Cooking With Disabilities

We live in an abundant society. We have so many different options for how we want to stay entertained, how we stay fit, our transportation, and even our food is abundant with the millions of different options we can choose from each day. There are three basic needs that every human needs to survive which include; food, water, and shelter. For many, they can earn the money they need for these basic survival items; that's if they make the decision to get a job and work for it, but what about people with disabilities?  Being a person with disabilities, I have loving people in my life to assist and support me each day, but as I get older I am always trying to find new ways that I can help my family out each day. That's why I am decided to try my hand at learning how to do a skill that everyone does every day and that is cooking. How do you cook with one hand? You may be wondering. Let's find out.

My Younger Years

             

 As a little girl, I learned how to do some of the basic tasks like buttoning my pants with one hand and tying my shoes, but a lot of the other tasks I learned from watching my parents and then figured out how to do it in my own way. I am going to tell you a little story. One afternoon I was helping my mom make grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. I was tending to one of the sandwiches to make sure it did not burn as my mom was prepping for the next sandwich. The next thing I know, my mom looks over to check the progress of the sandwich I was watching and in a panicked voice said " Alyssa, your hand is on the burner." I removed it quickly not even realizing that it was even on the burner or even felt it. We looked down at my hand and I started screaming, not because it hurt but because my hand was bubbling. My mom than as calmly as possible got some cold, wet towels and wrapped it around my hand until my hand stopped bubbling. As you can imagine, I wasn't the best at cooking since I tried to cook myself along with my meal.  I didn't give up though, after this incident I didn't really do much cooking, but I  still would sit in the kitchen while my mom and dad cooked to learn different tips on how to cook our favorite meals.

As I Get Older

I have never really been one for cooking or even baking for that matter. I always found it to be tricky because the pan would spin around in circles as I stirred bean or chopped hamburger meat and then I would have the occasional cucumber running away from me as I cut it into small slices for a salad. Food and I are like frienemies; I like to eat it, but cooking it is a totally different story. Although, it would probably be very funny for whoever watched. It would be like an at-home circus with food. Over the years though, with the help of my parents and my creative mind, I have discovered many different tips and tricks to help me make simple meals all by myself.

 Making Breakfast With One Hand

For many, making a bowl of cereal is a no brainer. You open the box of cereal, pour it into the bowl, add some milk, grab a spoon, and walla you have a bowl of cereal. Pretty simple, right? Well for a person with disabilities there a few more factors to consider; like how do you open a brand new box of cereal with one hand? How do you get the bag inside the box open? And how do you pour the cereal into a bowl without making a total mess? 

Opening The Cereal Box

There is a way I have found to open a box of cereal easily with one hand. The main way to open a box of cereal with one hand is by placing the box on the counter where the front of the box is facing you. After that, you will want to put your fingers under the side that overlaps the other side on the top of the box and pull back the tab that seals the box. Now you're ready to open the bag inside.

Opening The Bag

Opening the bag can be tricky at first, especially since you have to do it in a way that won't rip the bag too much that your cereal goes bad. At first, when I was younger I use to use my teeth to open the bag. I know it isn't the most effective way to open the bag, but it worked for me at the time.  Plus what else was I suppose to do? When you live life with one hand you use your teeth and thighs to hold and open different items. I don't recommend using this method because if you tare to far down the side, then it can be hard to roll up the bag after you pour some cereal into a bowl. 

As I got older, using scissors became my new best friend when opening different food items. Once I got the box open I would pull the bag out of the box and stand it up where it was sitting straight up where the countertop and the wall came together. I would smooth out the top of the bag of cereal and grab a pair of scissors chopping off a little bit of the top of the bag.

Pouring The Cereal Into The Bowl

This step is pretty straight forward. Once I get the bag open, I pick it up and carefully put it back in the box before pouring some into the bowl. One thing I do recommend when pouring your cereal is to hold part of the bag against the side of the box you are holding to help keep the bag from sliding out of the box and making a mess.

Pouring The Milk

One thing I really enjoy in the morning is cold milk. It is so refreshing whether it is in a glass or in your bowl of cereal, but it can be a little messy and challenging if you have a full gallon of milk. If you end up in the situation where you have to pour from a full gallon I recommend that you pour a little bit and then set it down for a minute and then finish pouring to help your arm not get too tired by holding the heavy gallon of milk because trying to pour a heavy gallon of milk all at once could cause you're to shake which then causes you to spill some of the milk. After that, just grab a spoon out of the draw and enjoy your breakfast.

