Don’t just leave a legacy, LIVE a legacy. —Taura L. Barr
5 years ago, this fall I was going through cardiac rehab, at the age of 31. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. So many times, I wanted to give up, because I was scared and it was super challenging not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. My world was turned upside down and I wanted to go back and change everything to avoid where I was. I was falling apart.
I prayed and prayed and prayed and one day I woke up, from a very deep sleep. And I found the courage strength and motivation to just kept going, not because I really wanted to, but because I had to. God was calling me to something big and He reminded me that although this felt so very huge right then, this wasn’t it.
My life has not been easy, but let’s be really honest here, who’s is? We are all in unique situations that make it hard for most of us to keep going, but giving up isn’t an option. These challenges make us stronger, wiser and so much more appreciative of this beautiful opportunity we are given. And that opportunity is to serve. When we make it all about ourselves we spiral deep down into some dark paths and wonder what “would happen if”, or start saying things like “I don’t deserve this” or worse begin to think we should be immune to certain things because we “work hard”. This type of thinking is the biggest reason most people are stuck or can’t experience the successes they are hoping for. Its one of the reasons I was stagnant in my recovery until I had someone who loved me very much bring it to my attention.
We can easily get in our own way. And when we do that, we get in the way of everyone else out there who is willing and ready to help us.
Today I finished an extremely cardio-intensive 30-minute exercise, with breaks, but I finished. And when I look back to early 2014 I can’t believe how far I’ve come. I didn’t get here by pointing out everything that was wrong with me, or wallowing in my sorrows, but by pushing past those perceived limitations, staring my fears right in the face and putting one foot in front of the other.
I never imagined this would be my path. But here I am.
Having heart disease changes you. There is no argument about that. But it doesn’t have to define you. And for a time, I was letting it define me. Current approaches to recovery focus on treating the condition, and your ‘limitations’ rather than you as a whole person. When I ‘woke up’ and looked for an alternative path to my recovery, I found there were zero holistic wellness recovery programs in my geographic area for heart disease patients. So, I started on this path alone and pulled together an amazing team of professionals ready and willing to help me. And now, I’m committed to bringing that same team to you.
My programs at Deep Roots Healing are just the beginning, but they are all about serving YOU as the person, not your condition. The benefits of a holistic approach to heart disease recovery are personal and very hard to quantify using traditional means of success. You need only to ask around and what you will discover is for those of us who have ‘successfully’ recovered it was because we focused not just on the physical aspects of our condition, but all of the things that make up this crazy life we live here on the planet. Like, “how do I get back to my job”, “how do I play with my kids” and “how do I address this intense fear I have of this happening again” “how do I work through my memory issues and my fatigue”. I went through all of these and many more that had little to do with my physical body. As both a patient and a nurse who has had this personal experience, I’m in a unique position to implement innovative holistic approaches to address wellness-based solutions and my hope is to stimulate conversation around developing and testing multi-dimensional holistic programs of wellness for heart disease recovery. It’s time to transform our approach to stroke and heart disease recovery to focus on the whole person body, mind and spirit.
If you are looking for support and guidance in your recovery please contact me today. You can live again and I want to show you how.
1 Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you
Tracy Thaden says
Taura, what a beautiful account of a serious challenge and how you found a way to overcome it. I love how you didn’t let it be who you are, rather just something that you encountered.
Taura says
And something that made me stronger, wiser and more thankful instead of turning me bitter and resentful…..this is what I’m trying to share 🙂
Philipa says
Thanks for sharing your personal journey, it is an honour! Taura, wow what a story and recovery. Super inspiring !
Thanks xx
Taura says
Thank you!!! Inspiration is why I’m doing this, so someone else can say “look, she did it, so can I”….my hope 🙂
Nicole says
Thank you for sharing your personal story of having heart disease. Your work is so important and people struggling with their own health issues will be so blessed by your own journey and sharing of your wisdom.
Taura says
Thank you!! we all heal when we share our story 🙂