S9E16: Where to put Focus in life after stroke. (p1)

0:00 Good morning my survivor friends, how are you? This is Karina, the host and creator of this top 2 podcast. The show was all about moving forward past the events of the stroke and show you that life is not over. I share all my tricks, hacks, how to how I got to survive this world as a stroke survivor. You see, 27 years ago when I was 25I suffered a brain stem dissection that led me to coma in the locked in syndrome. Evidently, I'm here with you today guys. Grab a pen and paper because the faintness of ink is better than the best memory.

0:37 Come and join me here as we are recording today's show. Before going on, I would like to do a little bit of Clean House remind you that you can like, follow and subscribe to my show on any and all platforms that you're listening to your podcast. Guys, more you share the podcast with people, the more you tell the algorithm that the movement of stroke survivors is happening right now, that we are here to stay as in helping each other. We're not going anywhere.

1:11 We want everybody to live a full, happy, committed life. And also ioffer a subscription base here for $4.99 for those of you who are independent, you like to learn by yourself at your own pace. I put down 41 of my very best episodes, things that I have done in the 27 years to help me move forward past those events of the stroke.

1:39 I hope they help you as they helped me. So what do you think? We talked about today's show. Long title, long ass title, but you are going to figure out what this means? Finding our priorities amongst all the things we have to do. I had no clue how to simplify this. So this is how it came out. You see, podcasting is not brain surgery.

2:05 All it is, is the will to make a difference in one person's life. That person is you. Now that I am at season 9, episode 16, I'm pretty close to 230 episodes. So I no longer script my podcast. I just sit here at my desk, look at my blank wall in front of me and talk to you. And really the episode right now, I was talking to a friend of mine, Aaron Avila from Stroke TV Media and leaving him a voice message.

2:48 And I said, you know what? This long ass message I left to Aaron, I could have made a podcast episode in a different in a different way maybe. So you know what, this is what I'm doing right now because I want you to see that I am not any different than you. OK, fine. I had the stroke 27 years ago. Maybe you had yours two years ago. Three years ago doesn't make a difference. We are still stroke survivors, both of us. I still have a muplasia.

3:21 I obviously have problems talking still, especially when I'm tired. My voice gets very hoarse. Is that how you say it? Very rough and my body gets very spastic, which it is. It doesn't stop me from wanting to be here with you, having a cup of coffee and sharing ideas on how I figured out by listening to someone else's podcast. I figured out that I need clarity in my own projects. Check this out, bear with me, OK? I always tell you to take my story. Flip it into yours.

4:09 Take everything with a grain of salt and flip it into context of your story, your life events. But I can only talk about mine. I have many hopes and many projects. Actually. They're not just hopes, they are unfinished projects. Who here has unfinished projects? You might be a seamstress and you started a dress five years ago and it's still not over.

4:41 Maybe you're a writer and you started your your book. You were so excited and gung ho pre stroke to do your book and now you had the stroke and you put that book aside because all you think about is the stroke. But the book made you so happy. What am I going to do? I only have one hand to type. Guess what honey? I also have one hand, my right hand. So whatever projects I do on the computer, whatever, whenever I use the computer at work to register clients, I still only use one hand.

5:24 Now let's move on. So I know that you guys out there have some projects that you did not complain. Maybe it's a small thing. Maybe it's to make a special recipe that you've always wanted to try and you just never did. But finding priority. How do we go about it? So right now, as I'm listening to the other person's podcast, actually wait, no, no, no, no, no, no, it wasn't a podcast.

5:58 I took a three day master class on becoming a speaker and developing my brand and finding speaking gigs with my brand. All right, let's say I'm simplifying it for you right now. So I sat down and I thought about my different projects. I have two different signature programs for my coaching. I have my podcast which is 1/3 project. My 4th project is excuse me I had to sneeze. So my 4th project is I definitely see myself. I have it on my vision board, a TEDx talk, but I don't want to stop at TEDx.

