Concussions and Lawn Chairs

Can you believe that it's been 365 days since my concussion? To mark this milestone, I celebrated with a day at the spa courtesy of a couple of my girlfriends (I'm so blessed) followed by ice cream cake and sparkling apple juice!!!! I know some may find it surprising that I am celebrating the occasion, but I decided a few months back that this is how I should and would approach the day.  Instead of focusing on how difficult this year has been and everything I've lost, I have chosen to celebrate the things I've learnt and how I've grown. (Plus, the spa and cake? Why wouldn't I do that?!) What's in my toolkit? I've compiled the following list of the top 5 skills/tools that I have acquired through my experiences this last year.  I have learnt to: 1. Let things go and accept the things that I cannot change 2. See setbacks and disappointment as opportunities for growth and learning 3. Be grateful even when it feels like nothing is going my way 4. Deal with s...

"What are you most passionate about? Why?" Around five years ago, my girlfriends signed me up for the online dating website eHarmony. This is the first question you need to answer on your profile and it's the first response any of your matches see.  I hated the question. (I know hate is a strong word, but I really did hate the query.)  I remember looking through the eHarmony advice section (yes, this is a thing) on how to complete this part of the questionnaire. A quick google search and I was surprised to see the article Answering the "Passion" Question is still online.  The columnist believed that the question could also be phrased as " what  thrills you above and beyond pleasurable instinctual drives like eating, sleeping, and procreating? " She went on to say that it  could " be broken down into components of “topic,” “object,” “action,” “skill set,” “outcome” and “purpose"... [and] including a mixture of these components in you...

I had a difficult  Saturday night . I was sad and emotional, very very sad and very very emotional. The upside? I learnt some valuable life lessons . (In case you haven't noticed, my life is turning into an after school special, but a Canadian one with dismal ratings, poor acting and terrible camera work.)   I know you are dying to hear what happened, so here's the gist: I went to an engagement party for one of my closest friends. The event had all the ingredients -- great food, music, bubbly, wine, love -- to make a fun happy nostalgic event and one I would have thoroughly enjoyed pre concussion. Don't get me wrong, I have always been socially awkward, but I used to own it. I loved celebrating, mingling, meeting new people, catching up with old friends, and drinking wine. So naturally, I walked into the party confident and excited. Have you ever watched the movie Inside Out ? If not, you need to! The movie takes place in the mind of a young girl named Riley wher...