Before the age of twenty-years-old, being involved in a community like the limb-difference seemed very foreign to me. The fact that I hadn’t been around anybody like myself until reaching my twenties made it all the more naturally uncomfortable – it was so out of my comfort zone I wasn’t sure what I should do. I remember not even knowing how I should stand or interact, it was so unfamiliar!
Despite the outgoing discipline I had been raised under, with the teaching from my father that ‘shy kids come last,’ I was definitely brought up in an environment to grow and prosper. Even after the tough love nature I was supplied with, entering teen years with a limb-difference is a time you can start using it to make excuses to get out of things. I won’t lie, I’ve definitely done it and the benefit of it is absolutely not worth the habit it can create.
Fortunately, it was something I didn’t cling on to using much, however there were instances where I would. Up until I began travelling to America yearly meeting families and working with children with similar differences to myself, I was much a different person. The people, the conversations, the adventures create an environment and mentality that’s as close to bulletproof as you can get.
It’s not an environment that accepts excuses and it’s certainly not one you can get away with a cop-out inside of. That’s one thing that has stuck with me from the travels and people of all ages I’ve met. If it wasn’t for the limb-different community and seeing the possibilities they have made capable, myself and many others would probably still be making age old excuses and I’m glad that has changed, with many of us now doing what once seemed illogical and impossible for us to achieve.
With the new year looming, I’m sure you have your goals to stride towards and it’s the time to stop making excuses and start making more decisions to better yourself, your year and your life. The last thing I want to do is be one of those fraudulent keyboard motivators who writes something and goes back to doing nothing – there’s enough of them as it is.
But, if you’re going to do something because of this article – ask yourself honestly: how was your year? Did you achieve any of the goals on your list? What do you want to level up on? There’s never a bad time to get started, but this week is ever the perfect time to adjust and strive for longer than just January.
It takes work and always will. I managed to achieve two of my three goals for the year. Satisfied? Not quite, but those I will continue working towards. You have to. If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.
We have goals for the DIA in the new year; one of them to be more constant and on top of things. It’s hard not to be motivated when you see what people in our community are constantly achieving. It’s been a strong 2019 for many of our friends.
I hope your 2020 is as productive as possible. For every like, retweet, share and comment left on our posts and social media pages, it is all greatly appreciated. See you in 2020!