FEATURED IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A picture of a woman drinking coffee in bed. The focus is of her hand holding a cup of black coffee. She has a notebook on her lap with handwriting. A grey duvet is covering part of her leg and there is a window in the background.
BY: FRANCE THERIAULT
When the unexpected knocks at your door and suddenly you hear from the distance the words echoing ‘Traumatic Brain Injury’, you may wonder what will happen with you? What happened to you?
My advice, my lovely, is the following:
Be patient when you are becoming someone you haven’t been before.
Developing patience will be rigorous, and, I am sorry to tell you, you will need to create a great deal of it. When I was going through this, I needed to tap in a reservoir of attributes I wasn’t aware I possessed. Patience, courage, resilience, faith, hope, determination and many more characteristics emerged as I navigated the ebbs and flows of this invisible injury in 2013.
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Text box reads, ‘be patient when you’re becoming someone you haven’t been before’
The unknown: everything appears different, distorted, raw, fragile and unstable. The invitation is to embrace the unknown, after all, resisting or avoiding this new reality will only delay the truth.
Waiting: waiting for something to emerge, waiting for something different, waiting for something better or waiting for something that will last longer and hopefully permanently now that I am exhausted by all the effort required to arrive where I am now. It seems I have been waiting forever!
Surrendering: I know it hurts, and it’s certainly not what I have envisioned at the beginning of this new journey. I didn’t really want to surrender, however if I wanted JOY to come along with me I arrive at the conclusion that surrendering to this new reality will allow me to co-create something I can embrace more openly.
Allowing, accepting, trusting are all welcome guests in this transformative process..
I feel I have used an unlimited amount of patience over the last 10 years.
More is needed, I can be more patient, I know I can, and you can too.
The unveiling isn’t now, it’s getting closer, I feel it.
Becoming someone I haven’t been before is exhausting at times, it can also be exhilarating or unnerving with so many possibilities. Think about what you want life to look like and continue to move forward at your own rhythm.
I gave and still give myself permission to idle, to move forward or to step back so I can find my focus.
My intention is always to become a better version of myself, polishing my prickly edges, aiming to soften and melt my sensitive 
Small steps my lovely.
One day at a time.
Just remember to be patient when you are becoming someone you haven’t been before.
Follow France on Instagram at Standingbyyourside65 where she shares stories, insights of living a beautiful life and meaningful life nine years after having a traumatic brain injury from a cycling accident.