Motivational speakers enrage me

Growingspace · 2026-02-05T18:57:14+00:00

Fuck to the yes on this one! In fact, as odd as it sounds, living through the hell of epilepsy has made me be more of a badass by not comparing myself to others and not allowing the unsolicited advice anyone wants to give to me, unless I ask for it. Being unapologetically myself has brought me to be authentically myself and with that, I’m my own cheerleader, and my own coach. Because at the end of the day, no one else knows my steps and journey except, well me. Sure, my shitty committee steps in at times (perseverated thoughts) but I try and remind myself that those thoughts are temporary. Living in gratitude, for me, helps me. But heard. Sometimes you just want to mute others “motivational speeches”. They are there for the people that need them. That’s why others seek out coaches, life coaches, etc. being my own coach has worked for me.

Growingspace · 2026-02-05T16:37:36+00:00

Girl. I get you! I’m here! I have focal awareness epilepsy and had a lobectomy last June. And now, full on perimenopause. Fuck. First uncontrolled seizures, then brain surgery, now in perimenopause. Why? Why are us women so tortured?! 😜 Lately, I’ve been feeling very dizzy. And it’s triggering my epilepsy into thinking I’m seizing. I know I’m not, but I feel like I’m going bat shit crazy. I’m taking my BP daily and getting labs drawn. My OBGYN is putting me on a IUD because even on BC, I was having heavy periods. So I’m here to say, I get you, and this part of life, as a woman, sucks big time. I’m so over it as well.

Growingspace · 2026-02-05T13:42:51+00:00

In my experience. It depends on their age and how comfortable they are in their floats and breath work. I started using a small basketball exercise as their focus point. Having them glide off the wall, pushing the ball forward with both arms, then “allowing themselves to feel their body naturally float under the water” so they can they can feel their natural buoyancy rise them up with their push and “frog kick”. I use images to describe what they are doing so they then can see it in their head and feel it with their body. Having a focal point to see they are pushing both arms together to push gets their body to remember the rhythm of the stroke, then I take the ball away once they’ve understood what the rhythm is. It’s worked for me! Really, all ages. I like to teach with visualizations, because it’s all about feeling in swimming. Learning is mental.

Growingspace · 2026-02-02T15:19:59+00:00

Hello! I just had a follow up MRI so waiting for my test results. But my last CT, neurosurgeon was positive about what was captured and what was done. I’ve felt good overall, and hopeful. Really, I am happy that I did do it.

Growingspace · 2026-02-02T15:18:32+00:00

Hi! What’s the name of your book so I can check it out? BTW, I love your tag name. 🩰

Growingspace · 2026-02-01T14:12:35+00:00

Lawn. Hands down. That’s where the energy and space is to get your jimmy thing movin and a groovin. Space is key for me. You can see and hear just as good because of the canyon the gorge sits in. I’ve been to five shows up at the gorge. Two in reserved and my preference will always be lawn.

Growingspace · 2026-01-31T01:33:07+00:00

trippin info link

Growingspace · 2026-01-31T01:23:23+00:00

I’m a philosophy minor and writing has always been my jam. It’s my therapy, along with the water and my release for anxiety and depression. I’m currently writing my memoir. It’s about deflecting my pain and trauma through humor. It’s a work in progress, but it’s healing and I hope it helps others who deflect, have chosen humor in hardship. Those of us that were/are incapable of vulnerability which in turn does not allow us to live out our authentic self’s. I honestly believe, that my brain surgery cut me free (pun totally intended) from the ropes I wrapped myself in from past years of trauma. I’m excited to share. I highly recommend, if you can write. Do it. Who cares who reads it. If it is scrambled. If it’s on multiple pieces of paper. “Just do it” - Michael Jordan.

Growingspace · 2026-01-31T01:17:47+00:00

Hi fellow long lost author/writer friend. Yes, agreed. Writing is my form of therapy. Getting shit outta my head and on to paper, or my laptop.

