Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Life is what happens when you’re busy making plans
I remember when I thought I would be married by 25 and have a few kids by 30. Little did I know I would be disabled at 24 and living at home after a broken engagement at 27. All I can do is laugh at the irony. It’s all experience. Am I heartbroken that it…
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Saying Goodbye | A Message from Stephanie’s Family
Stephanie Ann Darnell had a sudden medical event that took her life May 2023. We as a family are at peace and we believe she is also at peace. She has been made perfect and is no longer in pain. Stephanie was a vibrant, smart, deeply compassionate woman. She had an insatiable curiosity and passionately…
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Neuroplastiscity & MS
Want to know something weird? A few years before I was diagnosed with MS, my yoga teacher had me read two books on neuroplasticity: Buddha’s Brain and The Brain that Changes Itself. Neuroplasticity is the ability of the neural networks in our brains to adapt through growth and reorganization. Knowing this shaped how I thought about what was…
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Embracing humanness
2020 has been a year that goes down in history. Everyone has their own opinions snd feelings about it. I have to say, I really enjoyed the reflection and self development time I had. One thing that I learned in 2020 is that it is so important to embrace, and appreciate, our humanness. When I…
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Lessons from my deathbed at 24 years-old
On March 7, 2017 I found myself laying in a hospital bed with nurses all around me. I was hospitalized after finding a tumor in my brain stem. There were doctors and nurses all around me, saying things I didn’t understand. It took me a while to understand what was going on. Then I was…
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Using your Intuition during a Health Crisis
This topic weighs on my heart, daily. I just need to say… YOU are in charge of your health. No one else. I wish I would’ve understood that better when I started going through my health crisis. I used to be the one who thought doctors had all the answers. I really thought anything could…
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How to Live Less Afraid
Fear. It’s everywhere. Fear is a mechanism that has evolved as a survival technique. Fight, flight or freeze is our fear response. It activates the sympathetic nervous system. While fear is useful when we are encountered with danger, it doesn’t benefit us to stay in the sympathetic nervous system daily. So, how do we overcome…
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I do see color and it’s Beautiful
I hear a lot of people use the micro aggression “ I don’t see color” as a way to “prove” they aren’t racist. I think that saying is overused and worn out. So, I want to start by saying that I DO see color and it’s BEAUTIFUL. Black skin tones are beautiful and worthy. I…
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Stop comparing suffering
“But my problems are nothing compared to yours.” Is my least favorite thing people say to me. The truth is, even the littlest struggle is valid because it’s your struggle. My struggle doesn’t invalidate yours. I want to be able to be there for those who struggle. I want other’s to be able to see…
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Identifying Why you’re Depleted
Do you ever have those days where you just feel empty? It’s a pretty common feeling during COVID. I tend to experience this a lot. I finally realized that I feel so depleted for these general reasons. Today I am depleted because I miss my humans. I miss direct contact and the joy of waking…
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Grieving the loss of “normal”
Has quarantine bummed you out? Experiencing more stress and anxiety than usual? Me too. The truth is, we don’t know how much “normal” we will get back. This has been my reality for about three years. I don’t know how much of my life will be normal after the brain injury. So, we collectively need…
Got any book recommendations?
Stephanie Darnell 