Good question, Will. my self esteem took a very steep dive after my accident when i couldn't work (at a job that is my calling and i really feel makes a difference in the world), couldn't be a part of the overarching culture here locally which is all about sports--kiteboarding, kayaking, skiing, etc. Went through a breakup really because of all that and the fact that i became a weepy, anxious person who couldn't do anything.

my therapist has challenged me to see that those things aren't who i am...but since i never had to look far to feel good and valuable before, i was left in the lurch w/o those things. i think i'm seeing that showing love and knowing love are what life is really all about, and perhaps what i should be about, but i say that knowing that i'm really only ok with that as long as i recover because in a way my job and my activities were the ways i showed loved to myself and to the world. there are other ways, i have found some. i've found my sense of humor again (the lexapro helped), which was always a big part of me.

listened to an interesting non-traditional meditation the other day that took you back through your ancestors...to make you feel like they've all been struggling to survive so that you could live, and their strength is yours and all that.