Right Where I Am
Adapting To
Each Day’s Ability,
Living In My New Normal,
And Finding The Joy.
Welcome to Right Where I Am!
My name is Maya Vargas, I am 51 years old and I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota with my Husband, our two (amazing) relatively grown kids, and our dog.
Writing professionally has been a dream of mine since I was in my 20’s. “Write my book,” has been on my bucket list for quite some time now, and it has not happened yet. I am in my FIFTIES!? How did that happen?? So here I am, fifty-something and wondering how I got here, and starting now to get back into practice. There is definitely more to my story, and that will continue to be told as I go BUT, I will also write about whatever strikes my fancy, or what I have feelings about, or whatever my brain is wanting to get out! I’m gonna be me though, so here goes:)
Some things about me that may affect how, and when, and what I write!
- I’m silly, a big goofball at times, and I LOVE to laugh. I grew up on Carol Burnett and SNL, and I am a seasoned movie quoter.
- I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and due to that I have mild to moderate cognitive damage. This can make me lose my words a lot, and also sometimes I can’t keep up with conversation especially in group settings. I have other complications too, and I’ll share more if it comes up:)
- I have good days and bad days that can be very drastic in contrast.
- I am not a tech wizard, as putting this page together has taken me about a month longer than the 20 minutes it was supposed to.
- I have Depression and Anxiety, and I am so lucky to have had LOTS of therapy including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). DBT in particular was life-changing for me and I recommend it so much, although I’m not a mental health professional!
- Since my MS diagnosis I have experienced the loss of some important abilities, and in turn the loss of my retail career, the loss of my chosen second (later in life career) in Physical Therapy, big parts of my identity, and I had to find my self-worth again.
- Music. Is. Everything. It is on constantly for me.
- Much of the time I am a happy person who dances in the kitchen, and I embrace joy whenever I can.
- I celebrate the small wins, recognize joy in little things, and meet each day Right Where I Am, given my ability both cognitively and physically. These adjustments have helped me to move forward given the losses.
- I am forever grateful to my family for the love and support that they have shown me in all that I do, but especially since my diagnosis. They are my fuel. They are my life.
Right Where I Am is also how I’ll navigate myself as a writer. My goals are simple for this project, yet they won’t always be easy:
- To have a space for an outlet for myself and honor the part of me who has always longed to create, and to make people laugh, think, and feel.
- To remind you who might struggle as I do to treat yourself with gentle kindness without judgement (I know it’s not easy, because many of us are hard on ourselves), and to look for and find joy in the little things Right Where You Are.
Thanks for reading!
Maya
Thank you for visiting!
