Words taken from a page at:
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Curiosity
Approaching life with a curious mentality can be helpful in difficult situations.
For example, if someone treats us badly or reacts in a way we were not expecting, stopping to think about why could be useful.
Not only will it help us see things from their perspective, but it turns us into an observer of the problem rather than a participant.
Taking this step back from the problem itself can help us feel calmer.
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Compassion
It can be much harder to show the same compassion to ourselves as we do to other people.
We’re often much more critical of ourselves, particularly in tough situations, but this just makes a difficult time feel worse.
The mindful way is to meet life’s challenges with an element of self-compassion, rather than passing judgment on yourself.
When you next face something difficult or disappointing, run through some of these phrases in your head:
“I’m okay.”
“I can handle this.”
“I’m doing my best.”
“One setback does not mean I will fail.”
“I do not need to be perfect.”
“I can have limitations.”
At first you will have to make a real effort to do this but, over time, it should become more natural.
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Calm centre
Like being curious, developing a calm centre is about standing back from things to gain perspective.
Try thinking of yourself as viewing a difficult situation through a telescope: a step removed and standing at a distance from the stress.
This can help you feel like you are in a calmer, more centred place and give you the space you need to respond in a considered way, rather than reacting with raw emotions.
We each have our own way of facing the future after stroke.
For me the web page I linked to above has some interesting and practical things to view and do.
I hope sharing these words can be useful to others.
keep on keepin on
