…I hear everything you’re telling me, I know it’s hard, but what can you do about it now?  I want to SCREAM (if there is a real way to scream in a chat room)  So I’m here online in a chat room for TBI survivors trying to give off some positive vibes, but some people just like to dwell on the fact that it is hard, that things are not right in life.  GOOD MORNING, THINGS ARE NOT RIGHT IN LIFE! Get over it…learn acceptance and what you have the ability to do about it now- please don’t just sit there feeling sorry for yourself– please do something-ANYTHING about it/ with it/to it…YOU still have the power to change anything you want to change…it’s all about what we sit here so long trying to contemplate– ITS ALL ABOUT YOUR STATE OF MIND!

This is exactly what turned me off to support groups during my rehab in 1998.  I found that the groups were a bunch of people sitting in a circle complaining about their conditions.  Saying nothing positive and leaving the group feeling even lower and more bummed out than before you came.

This is exactly the reason that I like the TBI support group at Fairfax Hospital.  This group has speakers most months, and on other months we go around the room discussing some of the problems we’re experiencing with others giving suggestions and spreading positive outlooks.  This group actually accomplishes something.  And I feel like I belong there.  There are others like me, people who look totally fine on the outside, but have/are experiencing some problems, and having to go to appointments and rehabilitation.  If we can ever find some free time in our busy schedules (I’m mainly talking about others, not me) or plan ahead of time we can get together for a doggie’s birthday party, or a yoga session once in a while.

My friend Lori reminds me though that people are busy, everyone has their own grown up lives, and the day to day events get in the way of socializing.  Not everyone has as much free time as I do.

Friends, now that we are out of school, and have our own lives, families, jobs to deal with, now only see each other one a month if we’re lucky.
I believe that people should try a bit harder to get together, try harder to be more social.
The world would definitely be a happier, more carefree place, with people smiling more sitting in the sunshine on a beautiful day.  Sunshine makes people happy so they smile more, smiling creates endorphins and endorphins makes people happy.

The world would be more of a happier place if we would just take time out to be with our friends laughing outside in the sunshine.  Hey, and maybe all this being outside and happy will make one want to run for a few minutes for exercise- and exercise is another endorphin producer.

Elle: I just don’t think that Brooke could’ve done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t. [Legally Blonde, 2001]