The first thing I learned after my accident was every brain injury is different. You’ve probably heard me say it before but, this post should help you understand brain injuries better. There are different factors involved in the life of a T.B.I. survivor:
- Pre-accident status: this is our lifestyle before an injury.
- Cause: not every brain injury is result of trauma; a hematoma is when blood clots outside of blood vessels, a hemorrhage is when a blood vessel ruptures and blood escapes, an cerebral edema is when fluid builds up around the brain and causes pressure, strokes occur when the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen from the blood, concussions are the result of trauma to the head.
- Post-accident status: depending on the severity of the injury; there are varying degrees of side effects. Thus, each recovery is different.
- Lastly, considering all the factors above, each survivor has different life goals and abilities.
Fortunately, I was able to walk with help within a few weeks of my accident, and there were no mental or cognitive deficits to consider. Being young, my main goal was to get back out on my own and achieve independence.
However, the effects of my injuries required me to tap into my creative side. It was in that season of setbacks I learned how to use the skills I had to survive. All of these years later I understand better about the gifts I have and how I can use them.
Gifts?
The dictionary gives two specific definitions for a gift and each is relevant to life: 1) A thing given willingly to someone without payment; a present, and 2) A natural ability or talent.”
We all have specific gifts or talents, skill sets that come naturally to us, abilities that not everyone can master. Often these gifts are passions, sometimes we don’t even notice.
A few years ago I interviewed my mentor for a book chapter about using our gifts. He shared about how he wanted to go into the medical field as the doctor, but after joining the Army, he was led into a business and administrative career.
Thirty-one years later he retired as a full Colonel in the Army with numerous business degrees. In retirement, the military still contracts him to help with restructuring administrations throughout the military.
His passion was biology, but the Army saw that his gift was in business and administration. He was a born leader and didn’t realize it until after college.
Before my accident, I only worked out for superficial reasons. But afterward, I learned to concentrate on the health benefits of exercise, not to impress anyone, but do compensate for my physical impairments.
Now, years later I have the stamina of a twenty-year-old and the lab work to prove it. Exercising has become so natural to me that it doesn’t seem like work at all.
I have other friends who are great musicians, a fellow choir member is an amazing woodworker, and I have a friend who is a computer geek who willingly works on my computers free of charge whenever needed.
And this brings me to the first definition of the gift: something is willingly given or done for others. Since our skill sets come naturally to us, we enjoy sharing them with others. This is why I often work with other brain injury survivors and even ordinary people seeking to improve their health.
Over the years I’ve learned the same is true within the writing community. Authors who have mastered the skill set of writing and the use of words to communicate are more than willing to help others on their writing journeys. I’ve been helped by countless writer friends, whom I could never repay for their generosity.
Within the writing community, we each have a specific area or genre that our skill sets help us excel in. Below are a few areas that fellow writer’s I know have expert skill sets. You may find yourself in one of these categories.
- Nonfiction
- Copywriting
- Devotionals
- Journaling
- Poetry
- Fiction
- Screenwriting
- Crime/Suspense
- Romance
- Songwriting
I even know a rock star young adult author who lives not far from me. We tend to encourage each other on our respective writing journeys; occasionally pointing out each other’s strengths.
For me it’s like exercising, I like to focus on one muscle group at a time to help me get stronger. We each have our own strengths we tend to focus on. Have you learned yours?
Strengths?
Perhaps your passions aren’t just for writing. It is possible to harness the energy of your passion and focus it into your writing by applying the same principles to help you improve your skill set.
In the brain injury community, we call this lifestyle adaptation. If one body part is affected, then we learn how to compensate for it with what we can do. Again, each injury is different and requires an adaptation unique to our injury.
I’ve learned over the years that by focusing on my strengths, I am more motivated and passionate about what I’m doing, especially when writing. Focusing on strengths:
- Builds our voice/perspective/brand
- Gives us a sense of purpose
- Feels more satisfying
When we focus on our gifts and skill sets, we become more confident in whom we are. We learn not to compare ourselves with others and that is a relief itself. Living with a disability has helped me see my skill set.
Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.
