Life is so much more complicated for kids in school today then it was when I was going up. I’ve had lots of people ask me if I was ever picked on because of my chair. It may surprise you but I wasn’t. There are two reasons for this. The first is that I think most boys were afraid of me. If you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty outgoing, and I give as well as I get,
If anyone ever came at me with taunting or whatever, I came back at them just as hard. I also think I didn’t get picked on because no one wanted to be seen picking on a disabled kid. I was always popular, I wasn’t the best looking guy, I didn’t have a lot of money, I just knew how to talk to people. In those days, people thought my chair was special. They had more fun rolling with me, (yes that pun was intended) then picking a fight.
It’s not that easy for kids these days, there are pressures and expectations that I and other adults have no concept of. That said, do the best you can every day to be good to the kids around you. If you do have a run in with a bully, use every resource at your disposal to handle this situation the right way. The teachers around you have your back everyday. Trust them, they have your best interest in mind. You are a gifted and special, and can change the world like no one else. Don’t let everyone tell you any different.
I had family at my house all weekend. If you are paying attention you would have noticed that I only posted two entries last week. The family was here, I was busy and when I sat down to write I had nothing to say.
My mind is in other places. I’m thinking about Christmas, and gifts, every thing that the next two months is going to hold. I’m also thinking about how behind I am. How this year didn’t go quite as planned, how to make next year better. It’s easy to lose track of the Joy of the season, when you’re trying to find that perfect gift, just like everyone else. Tempers flare, stress goes up, and bah humbug just feels right. I have to remember that I really enjoyed seeing my family on Thanksgiving, and if I really stop and think about it, my life is pretty good.
I’m not rich or famous,(I’d like to be both) and I didn’t do anything spectacular this year, but I’m doing okay. It’s easy to be completely overwhelmed by the pressures of the holiday season. it happens to all of us, just don’t forget to enjoy it while you’re in it, because no matter how little you have, there are many people around the world that have much less.
This is being posted on Thanksgiving day in United States. It’s funny that we have a day on the calendar to remind us to be thankful. We should be thankful everyday. I admit however that like everyone else, I forget sometimes how good I have it. I’m blessed with an amazing family, good health, and the ability to chase my dreams. I also have two women in my life that drive me every day. I talk about them a lot here it seems, but they go by the names of Evie and Natalie. If you’ve been one of my readers for very long, you’ll know that I’ve talk about Evie before. She built the site and has come up with numerous ideas to make me a success. (most of which you haven’t seen yet) I drive her crazy on a daily basis. I’m not sure I’ve ever met a more gifted and talented woman in my life. So much so that it’s intimidating sometimes. She keeps me on my toes I can’t say that about many people,
I hate to admit it but she is much more driven than me and is constantly trying to find ways to inspire me to be better. I’m extraordinarily blessed because of her.
Then there’s Natalie. Maybe the single greatest surprise of my life. I could spend the next three paragraphs telling you how wonderful she is but I won’t. I can some it up very simply by saying she brings the kid out in me. She brightens my day every day. (I’d tell you how but if I repeated most of what we talk about here we would both be committed.)
Right about now you’re probably wondering why I chose to tell you this. What does that have to do with you? The answer, we are all blessed. You may have to think about it for a while find the blessings in your own life, but I promise you, they are there. So my question to you ladies and gentlemen yes how are you blessed? Leave me a comment let’s talk about it.
I know the holidays are tough for a lot of you out there. From now until after New Year’s is a daily struggle. I don’t know what you’ve been through or what you struggle with. I do know that no matter who you are, someone out there believes in you. There is a person in your life who believes you can do anything. Whether you believe it or not. I’m lucky enough to have two of those people in my life. They know who they are. I know that I would not survive a day without them. You may not think that person exists in your life. You may have to look hard but I promise they are there. It’s that person that believes in you no matter what. No matter how many times you fail, they pick you up. That person who would give everything they have if it would help you succeed. When you struggle this holiday season, go find them as often as you need to. I promise, they won’t mind.
The people and relationships we have in this life are all that matters. When you see that person, whoever they are, tell them you love them, even if that’s not really your style. Life is hard and this time year, it can take its toll. If you know you are “that person” for someone in your life, don’t wait on them to find you, go get them.
Whatever your struggles are, remember they don’t own you. You are in control. If after some thought “that person” in your life that you inspire doesn’t come to mind, email me I’m not afraid to talk to you. Just know you’re not getting my pie on Thanksgiving.
“When things don’t work out for you… When things happen that you could not anticipate, what are the reasons that you can think of that can keep you strong?
You will never, ever be successful until you turn your pain into greatness. Until you allow your pain to push you from where you are, to where you need to be. Stop running from your pain and embrace it. Your pain is going to be a part of your prize – a part of your product.
It’s easy to be on the bottom. It doesn’t take any effort to be a loser. It doesn’t take any motivation, any drive in order to stay down there at a low level. But it calls on everything in you – you have to harness your will to say ‘I’m going to challenge myself.’
The biggest enemy you have to deal with… is yourself.”
A friend of mine posted this on Facebook recently. I have no idea who originally said it but there’s a lot of truth there. The mantra of this blog is “We All Have Issues.” We all have a past, and we all have demons that try to keep us there. It’s been said that most people only have 5 true friends throughout the course of their lives. Five people that will support you no matter what. Those five people can only do so much. If you want to change your life you have to make the change and I challenge you to start today. It won’t be easy or quick, but you CAN do it. The past is the past. Leave it there and start today
I made this video more than three years ago. I have to admit I feel like I haven’t accomplished much in those three years because I still feel the same way today. I’m still trying to figure out how to make my way. The one thing that I am proud of is that my vision has not changed. I still want to take over the world.
