Earth Day Insights: Embracing Happiness and Gratitude

This talk was from a LEAD group meeting for Earth Day run by Rehab without Walls. Rob was working with his speech therapist on improving his breath control and timing, and maintaining volume. He had recently received an injection into his vocal folds, but it had not yet fully taken effect. This speech set his then-current standing record.

He covers a short version of his stroke and delusions and offers advice on how to be happier. He recommends:

• starting a gratitude journal of three items


• making and maintaining friendships


• access to nature


• meditating to help understand and manage your thoughts and emotions.

Final advice is two things, a thought and an activity.

The thought is to remember that you can find joy and happiness anywhere. You simply need to seek the good. Turn on the light.

The activity is gratitude as a habit. Every night write down three things for which you are grateful, genuinely grateful. Even if they are tiny things like “lunch tasted good.” Feel gratitude. As deeply as you can. Every day.

Embrace joy.