep: a randomized trial. Chronobiology International. 2009;26(8);1602-1612.

Planned structure: why it’s important post-ABI + 8 tips getting started

BY: CELIA M

One of the many things we lose during recovery from an ABI is structure in our day-to-day routines.

PHOTO: RESILIENTISTA.COM

While rehab and specialist appointments may maintain a facsimile of structure to your day or week, what are you doing with the rest of your time?  Have you fallen into a routine of sleeping the morning away, followed by an afternoon marathon of talk shows, soaps and game shows? Does your wardrobe consist of pajamas or sweat pants? By supper time do you start thinking about all the ‘things’ you should have done – only now you are beyond tired, and you remember you didn’t really eat anything (does a chocolate and left over pizza count?), and you’re now counting down the time until you move from your sofa to your bed – only to start the cycle again tomorrow? Unless of course there is a medical appointment you need to attend.

This type of day I call unplanned structure, in the early days of recovery you went from bed to medical/rehab appointments and back to bed, because that’s all your body and brain could handle. Over time, this became unplanned structure, as it was easier to do nothing than to think and make a decision about how you were going to carry out an activity, which may take more planning now than before you acquired a brain injury.

Know, I’m not judging. I‘ve lived this, but I’m here to let you in on a little secret – planned structure is key to getting back to adding more fun and enjoyment into your day.

For many people the word structure can conjure up visons of rigidity, being controlled, or being stuck in a boring routine. But structure can be a very powerful tool to help you get back to functioning on a regular basis and enjoying life. When you have structure in your life you know ‘what’s next’, which enables you to get on with your day. As ABI-survivors we can use up valuable energy trying to figure out what to do next. We might not do anything because we can’t decide or figure out what to do.

In the early years of recovery from ABI, I too was against structure, just ask my rehab girl Catherine. My reasoning was that I couldn’t predict what my energy level was going to be on any given day, so why plan anything? This left me doing nothing most of the time.

I also wanted to feel like I had control over my own day. Boy, was I wrong! When I finally gave planning structure a try – with the caveat that it was OK to re-schedule an activity if I didn’t have the energy for it (without guilt, or feeling like a failure) – it was such a liberating feeling!

Planned structure became my ticket to freedom, independence and a sense of accomplishment. Knowing what came next in my day helped reduce my daily struggle with anxiety and stress. I made sure there was always built in rest time between activities, and the more I repeated an activity on a regular basis the more it became a habit. My brain started to automatically know ‘what’s next’, and before I knew it I was doing my morning grooming without having to stop and think about it.

I’m not going to sugar coat it – it takes time, and some things will continue to need to be written down (that is a post for another day) but, know that each small step (no matter how trivial and small it may seem) will get you to where you want to be, living life to its fullest no matter what your new abilities may be.

When our food, exercise and sleep patterns are consistent our body and brain function better. This makes it possible to enjoy not only the tasks we need to do but to enjoy activities we like and try new activities too.

PHOTO:  QUOTE BY SHARIFAH NOR

Benefits of structure

• You know ‘what’s next’ and don’t waste energy thinking about what to do next
• You habituate a new task or behavior
• Automates activities in your day
• You feel more in control being able to enjoy  your day and your life

Eight tips that helped me add planned structure into my day that included activities to make my day and life more enjoyable: 

• A regular wake up time
• Morning rituals to prepare for the day ahead (showering, dressing, breakfast etc.)
• Fitness activities (walking, stretching, gym, yoga etc.)
• Meal times
• Leisure time (hobbies, ‘you’ time, a nap, etc.)
• Time with family and friends
• Evening rituals to prepare your mind and body for rest (unplug from computers, television 1-2 hours before your bedtime;  read a book, have a bath, meditate/pray, etc.)
• A regular bedtime

NOTE: there will be times where you will need to add your daily structured planned activities around your medical / rehab needs, and there will be times that you will be able to add your medical rehab appointments around the things you enjoy in life. With patience and time you will find balance between the two – this is when the magic of planned structure happens.

PHOTO: RESILIENTISTA.COM

Bonus Tips

• Allow for flexibility, especially on days you find your energy supply low
• Its ok to add/remove activities as your likes change
• Seek the help of a rehab team member, friend/family member, or psychologist in creating your daily structured plan if you are not sure how to get started.

Today, I have more enjoyment in my days and life in general because; I have created a daily structured plan that works for me.  I encourage you to give adding structure to your day a chance. And let’s not tell Catherine that she was right about structure, that will be our little secret. ☺

Celia is an ABI survivor who is dedicated to helping others move forward in their journey and live the life they dream of. She is the founder of the internationally read blog High Heeled Life – inspiration for living a luxurious and balanced life; featured author in Soulful Relationships part of the best-selling series Adventures in Manifesting; a Peer Mentor with BIST; a regular speaker for Canadian Blood Services – Speakers Bureau; Self-care advocate; Lifestyle writer/blogger.  In 2016 Celia launched the website Resilientista to inspire women to put themselves in their day, practice self-care on the daily and live their version of a High Heeled Life. Learn more about Celia and be inspired: visit http://www.HighHeeledLife.com or http://www.Resilientista.com

We love Celia! You can catch her at our next Community  Meeting on October 24th, where she’ll help us put inspiration into action at an Inspiration Board workshop

Coming back to BIST’s peer support program

BY: MARK KONING

I recently went through a re-training session to once again become a mentor in BIST’s peer support program. It felt good, returning to a cause that is both helpful and important.

After a two-year stint as a peer mentor, I needed a break. Now, a year and a half later, I am stepping up to the plate again and returning to the program. It feels like the right thing to do,  I have things to offer from my experiences both as a survivor, and as a caregiver of a brain injury survivor. The partners I was matched with in the past were pretty awesome and I think things worked out beautifully.

So why did I leave? Why turn away from something I enjoyed and I knew was making a difference? Because I needed to take action for myself.

We often think of ‘taking action‘ as doing something to benefit others or society as a whole. But I think we often forget to take care of our physical and mental health.

I know this is a difficult thing for me to do. As a survivor, the ABI I carry around like a shadow often makes me forget about self care. At the same time, I am fairly certain it is also my brain injury and experiences from it that have given me this type of feeling of social responsibility. This social responsibility is something I have heard other survivors experience as well. It is probably why most mentors are survivors.

Experience has taught me a lot, and I continue to grow and understand as I move forward. I cannot be afraid to take action and step back, especially when I am doing something such as mentoring, which affects others.

The BIST peer support program is a great thing to be involved in, but I think taking a leave (from anything really) can benefit ourselves and whatever it is we are doing. In this case, I think it can only make the program stronger in the long run if partnerships remain successful.

‘Taking action’, both inwardly and outwardly, is something that always needs to be considered. Because even if at first glance it may seem as though we’re moving backward,  if we are really cognizant of what we are doing, we are always moving forward.

Do you feel like it’s the right time for YOU to become a peer mentor?
We have a training happening this spring – ABI survivors and family members welcome!

For more information, contact our programs and services coordinator, Kat Powell at: connections@bist.ca or 647-990-1485.

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Mark’s passion to lend a helping hand, offer advice and give back has developed into a moral and social responsibility with the goal of sharing, inspiring and growing – for others as well as himself. His experience as a survivor, caregiver, mentor and writer has led to his credibility as an ABI Advocate and author of his life’s story, Challenging Barriers & Walking the Path. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Koning or go to www.markkoning.com