So you've had a stroke. I understand what you are going through. I had one a few years ago. I know you are beginning to realize how different things will be for you. You are trying to wrap your arms around this sudden change in your life. You have a lot of questions. The good news is this stroke also gives you a unique gift. You have a do-over. Yes a do-over. What will you do next?
I was a recently a guest on a television show talking about the inspirational story of my stroke and recovery. The host asked me this very interesting question. He said, you have a do-over, so what are you going to do next?
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As a telecom analyst I had done countless interviews with reporters over the last 20 years, however this was the most interesting question I had been asked in ages. What will I do next? I didn't have an answer, but it started me thinking and that put me on the right path once again. The stroke knocked me off that path several years ago. Now, for the first time in years, I am back.
Depression is normal after a stroke. However after you get through with your after-stroke-depression you have this same big question to answer too. You may not be able to "or want to" do the same thing you did before. However you still have to work. So what will you do next?
The stroke threw you off your horse. Recovery takes a while to get your mind sorted out. Then a while longer to deal with the depression, which is also natural. Then at some point a few years later we realize we have to take charge of our lives. We have to shake off the depression and start to build our lives once again.
Finally reaching that place is a wonderful experience. All of a sudden doors open. It's like opening the shutters on the windows of your house and letting the fresh air and sunshine in. It's incredible. You'll see. You just turned the page on the next chapter in your life. Once there, we are all in the same spot. We have a do-over. Give serious thought to the question, what are you going to do with the rest of your life? This is a pretty exciting question. It gets your skin twitching and your heart pumping again. It's wonderful.
Start at the top of your funnel. The wide-open end where all the ideas swirl together. Then as the next several weeks and months go by you find yourself working your way down through the funnel. Leaving certain ideas behind because they seem less interesting and pursuing other ideas. There are way too many different ideas at this point, but this is all part of the process. Research on the web, read articles and books, talk to everyone, keep your mind open. Before you know it you have worked your way down to the narrow opening at the bottom of your funnel. That's when a few interesting ideas drip out. Start working on one. You may find that after working on it, that it changes over time. As you learn, you realize there are bigger and maybe better opportunities ahead if you take a right instead of left. This is the exciting journey you are now on. Trust me when I tell you it is very good to have a purpose once again. It's a new lease on life. You will think the days are brighter ahead, and they are.
Let's face it, a stroke is a pain in the neck. It took the wind out of our sails. It threw us off the horse for several years. Depression made it worse and last longer. It was natural because we could not do anything for so long. After a while however we begin to heal and realize that depression is holding us back. Something happens to each of us that snaps us out of this low place and sets our feet back on the healthy path once again. Once we realize all this, and once we start living again, our lives can be bright and full and happy once again. We finally get to the point where we say we won't let depression steal any more time from us. The future is ours. Once we get to that point we start wondering what is next. Maybe we can go back to doing what we did before. However you may find that your tastes have changed. You may find that you are no longer as interested in what you did anymore.
So explore this question... what is next? It may be the starting point of the next, happy and satisfying chapter of your life.
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