Disabilities are tied to struggles and setbacks, sending false messages that disabled individuals are incompetent and incapable. Those struggles are real, but can be overcome by embracing your disability. That means, learning to look squarely at success as a product of struggle, which can make a significant difference in your education, career and personal life. When you love yourself, disability and all, no one can deny you your power, passion and influence. It’s all about perspective!
Here are four positive products of embracing your disability.
1. You become a teacher
It’s natural for people to have misconceptions of disabilities and individuals that have them. When you embrace your disability you begin to become an expert of it. Therefore, you can enlighten others in a way that produces awareness and breakdown myths about disabled individuals. When a person asks about your disability, your experience, or expresses any inkling of curiosity, you have an opportunity to educate and share your personal and inspirational story of disability, struggle and success. Embracing your disability is more evidence that people with disabilities are not limited in what they can achieve.
2. You become a beacon of inspiration
Inspiration can come in many different forms. Disabilities can be a significant source for inspiration, although it can be fairly easy to feel alone or discouraged. Through your success over disability, whether in your work, school or even relationships, you can empower others to overcome their struggle. You never know the impact you have when you share your triumphs and tribulations. Perseverance inspires perseverance. In a sense, you can give others incentive to believe in themselves. Perhaps they, too, will learn to embrace their disability. When you embrace your unique challenges and win, you inspire greater human potential.
3. You become the owner
When you own your disability, you become proud. You regain your self-confidence and don’t waste any time trying to pretend or hide (your disability); you value your time and make the most of it. You become less interested in pity and more attuned to self-reflection and self-approval. Complaints and feelings of inadequacy cease. You become kind to yourself and rejoice in your individuality. You rise into the understanding that having a disability means that you are competent and not incompetent. Self-gratitude becomes a daily and natural practice. When you embrace your disability, comparisons end, enhancing your focus and enabling you to function at your best. Your disability becomes simply a merit badge of challenges overcome and the ability to succeed
4. You become an advocate
When you have a disability, you are a part of exceptional community, a lively community of extraordinary individuals with special gifts, skills and talents. Unfortunately, this same community continues to suffer misconception, mistreatment, misrepresentation and stigma. When you love and embrace your disability, you stand proudly for a larger group of people. Educators, parents and people with disabilities will look towards you for advice, guidance, and most importantly for hope. You become a lifelong crusader for the disabled community. Thus, you are an ally, an advocate, a hero, and a friend. You are a voice for the world to hear and the change the world needs to see.
The reasons you should embrace your disability far exceeds the above four points. In fact, there are an abundant of other reasons you should embrace your disability. Therefore, I want to encourage you to find more reasons to embrace your own disability. They are right in front of you. Ultimately, by embracing your disability, you can produce rewarding results for yourself, your family and your community. So make embracing your disability a lifetime and healthy habit!
Featured photo credit: Woman’s Hand Reaching With Hope To Catch A Balloon Against Blue Sky via stokpic.com
