Yes, I am Disabled, but Don’t Count Me Out, because I am Not my Disability

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 Yes, I am Disabled, but Don’t Count Me Out, because I am Not my Disability

We Are Not Our Disabilities

Living with a disability (visible or invisible) can lead us to believe that we are our disabilities. But the good news is that our disabilities do not define our worth and value. Although society may want to assign a label, stereotype and even stigmatize you and I because of our disability, we can choose something different. Although we may have deficits and limitations they do not have justify a label, stereotype of stigmatization.

In November 2014 I wrote the below article and then created a video presentation of the article. I created video presentation of the article for individuals who learn through watching and listening. As you read the article (listen to) remind yourself that although you may may have a disability, you are not your disability. And don’t count yourself out because of a diagnosis, prognosis, label, stereotype or societal stigmatization.

To watch and listen to a video presentation of this article, click on this link: Yes I am Disabled, but Don’t Count Me Out Video Presentation

As an individual living with a disability have you ever had the feeling. The feeling that there were people who counted you out. People who see you as less than because of your disability. I have my friend.

I have a friend

I have my friend. Several days ago, during a brief conversation with someone that I had not seen in about 6 or 7 years, she asked me if I was working.

She asked because she knew that my disability had previously interfered with my ability to work.

When She Asked

When she asked me if I was working, I told her that I was still disabled and receiving assistance. When I said that I was not working, I got the feeling from her that being disabled, receiving assistance and not being able to work in traditional settings made me less of a person.

I got a feeling that as a result of being disabled and receiving assistance, I could not really have a place of significance in the world. A feeling of “Yes, but…” coming from her.

A feeling of what I was accomplishing with my life was trite and insignificant. A feeling of minimization and marginalization.

A feeling of “that’s nice” after sharing with her what I have been doing and am doing through Second Chance to Live.

Needed to Remind Myself

Although I realized that I did not have to own or take any of those feelings (personally), I realized something else.

I realized that I needed to remind myself that,” Yes I am disabled, but Don’t Count me Out because…”

Although I realized that I did not have to own or take those feelings on personally, I realized that I needed to remind myself to run my own race. I needed to remind myself to stay committed to using my gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for me.

I needed to remind myself to not lose sight of my mission and vision. I needed to remind myself to stay the course regardless… I needed to remind myself to continue to run my race.

“I am a slow walker, but I never walk backward.” Abraham Lincoln

“Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Albert Einstein

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau

Today’s Thought

In the event that you are living with a disability, that interferes with your ability to work; let me encourage you with this my friend. What makes you and I valuable is that we have a unique. We have unique mission and purpose to fulfill with our lives.

A mission given to us by a loving God that no one else can fill. A mission that we can alone discover. A mission that we can lone live.

  Although we may have people in our lives who leave us feeling minimized and marginalized, we can rise. Although we may have people in our lives who dismiss and discount us, we can stand strong. Stand strong and fulfill our God-given purpose.

My Encouragement to You

 So stay committed to your course. Run your own race. Keep your focus on the goals that are in front of you. Keep using your gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for you.

Don’t lose sight of your mission and vision.

Some Quotes that Inspire

“I was told over and over again that I would never be successful, that I was not going to be competitive and the technique was simply not going to work. All I could do is shrug my shoulders and say, ‘we’ll just have to see.” Dick Fosbury (Olympic Gold Medalist. Inventor of the “Fosbury Flop” High Jump Technique)

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Christopher Reeve

“I am only one, but still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” Helen Keller
 
“Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.” Zig Ziglar

“Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.” Lou Holtz

“Insist on yourself; never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultivation, but of the adopted talent of another, you have only an extemporaneous half- possession. Do that which is assigned to you and you cannot hope too much, or too much.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Steve Jobs

To read more about my process and journey, click on this link:

 My Autobiography in Bullet Points