It drove me nuts when my therapist frequently reminded me that “pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice”. I was in deep and couldn’t fathom how it was possible to exist in such a limited way, surrounded by loss, and not suffer miserably. 

Eventually I realized how detrimental loss of control over my life had been and made the choice to take back some power. I couldn’t heal my brain or stop going to mandated appointments, but I could control my mindset. I began following high performance coaches, agreed to yoga therapy (intended for physical injuries yet impacted my mindset more), only consumed media that supported my growth, used daily affirmations, learned to set boundaries and much more. Gratitude flowed to me after tiny wins, despite remaining in a sea of uncertainty. 

With conscious practices taking up space in my slow brain, my focus shifted away from obsessing over time. And as time passed, my brain continued healing. Pain does not necessitate suffering… such a humbling life lesson.