Recovery from a TBI with running a competitive 5K despite predictions. Establishing "two love days" for self-care and community.

The doctors said I might never run again after the TBI. They said a lot of things—some true, some not. What they couldn't predict was stubbornness.

I ran that 5K. Not fast. Not pretty. But I crossed the finish line.

And somewhere along the way, I learned something about recovery that the textbooks don't teach: you need two kinds of days.

Love days for yourself. And love days for others.

The self-love days are when you rest. When you let your body and mind recover without guilt. When you eat well, sleep long, and do absolutely nothing productive. These aren't lazy days—they're investment days. You're putting deposits in an account you've been withdrawing from for too long.

The community love days are when you show up for others. When you call the friend who's struggling. When you sit with someone who needs a witness. When you contribute something—anything—to someone outside your own head.

I used to think recovery was all about me. Getting myself better. Fixing myself. Healing myself.

But isolation is a lie. We heal in community. We find purpose in contribution.

Two love days. One for you. One for someone else.

The balance isn't perfect. Some weeks you need more self-care. Some weeks you have more to give. But the rhythm matters. The intention matters.

You can't pour from an empty cup. But a cup that never pours becomes stagnant.

Two love days. Try it this week.

#MercyClimb