The Transformative Power of Hope
Hanna's Close, Northern Ireland
“Hope is not business as usual. It is transformational. It is re-orienting to a new star.”
~Jan Phillips
The Protector of Potential
I have written about the importance of remaining hopeful when recovering from a brain injury before. Hope is everything. Author and spiritual guru, Jan Phillips says that hope is the protector of potential. When I set out to write my book, Out of the Rabbit Hole, my intention was simple and straight forward – to describe my physical recovery from a brain injury. I expected that I would be symptom-free by the time I finished writing the final chapter. That was supposed to be the happy ending. However, I came to realize that healing and symptom free are two different things. As I continued writing about my years of recovery, I realized a transformation was taking place. My soul was healing. Hope continues to be the instrument that has allowed both the healing and transformation to happen.
Renewal
It was through the struggle to remain hopeful that I found a renewal of spirit, transformation. Years of brain injury recovery made hope seem elusive. I had to use new strategies to find it. Hope takes effort. Morning meditation, walks in nature, tai chi, yoga, and prayer are all practices that continue to renew and refresh me daily. Although I am mostly symptom free now, these hope strategies remain an important part of my daily practice and bring me much joy. Find the hope strategies that work for you.
A New Star
When I retired from a career that I loved, I felt I had lost my purpose. I didn’t know who I was anymore if I was no longer an elementary school principal. I didn’t know how the Universe would be able to use me with my injured and altered brain. But I found a way to meld my education experience and brain injury journey. Through my book and advocacy work with the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska I have found a way to serve others. My purpose in life remains what it always has been, to be a force for good in this broken world. I just needed to re-orient to a new star. Hope transformed me and was my light in the darkness. Always look for the light my friends.
Peace,
Sharon
