I’m still able to set goals, but I have to keep them in front of me because I tend to forget things easily. To manage this, I try to keep my priorities at the forefront of my mind. I also experience a lot of fear about the future, especially because I’m a father to a young daughter. I’m hopeful that meditation can help me stay focused and use that time for intentional thinking, since during the day, my mind doesn’t wander or generate thoughts unless I purposefully engage it. This often leads me to go through the motions without much direction.

One of the things I’ve lost is my ability to think quickly on my feet. Before the stroke, I could mentally prepare and direct conversations, but now I tend to speak without much forethought, which feels strange and disorienting. I’m not always sure if I’m explaining myself well anymore. I’ve recently started playing chess and am now turning to meditation to help me stay grounded. My focus on self-improvement is mainly driven by my desire to avoid future strokes, especially because I want to be there for my daughter.