CONTROL YOUR MIND… OR SOMEONE DUMBER WILL DO IT FOR YOU

— And trust me, after my stroke, even my own brain tried to outsmart me.

There’s something about this picture that makes me laugh — and wince — at the same time.

 Because after my stroke in 2020, I realised one thing very quickly:

If I didn’t take control of my mind, my mind would happily wander off on its own…and return only when it felt like causing trouble.

Aphasia was like having a personal “IT department” in my brain that kept disconnecting the WiFi.

Words disappeared.

 Sentences collapsed.

 My thoughts took the long, scenic route before arriving anywhere.

But somehow — somehow — all of that chaos turned into something beautiful.

My Stroke: A Plot Twist Nobody Asked For… But I’m Making It Work

When the stroke hit, it felt like the universe pressed the “shuffle” button on my life.

 Suddenly, I had to relearn, rewire, re-hope.

But here’s the funny thing:

 All the things I thought I lost… came back differently.

 More colourful.

 More emotional.

 More me.

My brain may have been battered, but my will — that stubborn, noisy, never-give-up part — got louder.

 (Probably because the quiet part couldn’t find the right words.)

My Books: Proof That Even a Broken Voice Can Still Be Loud

Who knew aphasia would turn me into an author of six books?

 Honestly, not me.

I went from:

 “I cannot speak properly.”

 to

 “Sure, let me publish another book.”

Every book became a piece of the journey —

A Cry in the Dark: my shock, my fear, my survival

Emerging From the Dark: my slow return

Strength in Motion: my recovery

The Boy and The Man: my heart

Thunderstroke: my poetry and my roar

Brokenness Becomes Beautiful: my healing and hope '(COMING SOON)

I used to worry about losing words.

 Now I worry about running out of pages.

My Talks: Because Someone Needs to Hear This — “You Are Not Done”

Standing in front of people with my broken speech was scary.

 But every time I talk, someone comes up to me and says:

“Thank you. You said what I feel but cannot say.”

And suddenly, the fear disappears.

My talks are not perfect.

 But they are human.

 Real.

 Raw.

 And full of hope.

Plus, sometimes the audience laughs at my aphasia jokes —

which means we all win.

My First Acting Role: Lights, Camera… Wait, What’s My Line Again?

Acting in Can You Hear Me? was something I never imagined.

Me?

 On screen?

 For a short film?

 About aphasia?

When the director said “Action!”, my brain said “Let me check my calendar…”

But somehow, it worked.

 I found a new way to express myself — without relying too much on words.

 Just feelings.

 Just truth.

And the best part?

 Now I can officially say:

 “I survived a stroke AND my first film shoot.”

What’s Next: A Man With a Plan (And a Boy Inside Him Still Learning)

After everything — the stroke, the books, the talks, the film — I realise I’m no longer just rebuilding my life.

I’m recreating it.

I’m stepping into a new chapter with confidence, chaos, courage… and a little bit of comedy.

My plans?

🌱 Keep writing

 🎤 Keep speaking

 🎬 Keep acting

 💪 Keep advocating

 ❤️ Keep living with heart

 😂 And keep laughing at myself whenever my brain decides to “take leave”

Life gave me a plot twist.

 I turned it into a story.

 A book.

 A stage.

 A voice.

 A film.

 A mission.

And I’m not done.

Because when you control your mind — even if it takes a bit more effort —

 no one else gets to write your story for you.

Not even the “dumber someone” in the picture.