"In this episode, I share the turning point in my TBI recovery when I realized that staying silent could actually protect my peace more than explaining ever could. I'll walk you through how brain injury changed my emotional responses, why my limbic system was stuck in overdrive, and how I learned to use 'down-regulation' as survival medicine.

From lightning fast reactions to intentional silence, from needing constant validation to finding peace within, this is the story of how I stopped burning out my energy trying to be understood and started protecting what matters most: my inner calm.

If you've ever felt exhausted from over-explaining yourself, if you struggle with emotional regulation, or if you're curious about the neuroscience behind choosing silence as strength, this episode is for you.

📌Timestamps:

00:00 - Opening/Topic Introduction - "We need to talk, talk about the moment I stopped defending myself and started choosing silence instead."

01:00 - Brain Injury Explanation Begins - "How could I stay silent when my T.B.I has taken control over my brain's ability to process thoughts, regulate emotions..."

03:04 - Left Temporal Lobe Impact - "My accident caused that my left temporal lobe got severely damaged." It's a survival of the brain encountering fear, confusion, frustration, uncertainty.

04:05 - The Early Struggles - "It felt like the left side of my body just stopped working while my right side wanted to survive. No tools and knowledge to help myself.

05:49 - 10-Year Journey - "Over the past ten years, I've had to figure out and find ways to accept and adapt."

07:16 - Healing Through Content Creation - "Making these video's and podcasts is so helpful for my healing."

08:26 - Instant Reactions Phase - "Acknowledging now that my reactions in the first 6-7 years after my TBI were instant, and as fast as lightning..."

09:37 - The Invisible Injury - "This is what living with a brain injury looks and feels like explained from my perspective."

10:52 - Not Recognising Pain Fear, Emotions- “It is so scary to not even recognise your own pain, fears and emotions, it is even scarier when you can’t see them in others”

12:36 - The Turning Point - "And that's where the answer to your question comes in. Choosing silence for me has never just been an emotional choice."

13:47 - Down Regulation Technique - "Later I found out this was clinically called 'down-regulation"

15:52 - Survival Medicine - "For me, a TBI survivor, this isn't just a calming technique. This is survival medicine."

18:05 - Taking Power Back - "By reclaiming the power within my internal space, helped me change."

19:48 - People's Reactions to Silence - "What I see happening around me now is, that people don't know how to handle my peaceful silence."

21:00 - Detachment vs Avoidance - "My silence isn't an avoidance of them. It's a detachment from them and reconnection to myself."

22:22 - Not Needing Understanding - "But that kind of peace doesn't come from being understood. It comes when you stop needing to be understood..."

24:11 - Being Careful vs Fearful - "I'm careful now. Careful who I trust, who im love and who I give my energy to.. don’t mistake Careful for Fearful."

25:35 - Final Message - "For all the listeners: just know that I finally know my worth, my values..." My silence is a choice.

27:04 - Closing - "Hope I didn't ramble too much... Keep dancing in the rain like nobody is watching."

Join the conversation: #howsilencehelpedme #WeNeedToTalk #liveingrace #realtalkunfiltered #TBIWarrior #InvisibleBattles #HealingJourney #TBISurvivor

To anyone fighting silent battles:

You are not your trauma.

Not your worst day.

You're the space where healing happens.

! Disclaimer: I'm not a medical professional.

This is all my personal experience as I live with my TBI.