This video leaves me in tears every time. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a brain scientist who had the rare opportunity to witness her own stroke, study it from the inside out, and bring back to us rare insight from her near-death experience.
She comments so eloquently on the enormity and beauty of life. Life seen from the right-brain perspective. A Harvard grad, Taylor says, “I’ve got as much out of this experience of losing my left mind as I have in my entire academic career.” She details her story in her New York Times Bestseller, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey .
Please take the time to watch this beautiful video. Like I said in Learning to Love the Meantime, no one seeks tragedy but oddly enough, it can be one of the best gifts we ever receive. And fortunately enough for us, Taylor’s experience not only inspired and changed her perceptions on life, but her story has managed to affect millions of other people. Her TED video alone has over 7 million views.
I’ve certainly had my share of trials and tragedies over the last five years that I thought I’d never get through. Death of my father, divorce, broken bones, and heartache from a man I was deeply in love with. But in a way, after sifting through the ashes, each gave me beauty and blessings I treasure to this day.
For instance, had my ex-boyfriend not broken my heart, I would’ve never moved to New York and realized a dream I’d held so dear since childhood. In that break, he gave me a gift. A gift that took me on this crazy gypsy journey and brought me back to my real mission in life. Helping others. And now, I couldn’t be happier. I learned what it takes to find fulfillment and now, nothing can take that away from me.
So now I wanna hear from you! What trials or tragedies have happened to you that changed the trajectory of your life for the better? Have you ever faced a devastation so horrible you thought you wouldn’t survive but now proudly wear that badge of honor that made you stronger? For those who watched Taylor’s Stroke of Insight, what did you think?
I’d love to hear from you and if you want to read more, here’s the direct link to Taylor’s story on TED.com.
Ingrid Schaffenburg's Blog 
Brilliant! Thanks for bringing this to my attention Ingrid, it’s fascinating. When I was in my late teens I suffered from acute clinical depression, forcing me to leave college in order to recover. It changed the whole course of my life, enabling me to meet the fabulous man who is now my husband; also, witnessing such depths of darkness within myself made me aware of my own mental strength, and gifted me with an ongoing optimistic nature – hey, I’m here, and I’m going to be happy because I’ve been-there-done-that with being sad!
On a brain-related side note, I’ve since discovered that the brain disorder that caused my depression is also one that causes heightened creativity in sufferers, so now the depression is under control I can sit back and enjoy being as creative as I please. Of course, at the time it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. It still hurts to look back on it, but when I think about the blessings it brought about I find I can’t resent it, and whenever I go through a tough time now I just try to think about all the good things that I can gain from it.
Wonderful Karen! Thanks for sharing your story. That’s interesting that your depression was related to heightened creativity. Sounds like what I may have suffered from at one time. It wasn’t until I channeled my creative energies in the right direction that I was relieved of depression and anxiety so it makes sense. I’ll have to look further into that! Thanks and so glad you’re on the path now of greater creativity. That’s awesome 🙂
Forty years ago a freak coincidence prevented me from closing a real estate deal that would have netted me some $4 million immediately and potentially much more over a period of years. Although I was devastated at the time, this had to happen for me to get my eyes off money long enough to be born again. God brings all things together for good them them who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Rom 8:28)
Wow! That’s awesome David. Yeah… I can see how that would’ve led you to a path of finding God. That’s a major blow and for some, it could’ve ended quite tragically. So glad it turned out for the better in your case 🙂
Thought provoking is the only way to describe this video. It will take a few viewings to truly process.
My mother had a devastating stroke a few years ago from which she never recovered, which has really defined every moment of my life since, on a whole lot of levels.
Wow. Yeah Callene. For someone to actually come through a stroke having been that near death, is a miracle. And why I’m sure Taylor made it her mission to communicate her findings to the world. I am so sorry about your mom but hopefully this video gave you greater insight into what she went through. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Wow! Dr. Taylor’s story is both fascinating and profound. Something tells me that Carl Jung and Timothy Leary would be intrigued while the Pope and the Dalai Lama would be understanding.
We could explore many areas from here (archetypes, energy in the universe, remapping brain functions) but in keeping with the direction of your post, the saints are known to become grateful for their hardships. Can’t say that I would opt for Taylor’s encounter if given the choice but we each face our own “moments of transition.”
I would not have found spiritual enlightenment without heartbreak (thus my ex-girlfriend became a benefactor). That awakening eventually lead to pursuing a greater personal and professional vision which opened the door to it’s own unique challenges. The road to success has crossed a lot of paths and seen many defeats, along with heartaches, yet the ultimate question has not simply been one of struggle and victory, but destiny or obscurity, sometimes sanity. These experiences have charged boundless inspiration: just as form and function are one, life and art are, too. 🙂
Believing is easy when conditions are favorable but faith and conviction are proven only in the fire of trials. This forging process of authentic self can empower us to discover not only higher meaning and peace in our lives but also the real essence of being and the greater power of creativity (at some point the focus ought to shift from self to the external world). With experience and gratitude come wisdom and harmony; unity with God, self and creation combined with the desire and ability to share love. Heaven and earth are one!
Wow. Such a beautiful comment 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing all your beautiful insights. And you are right on. I couldn’t agree more. Isn’t it amazing what heartbreak can do? The death of one thing, as they say, is the beginning of another. So glad you were able to make good of such a devastating event in your life. Not everyone can do that.
Very enlightening. Thanks for the opportunity to learn something new and the journey it took to do so.
Absolutely! I’m glad it resonated for you 🙂
Beautiful post, Ingrid. I’m definitely one of the millions who’s found inspiration in Taylor’s story–incredible!
Your trials made me think of Indigo Girls’ lyrics I love: “The prize is always worth the rocky ride.” Amen, right?? So glad you had the wherewithal
to learn & grow in the face of heartache. Sorta
let you here to us! 🙂
It sure did 🙂 I love that lyric. It’s so true. It was horrible at the time but now looking back, I’m glad I went through it. It’s made me who I am today 🙂 And I’m sure you feel the same. Thanks for sharing August!
Her book is amazing. And this video is very uplifting. Every life has so many challenges, I’ve decided. It’s what we do with them that determines our trajectory – we can be beaten down or we can soar. Obviously you’ve chosen the latter. My hat’s off to you. Well done.
Thank you Louise! And you’re so right. We all have our trials. What matters is not what happens but our response to what happens. Thanks for sharing Louise 🙂
Thanks, Inge!!!
love,
Mom
You’re so welcome Mama 🙂 XOXO
Hi Ingrid. Strokes are a terrible thing, but it’s great when things turn out well in the end. Dr Taylor is very lucky to have been able to recover from it well enough to be able to learn from it and share her story.
Cheers
I completely agree Nigel. It was a miracle she lived!
My husband had a stroke at a very young age (23) that resulted in him receiving a medical discharge from the Marine Corps and changed the plans he’d been making for his whole life. Looking back, it was actually a blessing in disguise in a lot of ways, and he was fortunate enough to recover almost completely (a little numbness in two fingers). It wasn’t something he would have ever wanted, but sometimes the things that get us where we need to be are the most difficult and undesirable.
Wow. What a terrible thing to happen at such a young age. A friend of mine had a stroke in her teens. But like you said, sometimes we it’s the very thing that nearly kills us that makes us stronger and gets us to where we’re meant to be 🙂