6:54 So I that's project 4. Project 5 is a kids book, stroke related. Project 6 is a daughter book. So I have a lot of projects that I want to do. So I had to break it down right now. This is what I did in the past 1520 minutes. I do things very fast because as stroke survivors, our brain goes 100 miles an hour, so it's like we don't have any time to lose.

7:24 I want to get it over with right now. I'll get my life back on track. So I found clarity what makes me happy. That's number one question you should be asking yourself. So write down all the different things and projects that you wanted to do. Then the first question is what makes me happy? Me, Karina, what makes me happy is helping people.

7:55 OK, how do I help people? Evidently, when I started the show in 2021, all I want to do up was help one person around the world feel better about their situation. Turns out that the show is top 2, so that means I'm helping more than only one person. Mission accomplished. Yes, I my priority is helping people.

8:26 But then I got to think from my list of things, what is going to require the least energy? Because as stroke survivors, we got to check out where we put our energy because we don't have a lot. Again, I might have more stamina than you guys. I've been in the game longer, but I still trust me, guys. I do not have energy to waste.

8:54 So out of my list, what is going to fulfill me the most in my mission in what makes me happy and is going to take the least energy out of my list? Podcasting for sure. And speaking allows me to talk to more than only one person at the time. When I coach, I love coaching because it's like we're sitting around and I am helping a friend. I am helping a friend, just we're talking and I'm giving pointers and listening and letting the I. I'm no different with my friends than I am with my clients. So the difference is sometimes clients come to me because they're stroke survivors and they just need a little push, they need a little help and specific things and we concentrate on these things, but

10:10 it takes a lot of time and energy. I prepare a lot guys because when I coach, I coach one-on-one. It is not a cookie cutter thing. It's really, I focus everything on you, on what's important to you. So it requires some research for me to do for what you need. So I have to ask myself what fulfills me the most of my list #2 is what is going to take the least energy and make me happy. So I figured out that on my list I have two or three different things that can be quick, fast, in a hurry, and efficient. The keyword here is efficient.

11:07 Another way for me to get brand exposure for my Stroke Surviving the Odds podcast in all of my community is by being a guest on other people's show. So I get to help new people because they don't know me. I get to talk about our show, you and I, because without you, my listeners, I don't have a show. And being a speaker that is game changer. So you see, I'm not any different than you guys. I have to go through those questions, those things at the same time.

11:55 So I'm just going to repeat for you if you want to grab your pen and paper, maybe you downloaded the episode and you're sitting at your desk or at your kitchen table and you're going through this. So I want you to make your list of things you've wanted. It doesn't have to be professional. It doesn't.

12:19 It could be anything. Now I'll give you an example. If on your list you have baking a cake with your child and writing a book. If I ask you out of those two, which one is more important, I hope you are going to say baking a cake with your child. So what I just did right now is help you clarify because if you bake a cake, you're not just doing that, you're spending quality time with your child.

12:52 You are creating memories. It could be your grandchild by the way, you are creating memories. Your heart is going to be filled with joy, never mind the other person, your heart. OK, That's what I would like for you to write on your list. So your list, question one, what makes what makes me happy. I'm writing this down as I'm talking to you. Question 2 is what takes less energy and the efficient. The keyword is efficient or never mind less energy, What is more efficient?

13:48 When we realize that we gain clarity and what's important. If you're having a maybe a hard time with your spouse, I think we all go through it at one point. Well, what's important? Being right in an argument, proving your point and being right or getting a truce with your partner and saying let's agree to disagree.

14:23 What's more important? It might seem banal, it might seem stupid, but sometimes. And that in relationship, that's something that I have done a lot and I have never done it in my professional life. Well, now I just did it by myself, but also with you. You are holding me accountable. You see how you're helping me? I'm helping you.

14:51 You help me. That's amazing. That makes the world go round, man. So I'm really, really gung ho. I'm excited for having found this golden nugget. Guys, this is what I have for you today. I hope you enjoyed. I hope you got as much out of it as I did and of course, I will leave you all my coordinates in the description of the podcast.

15:18 Please get in touch with me and let me know if you would like for me to dedicate an episode. I would be more than happy to do so. I love you immensely and I'll talk to you soon.