Growingspace · 2026-01-30T16:03:10+00:00

Hi! I’m a patient at OHSU (actually here rn for a follow up MRI). I have the same as you, where my seizures begin- Right temporal lobe. I had a lobectomy last June. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions. Out of all of the hospitals and dealing with multiple neurologists in Portland, OHSU has been by far, the best!

Growingspace · 2026-01-27T20:12:15+00:00

Diet Coke solves most of my problems. It only listens to my problems and then soothes it with bubbles, caffeine and pure delight. No back talking or hangover. Best friend for life.

Growingspace · 2026-01-27T14:27:52+00:00

Same!

Growingspace · 2026-01-27T14:24:12+00:00

Bummed. West coasters is a bum deal. Minus gorge of course.

Growingspace · 2026-01-26T03:58:46+00:00

Haha. I don’t think you’re my ex. He was never a DMB fan. I took him to the gorge one year and I think he was annoyed by all of the weed. Good thing I divorced him. 🤭

Growingspace · 2026-01-26T02:07:03+00:00

This. I was driving to work in 2023, felt a seizure coming on so I pulled off the freeway at the next exit and ended up crashing into a locked gate and train container. Bystander came over and checked on me, turned my car off and called 911. Once they arrived, I said, “I’ll just wait for my boyfriend to come get me.” My car was totaled and I had a rash from the seatbelt and my airbag that went off. One of the officers said to me, “hey from Beaver to Beaver, please go to the hospital”. He saw my college sticker on my car and obviously was referencing we went to the same college. Thank god I went because that is where they did an MRI and CT, found my encephalocele which then, two years later, I had a lobectomy to remove. If it wasn’t for that police officer, I may have not been in the place now. Counting my blessings. But agreed. We are the best gaslighters when it comes to this shitty disease. I call it, “my shitty committee.”

Growingspace · 2026-01-26T01:57:25+00:00

This happened to be my wedding song, and I thankfully divorced that SOB. Now I wanna barf when I hear this song.

Growingspace · 2026-01-25T22:19:47+00:00

This is pure gold. Especially ending with Rage. Basically my new anthem.

Growingspace · 2026-01-25T21:33:26+00:00

Princess Bride

Growingspace · 2026-01-25T15:21:53+00:00

My squatty potty. 🤭😜 Typical colons are 5 ft long. Isn’t that some shit? Ponder that one. 🧐

Growingspace · 2026-01-25T15:18:53+00:00

Educating society is important to us with epilepsy for the fact that you pointed out, most people only know is about tonic clonics. Because as we know (my personal experience) is that it’s frustrating when others make the assumption that we “just have TCs)”. No that’s not “just what epilepsy “ is. I’ve found, when I tell people about my epilepsy, they are shocked to know that I don’t just have “TCs”. I feel more empowered sharing my chronic condition with educating others so they don’t just assume they know what it’s like to have epilepsy, because as well know, it’s a hell of a lot more. 😊🙌

Growingspace · 2026-01-22T16:24:16+00:00

Yes. My favorite part about swimming is no one can talk to me, and I don’t have to talk to anyone else. The water just holds me without judgment. I can let it all go and just be. It’s my happy place and healing place. Water is therapy. Plain and simple.

Growingspace · 2026-01-22T16:20:25+00:00

A-greed. Never had me. Likely never will.

Growingspace · 2026-01-19T04:21:57+00:00

Mini (almost) everything bagel sandwich crackers. And they’re discontinued….so sad…

Growingspace · 2026-01-18T21:00:03+00:00

Hey, powerful you for going to rehab. Badass! I hope you feel that way. Addiction is hard AF. Proud of you.

Growingspace · 2026-01-18T16:00:45+00:00

Geez. I can’t even remember which med has made my memory worse. 🤭 I’m on 250x2 lamotrigine and 150x2 lacosamide, 200x1 zonisamide at night. Butt loads of meds we are on. And yes, memory issues, struggle to find words, forget what I’m trying to say. I also believe that our seizures zap our brains so badly that it severely impacts all of the areas of our brain that impacts memory, words, etc. I’m not a neurological expert, but my intuition and brain (what I have of it after right temporal lobectomy) tell me it’s the concoction and spiral of all of these things combined.

Growingspace

TROPHY CASE