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Gray.Matter

@gray.matter.21

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Im Gracie - brain cancer survivor rebuilding my mind - and showing you how. Using yoga, meditation, cognitive reclamation

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Hello! My name is Grace and I have brain cancer.

I have been fascinated by self help content for most of my life. Listening to entrepreneurs and dissecting how they became who they are. How they overcame the battles in their way.

Im experiencing hidden battles, the cognitive problems people don't know about. Its hard to find words, functioning is so much harder and the seizures or seizurey, unstable feeling that the world doesn't see, but I feel almost all the time is tough. I need to figure out how to over come this, because this issue is all up to me.

I have prepared a sort of word finding therapy for myself. I will share it in my next few videos.

#braincancertherapy #braincancer by @gray.matter.21

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6 months ago

I have a massive fear of heights, BUT I fear brain cancer more. I went bouldering to put myself in "physical danger" (not really) to show to myself that I am more than what I fear.

#boulderinglife #climbinggym #braincancer #mentallystrong by @gray.matter.21

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4 months ago

Brain cancer is life changing, it introduces a lot of symptoms like changes in cognitive abilities, your mood, personality, energy levels and fatigue.

I have experienced all of it. But there is hope ✨️ I have really learned that in the deepest darkest moments, having a good solid lifestyle to rely on can keep you afloat. Having good habits for exercising and moving your body, stimulating your mind (this is where having a purpose in your life comes in) and having a good way to relax your body and mind.

I have really focused on living a happy life (even when its hard or its unfair) and I try to look at everyone with LOVE ❤️.

#braincancersucks #seizuressuck #braincancer by @gray.matter.21

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4 months ago

I struggle with turning thoughts into words. I am now looking for strategies to get beyond this or lessen it.

It is really awkward when you are talking with someone and you cant cant communicate what you want to say, EVEN when its an important thing and you have to communicate it in a fast spaced situation.

#quickthoughts #braincancer #brainhealth #cognintivetraining by @gray.matter.21

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4 days ago

Describing a picture using my own words 🧠

#brainhealthmatters #braincancer #cognitiveimprovement #cognintivetraining by @gray.matter.21

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4 days ago

I didn't plan on spending so much energy on my brain. I planned to survive college.

After surgery at 21, I wasn't researching cognitive rehab programs. I was just focused on trying to pass my classes.

I started training my brain the only way I knew how: spanish drills, reading and meditation sitting up right on the couch. If my head went below my heart I would feel pressure and pain.
It became my new normal during that time.

Years later, I looked back and realized: this was how you improve your cognition. You involve every part of what you do. Movement to rewire the body-brain connection. Awareness/mindfulness practices to calm the noise. Cognition work to build back sharpness. And for me, I needed it to be immediate, not someday.

Now I'm building and practicing Gray.Matter - the structured program I needed back then, testing it and refining it on myself in real time.

Its not polished or perfect, but it's working.
If it keeps working? I'm bring others with me.

If you're rebuilding your mind too - you're in the right place.
Drop a 🧠 if this resonates.
I'm documenting everything as I go.

#GrayMatter #BrainCancerSurvivor #CognitiveTraining #MeditationForSurvivors #BrainHealth by @gray.matter.21

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10 days ago

Talking non-sense about my passion: permaculture
Spontaneously teaching the topic is more difficult than just knowing it in your head. This forces me to learn how to speak without depending on a script or notes.

#permaculture #brainhealthmatters #speechfluency #plantsmakemehappy by @gray.matter.21

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25 days ago

I got over the really big hurdle. Diagnosis. Surgery.
Now I got to play the slow and long game.
Retraining my mind. Navigating through this world with with my new found knowledge.

#braincancer #newlevelunlocked #braincancersurvivor #cancersurvivors #braincancersurgery by @gray.matter.21

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a month ago

What goes through my mind when I'm bouldering.

#climbinggym #climbergirl #boulderinglife #bouldering #mindsetmatters by @gray.matter.21

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a month ago

Example talking about 1 thing for 1 minute.

It was difficult for me because I was pressured with time. This trains your brain to think quicker and you to talk faster.

My brain sometimes runs faster than I can speak. This exercise forces you to create a balance of thinking power to speaking power.

Next step is to look for strategies to find more ideas to talk about that one topic, explore creativity.

#cognitivehealth #braincancer #brainhealth #brainhealthawareness #brainhealthmatters by @gray.matter.21

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a month ago

Hi my name's is Grace :)
I have been incorporating 3 drills into my days:
Spontaneous Speech and Flow Drills
Designed to improve speech ability and confidence.

1. Speaking about one object for 1 minute.
That one minute forces you to be concise and not ramble on.

2.Describing a photo rapidly

3. Nonsense topic talk for 2 minutes
Get everything you possibly know out about a topic
-Points if you film yourself, you dont have to keep the recording or show anyone.

Don't stress out about being perfect about this.
Have fun and be creative while doing these exercises 😆

#brainhealthmatters #cognitivehealth #braincancer #gray.matter by @gray.matter.21

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a month ago

Im Grace. I have a brain tumor.
Its stable right now. But one day, it will grow.
And when it does, I will loose some of what im working so hard to reclaim.
So Im not wasting time wondering if I could've done more.
Im training my brain AND living life NOW, while I still can.

Here's what this actually looks like:

Motor control:
Drawing shapes/writing with my eyes closed with my dominant hand.
Drawing/writing with my non-dominant hand with my eyes open.

Tracking accuracy. Watching my brain adapt.

Verbal fluency:

Naming everything I can think of in a category.
Connecting myself to random objects - a water bottle, a book - training my ability to retrieve words quicker.

Physical cognition:

Exercise. Movement. Keeping my body connected to my mind.

This isn't about being perfect. Its about putting in the work to build cognitive reserve.

More cognitive reclamation exercises coming soon.

#gray.matter #braintumor #cognintivetraining #brainhealth #neuroplaticity by @gray.matter.21

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a month ago