Recovery Daily Podcast

Today we have a shorter episode. I provide a brief overview of my neuro-ophthalmologist appointment. Neuro-ophthalmologists treat eye-brain connected issues. Take a listen to hear how it went and what's next on my road of recovery. To connect with me, find me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Two years post-stroke, I've been wrestling with chronic headaches and migraines, seeking answers, and trying to make sense of their connection to my stroke and my recovery. Research suggests around 23% of stroke survivors have persistent headaches, which can be more severe than the pain experienced during the stroke itself. My stroke was pain free, so this really hit home for me. Another fasci...

Today I draw parallels between nurturing a garden and the journey of sobriety and stroke recovery. Take a walk through my garden with me. Similar to tending a garden, our paths toward healing demand patience, dedication, and a whole lot of nurturing. Each seed symbolizes hope, resilience, and the potential for growth. Much like caring for little seedlings, sobriety and stroke recovery demand consi...

Today I was pleasantly interrupted by a message from an old friend. She shared that she is on a path of sobriety in her third year of recovery. My emotions have surged today—an unexpected blend of elation, empathy, and a rekindled connection. I felt immediate elation that she found solace and sought help. I felt sorrow not only from the thought of her past struggles, but from the realization of th...

Post-stroke anxiety is a rollercoaster of fears, worries, and uncertainties. From managing health insurance to doctor's appointments, self-care routines, and handling financial obligations—it's a plethora of responsibilities that can feel overwhelming. Today I'm talking about my concerns about health insurance, doctors, and the logistics of everyday life post-stroke. I share my approac...

In this episode, I talk about the daily challenges I face post-stroke with neurological vision impairment. From simple tasks, like walking and conversing with someone, to complex obstacles like texting or using apps on my phone. I share these challenges to introduce hope to anyone facing daily challenges that seem insurmountable. There is an answer. We just have to be willing to look beyond our li...

We make excuses so easily for why we don't need to prioritize our health on any given day. We put conditions on our healthy habits, like going to the gym, eating healthy, work/life balance, etc. These micro-reactions that we have slowly compile into our circumstances we suddenly find ourselves in where we say. From our perspective everything was fine, until it all of a sudden wasn't. &quot...

In this episode, I discuss in detail my neurological vision impairment symptoms after my stroke. I share my personal experiences and insights in hopes of reaching others that may be suffering like me. I have included my coping strategies managing day to day with chronic head pain. I've also implemented adaptive techniques that enable me to participate in activities that I can't do in the u...

In this episode, I share about the weight that we are carrying when we enter sobriety. Some experience major traumas in their lives, while some experience nothing out of the ordinary. While our experiences are all different, and we are in varying stages in our lives, it's never too late to start healing. Some suffer from an inability to confront past traumatic events, mask the pain with denial...

These life changing decisions in my life that seem like boulders I have to climb, later reveal themselves as small stepping stones toward my future self. Throughout transitions from each phase of my life, to sobriety and disability, I have a deep commitment to self-care. As an active alcoholic, this was not the case. As a stroke survivor with chronic pain, I was in denial that my life had to chang...

Alcoholics Anonymous nearly had a different name – "A Way Out." It speaks volumes about how it provides a path toward recovery for those who feel they have no way out. I always think about why am I still here, despite facing extreme alcoholism and experiencing a stroke. I decided after the massive decline in my health this year that I must use this gift of life to provide hope for others...

In today's episode, I share about how my experience in recovery as an alcoholic can help me to embrace the power of small victories. In sobriety, every day felt heavy with uncertainties about if I could successfully face the day without drinking. Each small victory was pivotal to my momentum and commitment to living one day at a time without drinking. With that experience applied to my stroke...

Each day is a fresh start, a new opportunity to embrace life. I've learned so much from my journey as a recovering alcoholic and a stroke survivor. It's gifted me with a newfound appreciation for each day. We often talk about New Year's resolutions this time of year, but I don't do those. Instead, I wake up each morning and recognize the emotions—excitement, nervousness—that come w...

Guess what! This kids are coming home for Thanksgiving. I've got some tips for ensuring that the time you spend together makes your relationships stronger. Never forget why you are all coming together for the holidays. Its a great time to be of service to one another, embrace the energy in the house, and let new traditions unfold. But what about that little stuff that we all talk about when we...

In this episode, Rachel talks about her experience with various personalities and how she manages her responses. In our lives we run across destructive critics, leaders, and people anywhere from pushy to pessimistic. Rachel shares tips for how she tempers her anger, refrains from making snap assessments, and practices tolerance. Thanks for listening to the Recovery Daily Podcast . To connect with...

I used to changed my goals in order to meet my behavior, rather than changing my behavior to meet my goals. In high school I had goals of working at NASA and pursuing performing in theatre. As life began to unfold for me as an alcoholic, unaware of my disease even though others saw it, I changed my goals so that I could drink. Eventually, I thought I was destined to live a life without achieving m...

In this episode, Rachel challenges us to get quiet and listen to others people's lives happening around us. Just hit the pause button on whatever you are doing and let the noise fade into the background. There are lessons all around us if we just stop and listen to them. Thanks for listening to the Recovery Daily Podcast . To connect with Rachel, find her on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Rachel discusses her greatest challenge in stroke recovery which is resisting using her eyes despite being able to see. She must minimize visual stimuli which demands 24/7 conscious avoidance of visual triggers. When she is unavoidably exposed, she implements her learned coping strategies, like closing her eyes, softening her gaze, or looking to the side or below and object. Inevitably, she is str...

In the episode, Rachel talks about how we view ourselves reverberates in every interaction we have and affects the quality of our relationships. The benefits are exponential to spending some quiet time dedicated to reflecting on understanding another rather than being understood, our role in our relationships, and forgiveness (and that includes ourselves.) Rachel continues that she works hard each...

Old habits die hard as Rachel bakes a loaf of sourdough while recording this powerful episode about inner conflict. She tells us that her most significant victories in her life today from the quiet battles inside her that she finds a way to grow rather than take a drink. Still struggling with fear and hopelessness sometimes, Rachel finds the collision of her disease of alcoholism and disability fr...

Today Rachel discusses the importance of seeking professional help and building your own support team. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness—its a demonstration of strength and commitment to our well-being. Moreover, it means you love yourself and believe that you deserve to be happy. This is something that wasn't always the case for Rachel. With unwavering support from her boyfriend, Rachel...

Rachel has challenged pride and vulnerability to build the Recovery Daily Podcast. She aims to align her identity that the world sees with the bent and broken identity that she hid from everyone. Why? She expresses, "My friends are dying from the same fatal disease of alcoholism and addiction that lives inside of me." She continues that its not worth it to stay quiet anymore. Pride stand...

In recovery, we often hear the saying, "Stop living in the problem and start living in the answer." It's a simple yet profound concept. If we focus on what needs to change in the world, the problem seems insurmountable. But when we shift our perspective to what needs to change within us, the answers begin to reveal themselves. Acceptance is a crucial part of this process. Rachel'...

In this episode, Rachel shares about the work required to remain open to joy in recovery. She explains that its how she approaches and responds to life mentally and emotionally. Self-pity clouds our perspective, making us believe that joy is found externally in the things we do or the things we have. Joy is cultivated inside of each of us. Rachel talks about having to make a conscious decision eac...

Facing adversities as a sober stroke survivor has been an invitation to cultivate self-love. Rachel has ended decades of self-criticism. She's growing with humility into her best self, rather than inhibiting strong relationships with other due to arrogance. In this episode, Rachel talks about how arrogance is insecurity wearing a mask of confidence and pride, with a cape that makes us feel inv...