After my TBI, I found myself going down a road of thinking negatively, wishing things were different, wishing I was different. Things that used to be so easy, that I never have to think about, became a challenge. When I met with my doctor, he explained that my mind was in a pattern of having “automatic negative thoughts (ANTS).” This was a huge revelation and helped me become more proactive about ways to shift my thinking to a more positive space. For me, meditation has been a really effective way in and a way out of my ANTS. It’s been a way for me to dive into my mind to become aware of these patterns and then learn how to find ways to release them. Meditation has given me a path to slowing down, being present with what I do have, and finding perspective about how I create my reality--not my ANTS. So, the meditation I am going to share is all about this idea that love and positivity come from within. When I give myself the space to just be as I am, accepting the parts that I am proud of and frustrated by together, I feel happier and more optimistic about life.