Written by: Janet Caliri, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The accident that changed my life
On January 14th, 2020, my throat swelled closed due to a combination of a histamine problem and eating shellfish. I drove myself to the ER, where the doctors gave me drugs and sent me home in the middle of the night. A day later, I went unconscious twice. On the way down, I smashed the front right part of my brain and face. When I came to, I was absolutely terrified. I went to call 911, and when I stood to get my phone, and unknowingly, had a concussion, I went unconscious again in the hallway. I fell backwards and smashed the left back of my brain, and damaged my shoulder and spine. Finally, I dragged myself to my phone and dialed 911.
This was the beginning of my long journey living with a traumatic brain injury. I had to relearn how to live. I was incapacitated, taking it slow, not working, and focusing on healing my body and my brain. I didn’t drive for 5 months, and I relied heavily on community and strangers helping me with in-home care, computer work, and getting back on my feet.
My accident happened right before CoronApocolypse. For me, the pandemic came at the perfect time, because when the whole world slowed down, I was already two months into lockdown. The whole world finally caught up with me and got on my pace.
How a brain injury guided me to follow my soul
While incapacitated and healing, my lease ended, so I put my things in storage and left the home where I lived for a few years. When an opportunity to buy a mobile home came into my sphere, I jumped at the prospect of a less expensive living situation. With a forecast of slowing down my business due to impaired vision, capacity, concentration and tracking, I knew I needed to cut my cost of living, and I was excited about living in a more affordable home. Ultimately, it didn’t work out, but the process of looking into a more flexible living situation sparked an eagerness to continue following that path.
I set a new short-term objective for my life: I needed to land somewhere alone for several months to calm my nervous system, continue my healing journey, and access my intuitive guidance. I chose to lower my living expenses so I could focus solely on healing rather than stress about paying the bills.
Although disappointed that the mobile home didn’t work out, I asked the magical question to Life: What is Option 3?
When we ask life, What is Option 3, it helps us escape away from the black and white, practical thinking, problem-solving, mindset. By asking the question, we are allowing ourselves to pause in curiosity, playfully, and wait patiently for answers and guidance.
Maybe the answers are all inside of us anyways, however, we often don’t have access because we are being analytical to solve our problems using the left side of our brain. But when we ask the question, we’re in the wonder state, that’s when our wisdom and intuition is more easily accessed. Do you know your gut feeling? The more we get into this state of curiosity, the easier and sooner we have access to the answers and solutions. We must have a willingness to listen to that inner voice and surrender the need to control. Surrendering does not mean giving up our power, but acquiescing, and allowing life to decide what’s next.
We may feel scared and uncomfortable, as it’s not our normal way of navigating our day to day life. In order to feel calm and make favorable choices, we must be willing to experience the fear and discomfort and not let it own us and run the show.
Once the answer comes, that’s when then we use the left side of the brain, the analytical, practical part of our minds, to take action steps and make it happen. What am I going to pack in my car? What am I getting from storage? Where’s the first place I’m going to go, and where will I stay? The left brain stuff is the logistics. But that big answer comes from the unwavering state of wonder.
How a soul tour led me to find the Truth (or Consequences) of my next stage of healing
So, at that time, in late December 2020, when I asked myself, What is Option 3, a voice answered, pack your car and head south. Two weeks later, my car was packed with essentials, and I headed towards the Mojave Desert.
This was the start of my soul tour. January 16th, the one-year anniversary of my accident. I felt empowered and sovereign, having come so far from being incapacitated. One year later, being in a position where I had nothing chaining me down; I felt so free, following my soul.
I had no idea where I was going, and I had no plans. All I knew was to take it day by day, hour by hour. I would make plans, at most, one week ahead of time. I found Airbnbs, and asked friends and community members to help me find places along the way for short-term rentals. I visited a friend in Pahrump, Nevada. We went on some adventures to Death Valley and Red Rocks. I saw friends in Las Vegas. I navigated using my intuitive soul radar compass.
As I was heading towards the American Southwest, I was reminded of my friend Maxime, that had told me about a little town in New Mexico she had visited the year prior. For no reason at all, when I first heard of it, I dully noted that I would like to visit one day. I was intrigued. So, I checked Airbnb and set my GPS to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.
A few months prior, I had a psychic vision (perhaps a prophecy) of Life rolling out the red carpet and inviting me to step onto it. I didn’t know what that meant, but I knew it was significant. I knew that I was going to be okay, and life was going to unfold with all kinds of magic.
My Airbnb in Truth or Consequences was a beautiful, quaint, casita, enclosed by a long red adobe fence. The fence was so long, it looked like a red carpet. That was the first affirmation from Life. It clicked. This was where I could continue healing for the next few months. My soul had led me here.
Want to learn how to follow your soul for life’s visible transitions? Contact Janet Caliri at janet@janetcaliri.com and visit VisibleTransitions.com for more information!
Follow Janet on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or visit her website for more information about the Visible Transitions methodology!
Janet Caliri, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Janet Caliri is a certified life coach, bestselling author, and well-regarded speaker, who brings her innovative process and playful energy to audiences and private clients alike.
Known as the “Curiosity Coach”, Janet’s mission is igniting human potential. She is the founder of Visible Transitions, a proprietary photographic technique that helps clients approach difficult and challenging life transitions with curiosity, ease, and acceptance.
Janet has combined her passions and experience in life coaching, professional photography, cardiovascular radiology, writing, and art, to develop a community of leaders with high emotional intelligence.
Her journey and her proven photographic methodology were inspired by personal health challenges which required her to utilize curiosity and a smartphone camera to accelerate her healing and feel joyous during a life transition. Ever since Janet has shared Visible Transitions with hundreds of people worldwide as a gateway to ignite their potential.