Three years later I still don’t feel like much is expected of me but the one thing I have learned, is that the only thing that matters is what I expect of myself. One thing I haven’t talked about here is that I am amazed while watching able-bodied people. It seems really simple for you guys to walk, or drive or do all the things that you do without even thinking about it. When I see that. It makes me wonder why most people struggle so much? They have the ability to do what they want to do with so few physical barriers that it is mind blowing to me, why most people don’t do more. It’s hard for me to do simple things, like open a piece of candy, or put on a shirt. In short if you can tie your own shoelaces. It seems to me you can probably be President if you so choose.
As the front page of this blog says, we all have issues. I’m not disputing that. All I’m saying is. If you are physically able with no major physical deficits, then make the most of it. If you don’t, I’m probably going to find a way to do what you want to do better than you. Even with all of my physical issues. I do have one major advantage, it’s called handicap parking (if you people don’t steal my spot, that is.)
Life will always try to get it in the way of what you want
I saw some people that I grew up with a few weeks back. They are husband-and-wife now and they have kids. If you ask them, I’m positive they would tell you that their kids are the best thing that has ever happened to them. I don’t doubt that for a second. My nieces are a blessing that it has taken me years to wrap my brain around. I would also venture a guess that those same people would tell you that they given up on some dreams and some aspirations they may have had because bills, kids and the stress of Life got the better of them.
I’m constantly thinking about my future life. About where I’m going to be. Where I’m going to go, and who is coming with me. I have a very close friend (who happens to have created this website) who is kind enough to listen to my ramblings.
I’ve talk about the future like that ever since I can remember. My reasoning for this is that I don’t want to lose track of it. I don’t want life to get the way to the point that I can’t see that vision anymore.
I may never achieve it but if I’m working toward it then the possibility of it happening continues to be real. If you followed me for a while, you know that I had a motivational podcast. Then I moved to YouTube, then I was told I needed to write a book. I had trouble putting the book together, so Evie created this blog, To make it easy for me to write and finish what I started.
The podcast was a moderate success. Enough that I thought I could move to video, and use that propel me toward my ultimate goal of being on TV with the ability to influence millions.
Turns out I wasn’t a YouTube smash. (probably because I wasn’t a kitten playing a piano), if you look around this blog, you can see most of those videos used in my posts. I hope one day, that the writing that I do here can be converted into a book that people can buy.
My point here is that I still have the same dream that I had when I was 16 years old. Almost everything you see from me, is my effort to work toward that dream on a daily basis. I started when I was 16. I knew I wanted and I’m still striving for it today. I know if I ever stop or get distracted I may lose track of the vision I’ve had all these years. If you have a vision don’t wait another day to start. You won’t regret it.
A friend of mine has that quote as the signature for her email. I have no idea who said it, or where he comes from. Every time I see, it, I’m reminded what I’m working for. I’m terrified of an ordinary life. . Someone told me once that I was lucky. That because of my disability, I could do whatever I wanted every day for the rest of my life and no one would say a word. This terrified me when I heard it, because in my experience it’s probably true. I don’t think much is expected out of people with disabilities. it’s wrong, but I can see how an able bodied person might come to that conclusion .
I can’t do a lot of things that you might take for granted every day. I’m not being negative, it’s just a fact. I can see how someone would look at my very obvious limitations and say “his life is hard enough why not stay home and avoid the things that the rest of us have to deal with everyday.”
Think about it, how many people in chairs or with obvious disabilities do you work with? There’re very few places that I go on a daily basis that have people with physical limitations working there. At least who are visible to the public.
My point is the logic is sound. It was hard for me to get a college degree, harder than I’d like to admit. It has been hard for me to find a way to make even a part-time living, but I have managed to do it .
I think that many people with physical or mental disabilities don’t even try, because it’s just too hard. I’m not looking down on those people, because it is hard. There are lots of days that I think I might be happy to watch Netflix all day and play video games, just because I can. When it comes right down to it however, I don’t because a little voice in the back of my head says “that person was right, this is all anyone expects and no one would say a word if you chose to sleep all day”
I have had a massive chip on my shoulder for a majority of my life, because I’ve tried to prove to myself and to other people, that I can be more. That living with a disability and everything that comes with it, doesn’t exempt me from trying to be something other than a guy with cerebral palsy. To me that’s the definition of ordinary life
I have gigantic dreams. Dreams of traveling the world. Dreams of influencing millions. I have had these dreams ever since I can remember. Every day that I wake up, without achieving them frustrates me. For the last 10 years, I’ve felt that no matter where I turned, something was in my way keeping me from getting where I wanted to go, so I keep working. If for no other reason than to prove every day that I haven’t given up, and that I’m not happy to let my disability dictate what my life will be.
I don’t know what kind of life you want today. I don’t know what your dreams are. I don’t know what you strive for. I don’t know what your personal vision for you is What ever that is today. DON”T SETTLE FOR LESS. Millions of people settle in their lives, and jobs and dreams, I promise you each and every one of them regrets doing so. We get one life don’t spend it being something less then what you dream you can be.
Every word of this video is absolute truth. If you had a bad day today, forget it and get up tomorrow ready to take on whatever comes. You are your own greatest resource.
