Serenity is directly tied to how I relate to my life as it is, and not as I try to make it. When my expectations don’t match reality, that gap creates frustration and anxiety. For me, serenity comes from accepting what is, even when it’s not how I want it. I don’t lower my expectations for my life, but I do adjust them to consider my chronic pain and disability.

Through sobriety, I’ve learned that expectations can be thought of as premeditated disappointments. Acceptance, on the other hand, helps me to say, “Okay, this is happening today… now what?” That shift allows me to respond instead of resist. I define serenity as a moment when nothing is wrong—not because everything is perfect, but because I’ve stopped arguing with myself.

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Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist, viewed loneliness as being misunderstood. In stroke recovery, I’ve experienced a loneliness that feels like not being fully seen, even when surrounded by people. When others can’t quite hear the effort it takes for me to think through a sentence or find the right words, it creates a subtle disconnection.

We all know that connection is dependent on communication, but I’d not fully considered that loneliness results from others not understanding what we are trying to communicate or can’t say at all. Whether it’s sobriety, chronic illness, or any invisible illness, we heal when we find people like us who truly get it. Seek relationships where you can be honest about your challenges and don’t have to edit your authenicity.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779

Visit my Etsy shop, and join my creative journey at Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

#strokerecovery #stroke #vestibularrecovery #recovery #vestibular #disability #soberlife #recoverypodcast

I have intense internal pressure to do things even when I know it will cost me physically. Inspired by a conversation with my psychiatrist, I used an emotion color wheel to slow down and name what’s underneath that pressure. The emotions, like fear, guilt, sadness, anxiety, and even grief over who I used to be, play a huge role in my daily decisions. It helps to identify those emotions and separate what I feel from reality.

The worst thing that can happen is nothing. The things that matter the most to me, no one else can see. There are no disasters or collapse of society when Rachel crawls into bed to rest. I need to listen to my body instead of the urgency and pressure in my mind. I’m still learning the honest way to live within my limits, care for myself without guilt, and realize that protecting my wellness is the part that no one else can see but me.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779

Visit my Etsy shop, and join my creative journey at Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

#strokerecovery #stroke #vestibularrecovery #recovery #vestibular #disability #soberlife #recoverypodcast