Kristin Crowe
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
If I can do it, you can too! Share your magic and be freaking brave!
What a year, learning to live with vision loss. I didn’t realize one could release so many tears. It’s been quite a process with many lessons, and I’m quite certain, many more to come. It becomes more and more clear, every single day, the importance of practising gratitude, and focusing on what I CAN do, versus what I can’t. It seems to ease the pain and create breaks from grief and emotional overwhelm.
Truth is, the entire holiday season opened my eyes to the degree of loss, and gain I experienced in 2024.
For someone who rarely shed a tear and is continuously told how strong I am, these days, tears just seem to flow, at some point each day, completely outside of my control
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During a recent yin yoga class at Mindful Movements, I found myself quietly weeping, wiping the tears that were streaming down my face so as not to draw attention to myself. They show up during breath work sessions, brief conversations in the grocery store and chance encounters while I’m out for a walk. I am learning not to suppress the tears, to let them flow as this release is a necessary part of my healing process and quite frankly, it makes me human.
I guess this is grief. Physiologically, this new teacher of mine shows up as heaviness in my heart, knots or an anxious sensation in my tummy and quite often, tears. I never know when grief wants to hang out with me or for how long the visit will last. She just shows up, unannounced, and stays for as long as she likes.
As I embrace and learn to navigate this unknown territory, full of uncertainty, I am keeping an open mind and an open heart to what each day brings and where this path is leading me. I am controlling what is within my control, remaining focused on my health and well being by keeping my body strong, maintaining a nutritious diet, getting outside in nature, allowing myself sufficient time to rest and protecting my energy from negativity wherever possible and oh yes, I’m making time to play!
Please don’t feel sorry or sad for me. Be happy for me. I’m ALIVE! I’m a survivor and I have so much to live for!
Yes, I have another MRI pending this month to see what’s going on in this crazy brain of mine and to ensure those nasty tumours are stable.
In the meantime, My plan is to LIVE! I’ll spend time with good people, doing fun things and fully enjoy some planned travel in the months ahead to feed my adventurous soul. I am slowly getting back into my kitchen – YAY! Cranking up the tunes, dancing a bit and prepping whole foods with a great friend sure helps! All of these wonderful joys may look a little different now but they are all possible, and much much more, with a little help from my friends.
I’m super grateful, every damn day for the good peeps in my life and for community. You help me to find reserves of strength that I didn’t realize I possess. Your ongoing gifts of support, love and laughter continue to nourish me when at times it feels like my spirit is unraveling.
Until next time, I hope you find ways to Believe in Yourself because if I can do it, you can too!
Peace and Love,
We love your bravery for sharing your journey. You are a private person just letting in a few people. But this has changed you in a inspiring way. You want to touch people of all journeys. Especially has inspired me in my journey of struggle’s. I see my life in a different way because of you. Sometimes my pain has taken me to a dark place that I fight hard to stay free. You have such positive energy. Just being in your world makes mine brighter. I feel so blessed to know you. Love you. Thank you for sharing your heart and soul with all of us. Hope we can help make a difference in your journey.
Thanks for the reminder to be grateful and to live life to the fullest because you can.
I think of you often so really glad to see your update. Just like you I live my best life everyday & am grateful for everyone of them. Keep on keeping on my friend 🤗
Inspiration embodied, fear, grief and loss will visit each of us. Realizing we can still choose gratitude is beyond inspiring. With every inhale and every exhale we can embrace and open our eyes to realize we have blessings all around us. The fact that you set aside time to remind us all to recognize and be grateful for all our moments is a gift. Thank you for the update. Knowing you is a gift. I look forward to seeing the pictures from your upcoming adventures! XO
Thank you so much Kristin for the update on your health and an often forgotten life lesson. I now truly do treat each day as a gift as we never know what’s around the corner. You’re strength, energy, positivity and spirit that you exude certainly is your driving force and it does helps others who may be struggling.
You are a force to be reckoned with and I’m grateful to have you as a longtime friend and part of our family. 🥰xx
Very nice blog Kristen ,
Stay strong , stay positive, your kind words and encouragement are greatly appreatiated by our family , it’s obvious your heart is huge and you have lots of fight, sending our hugs and prayers. You got this !
Oh Kristin
You are just so honest and so genuine and real!
I love that you can share this and still be so very grateful for every day! You are such an inspiration to me and so many! Prayers are being sent for you every day!
Love you precious girl!!🥰💕
I love the sheer defiance you have for this illness. You will not lay down, and even though the illness never takes a break and that is the exhausting part, you remain true to your values and live life your way. That is the definition of grace and you are an inspiration to us all.
Thank you for the update Kristin. Healthy or ill, life seems to present a series of challenges to be faced. It’s a physical, mental and moral obstacle course. I think that is what creates great art, insightful novels and plays, exceptional sculpture., and wonderful movies. You are embracing the challenges and finding beauty. May you always continue to inspire and be inspired by this wild and strange experience.