Hello world!
Happy new month! Just like that it's the month of March y'all! I am honestly in awe at the pace this year is taking but I can't even complain about it because we're still in a pandemonium (joke) and I am grateful for life.
As it is customary for every new month, I found myself reflecting and I want to make it a note to share more impactful posts here. At the beginning of this year, I said my word for the year was IMPACT and I have taken it upon myself to be actively impactful in every area of my life.
This post is for EVERYONE, but I had to be specific in relations to disability for obvious reasons.
I oftentimes hear people say that I am an inspiration, motivational or a few other variations of those words - mainly because I am disabled and I've chosen to live my life to the fullest. While I don't think that makes me an hero or instantaneously an inspiration, I finally understand why others might choose to call me inspirational. I believe it stems from most people thinking that they can't possible still be "happy" or confident if they were to become disabled.
So, yes... I get it. HOWEVER, I like to tell people that it didn't all happen in one day and I still have days when I have to remind myself who the heck I am. Building my confidence as a PERSON has taken years of practice and it's a continuous self development exercise.
Here are some tips for building your confidence with a disability.
1. Write down things you love about yourself: What are the things you love about yourself? What are somethings people have said they love about you? Write these things down and read them until they are stuck in your head. Read these daily and make it a point to go back to read them especially when you're not feeling your best. Building confidence depends heavily on knowing who you are and constantly gassing yourself up. Do not be fake humble or tear yourself down. I shared this caption on an instagram post the other day:
You know that thing you do where you tear yourself down before others get the chance do it... Yeah, stop doing that. Be kind to yourself. Deal?
2. Make a to-do list: The feeling of accomplishment is a mood booster. Before you go to bed every night, write down 6 things or less that you want to accomplish the next day. Things that you can work towards and check off at the end of the day. Do this everyday and you start to develop the attitude that you are capable of accomplishing tasks no matter how little (or big) that they are.
3. Stay firm in your decisions: It's not cute to say "I'm indecisive", It's not cute to be the person who "just doesn't know how to say No". Begin to cultivate the habit of being firm in your decisions, sitting up for yourself (wheelchair joke - I really mean standing up for yourself), and using NO as a full sentence. You don't always have to justify why you say no.
4. Take one step at a time: Confidence is a journey. You get better daily as long as you don't give up. Think long term. Know who you are and do not let others impose their version of who they think you are on you! You are special, you are amazing. You have so much to give to the world and you should not LET anybody change your knowledge about who you are.
I am keeping this short so as not to make it overwhelming.
I believe that these tips are great for anyone to begin their journey towards building confidence (with or without a disability).
That's it for now y'all.
Thanks for reading
Till Later, God bless.
