The 70/30 mindset.

There was a time when my life felt like a live-action nightmare. For a while, I believed recovery meant forcing myself to stay positive. I tried living at 50/50—half sadness, half happiness—telling myself everything would be okay. But if I'm honest, that version of hope felt forced. Today, I see recovery differently. I live by what I call the 70/30 mindset. Seventy percent is choosing gratitude, possibility, and moving forward.Thirty percent is honoring reality—recognizing pain, grief, disability, uncertainty, and everything that deserves to be felt. Because some things are worth crying about. The goal isn't pretending life is beautiful all the time. The goal is refusing to stay trapped in the hardest chapters forever. In this episode, I share how I learned to recognize both realities while rebuilding my life after brain surgery. I talk about the "glimmers" that slowly replaced survival mode, why I now call my disabilities my superpowers, and how learning to adapt taught me how to fly again. I also reflect on stepping into rooms filled with neuroscientists and medical professionals, giving presentations that once felt impossible, and discovering that asking questions became one of my greatest strengths—not my weakness. Recovery transformed me from an artist and photographer into a peer counselor, with a future devoted to neuroscience and building a stronger bridge between patients, survivors, families, and healthcare professionals. As I celebrate another birthday, I'm reminded that birthdays mean something different after you've worn a hospital gown. Sometimes celebration isn't luxury—it can be taking a walk, trying something new, helping another person, or just waking up grateful for another chance. If my recovery can make someone else's journey even 10% easier, then every difficult step has carried purpose. Thank you for walking this path with me, HVMMINGBYRDs. Your belief in this journey continues to remind me that brighter days are possible, even after the darkest seasons. RESOURCES: NAMI National Warmline Directory:NAMI Warmline Directory Website:988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline In this episode we explore:​ The 70/30 mindset for healing and resilience• Why toxic positivity never worked for me• Honoring grief without staying stuck• Finding "glimmers" after trauma• Turning disabilities into strengths• Brain injury recovery and identity• Becoming a peer counselor• My growing passion for neuroscience• Learning to speak with confidence• Celebrating life after surviving the unimaginable If this episode resonates with you, consider following the podcast and sharing it with someone navigating recovery, brain injury, stroke, trauma, disability, or their own journey of becoming.