By Desirée Gagné, MA, OTR/L
During a recent stroke support group meeting at Rehability, a member shared a
powerful story that we thought could benefit everyone. Reflecting on the positive
aspects of your life, no matter how small they may seem, can aid in mental and
emotional well-being. Highlighting positive aspects fosters
resilience. Gratitude allows for a shift in perspective and what can be achieved. It
enables individuals to focus on what they can do rather than what they can’t.
This is her story…
“Greater than 10 years ago, a friend of mine went through a horrible divorce. That
September, she did 30 days of gratitude. I enjoyed her posts so much that I made a
New Year’s resolution – the upcoming January I would do 31 days. I do not go on
Facebook every day so that was a challenge, but I did it. It was such a soul-cleansing
experience; I changed my resolution to every January I would do 31 days of
gratitude. It’s been over 10 years now and it’s the only New Year’s resolution I have
stuck with.
Days of Gratitude: Each day you either post on Facebook, or other similar social
media or write down what you are grateful for that day. No day of gratitude can be
repeated. It can be anything you are grateful for.
In October I was struggling after a follow-up visit so I finished out October with 12
days of gratitude about strokes. At first, I thought there was nothing about a
stroke to be grateful for. These 12 days required some real soul-searching.
By day 12, I was back to myself again. I hope that sharing my story with others will benefit them as much as it has me.”
Expressing gratitude after an injury, medical procedure, or medical event can be
heartfelt and empowering. You might consider expressing your gratitude in the
following ways:
- **Thankfulness for Support: ** Thank those who have been there for you
during your recovery. This could be family, friends, healthcare professionals, or
even colleagues who’ve shown support. - **Acknowledgment of Assistance: ** Recognize the efforts people have
made to assist you during your recovery. This could be practical help, emotional
support, or even just being there to listen. - **Appreciation for Lessons Learned: ** Express gratitude for the lessons
this injury might have taught you. It could be resilience, patience, the importance
of self-care, or the value of a supportive community. - **Gratefulness for Progress: ** Reflect on and express gratitude for the
progress you’ve made in your recovery journey, no matter how small. This could be
improvements in mobility, mental resilience, or any positive aspect you’ve
experienced. - **Thankfulness for Perspective: ** Sometimes, an injury can shift our
perspective. Express gratitude for newfound perspectives, priorities, or a deeper
understanding of yourself and others.
Expressing gratitude in the new year is a wonderful way to start fresh and spread
positivity. Starting the new year with gratitude sets a positive tone and invites more
good things in. It’s a beautiful way to acknowledge the support and experiences of
the past while embracing the opportunities of the future. Acknowledging the
blessings and expressing gratitude can be uplifting for both you and those around
you.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life; it turns what we have into enough and more. It
turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity… it turns a meal into
a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our
past brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
Rehability offers the following support groups, open to stroke
survivors and those dealing with the day-to-day challenges of
Parkinson’s, as well as their family members and caregivers.
- STROKE OF HOPE – Stroke Support Group meets the first
Tuesday of every month from 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM - NEXT STEPS – Parkinson’s Support Group meets the first
Wednesday of every month from 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Contact Rehability, in Spring Hill, FL at 352-701-0494 or visit
https://rehabilitygroup.com/ for more information and to register.