So much has happened in my everyday life before the pandemic and lockdown where I put conditions on my life and actions that I can take 

What do I mean by this? 

I moved to my wonderful flat 2 years ago and one of the things I loved about this flat was the garden and the cool swing in the garden 

Why did I like it? 

It helps me connect to my child-like wonder 

That enjoys things just because 

Well guess the number of times I've actually sat on that swing before the pandemic 

THREE Times 

Crazy, right! 

There was always something more important to do that just be 

Just enjoy the stillness Just enjoying swinging or moving with my feet firmly connected to this earth

And now since the pandemic, I've been coming out here way more at least 3 times a week 

So what's changed for me 

Well you see, I've started to take away or drop the conditions, I've placed upon myself and what I can do 

What do I mean I used to think You have to do "xxxx" before you can enjoy "yyyy". 

Now during the pandemic, I'm still working. I working on everything I've always wanted to create for my clients.  I didn't have the time or I didn't prioritise this as one of the top 3 things I wanted to do daily 

And now it is in the top 3 to 5 things I do daily AND sitting on the swing swaying and getting connected and grounded whilst eating my breakfast is one of those and it brings me so much pleasure and joy.  It's amazing what beauty I have witnessed during this time 

• The bumblebee sitting on the Rose behind me 
• The beautiful blue butterfly moving past me 
• Being surrounded by beautiful flowers in the garden and Really witnessing the changing of the season Spring is one of my favourite seasons 
• Watching things come into bloom 
• Witnessing new growth after a cold long winter 

But rehab is similar you know on many fronts. For so many clients, they keep working at things and they keep looking for the end goal to materialise and when it doesn't they say see: "I still haven't progressed or improved I still can't do that". 

One of my many clients does this. I used to work with here 1-2-1 basis prior to lockdown and during lockdown, we have been having daily sessions on zoom. 

 I have been blown away with her progress and what we have been able to achieve in such a short space of time In a month this is what she has achieved 

She went from her arm hanging by her side to now moving her arm and hugging her daughter with both arms for the first time in 13 months after her stroke 

She went from her arm hanging by her side and not doing much to bring able to shake her daughter's hand, turn her daughter's hand over using the beautiful activity in her shoulder, elbow and forearm she never know she had 

She is now able to work on her hands and knees against her body weight and did her first plank

THIS IS HUGE 

And the best part is I get to witness this change with her I am able to encourage her to overcome her belief that she thinks she  can't do certain things yet

I am here to remind her of how far she has come in a very short space of time 

All of this happened because she was ready to take action 

She didn't believe we could do it 

But she was ready to try and be guided 

The best thing is witnessing her facial expressions of her being blown away by her own ability to move her arm by herself without help when 3 months ago when she started working with me in the clinic 

I had to help her lift her arm into the air and 4 weeks ago she still needed help to lift her arm but way less than when we first started 

Witnessing her smile 

Her pride and sense of achievement that 

"Oh my god, I am getting my arm back!" 

"Oh my goodness everything Natalie said that could be possible for me, I can start to see that possibility now! And everything is closer than I think!" 

And I catch her now when she says "I did OK" and I can see that she no longer buys into or believes the lie that she told herself all along that no change is possible because she is living and witnessing progress with her arm in each session we complete. And here is the thing 

The gold nugget... 

Because I am reminding her of what she was able to do last week, last month and right now, I am busting through the mental lies her mind tells her and these lies are the same for so so many clients, in fact, thousands of clients I have worked with over the 24 years I have worked in Neuro Rehab. 

So don't buy into the lies that your mind is telling you Don't buy into the belief that there is nothing more you can do even though your body may be showing you that your efforts are futile 

Because the body is amazing 

The brain and the nervous system plastic and ever-changing and dynamic 

So think about where in your rehab you have put conditions on your progress or how progress should look or how quickly it should show up in order for it to fit into your plan?

Change is possible and progress is closer than you think 

Love and Blessings 

Natalie x

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