Its Peanut Butter and Jelly Time

When mealtimes come around we have such a big variety of food to choose from for breakfast and dinner, but what about lunch? unless you take the time out of your busy day to cook a full meal as you would for dinner or grab fast food which isn't healthy for you at all, then what other option do you have. For most of us from the time we get up we are constantly on the go whether it be going to work, school, or running errands that for lunch the quickest and easiest food to prepare is a sandwich of some sort. 

For my family, when we are busy throughout the day our go-to meal is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

What was the first meal you made completely on your own? For me, the first meal I made on my own was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It was quite a fun experience. Remember when I told you guys earlier how when I tried to help my parents with dinner it would turn into an at-home circus with food; well this was one of those times. Normally making peanut butter and jelly sandwich takes about 10 minutes to make 3 from start to finish, but when I tried to make one sandwich my very first time it took me 30 minutes from start to finish with having the plate spinning around as I spread peanut butter on one slice of bread, jelly on the other slice, and end up putting a hole through one of my slices of bread. I must have been really determined to finish this sandwich since I stood there trying for half an hour without giving up.

That was a fun experience that taught me what I could do differently the next time I make a sandwich and gave me the will power to keep practicing over and over again to get better at the task. Which was exactly what I did and now I am able to make two and three sandwiches within ten minutes from start to finish.

Steps To Making A Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich With One Hand

1. Get out all your ingredients ( bread, peanut butter, jelly, butter knife, spoon, and a plate)
2. Get out two slices of bread for the number of sandwiches you are making. I am making a sandwich for two people so I will get out four slices of bread and place them on the plates.
3. Open up the peanut butter container and using your butter knife and gently start spreading peanut butter on one of the slices of bread. * Note This is the part that I put a hole through my bread by pressing down too hard when spreading the peanut butter*
4.  I like to do one ingredient at a time, so when I finish doing spreading peanut butter on one slice of bread I do it on another slice for the other sandwich.
5. Once I am done with the peanut butter, I put the lid back on and move it to the side so I can apply the jelly to the sandwiches.
6. One thing to keep in mind is that opening the peanut butter container is way easier than opening a jelly container. As you will see in my video I easily screwed off the lid to the peanut butter, but when it came to the lid to the jelly container I had to wrestle it off. When this happens the important thing is to not get frustrated, but instead, laugh at yourself as I did with this situation.
7. When you finally get the jelly container open use your spoon to scoop out the jelly and plop it on one of the slices of bread that doesn't have peanut butter.
8. Once you feel like you have enough jelly for your liking, then take the butter knife and spread it around to cover the whole piece of bread. You may need to get get more jelly if you still see places on the bread that don't have jelly.
9. Then, take the jelly side of the bread and press it down on the peanut butter side to make a yummy peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
10. If you are only making one sandwich then you can put away all your ingredients when you are finished with making your sandwich before sitting down to eat, but if you are making other sandwiches for other people, then the fastest and easiest way is to apply the method I talked about in step 4 when spreading the peanut butter and jelly for the other sandwich(es).

Cooking Dinner With One Hand

I haven't had much experience yet with cooking dinner. Mainly I brown the meat up for tocos and stir the refried beans, but I spend most of the time sitting at the island in our kitchen observing and learning how my parents cook. Which is good because you have to first learn the task before you can master it. Even though I am still in the process of learning how to cook there are still many different products that I have found helpful over the years.

One-handed Cutting Board

By Rehabmart Reviews

I absolutely love using this one-handed cutting board. When I was 13 and was starting to learn how to cook I received this as a Christmas present from my mom and dad. Right off the bat, it helped keep the cucumber that would run away from me in one place so I could cut it. It also kept things like cans and other bottled ingredients still so I could open it without making a mess. This product has been super helpful to me and allows me to learn a new skill while helping my family out.

One-handed Can Opener

When it comes to opening cans with one hand there is nothing more helpful and easy to use than a one-handed can opener. There are many different things I love about this product is that it has a little metal piece that allows you to easily get the lid out of the can without getting your fingers dirty. 

How To Use A One-handed Can Opener

To use this one-handed can opener just follow these simple steps.

1. Get out the can you want to open and place it on the counter in front of you
2. Press the little green button on the top of the upper handle to release the bottom handle in which the can opener will open up and is ready to use
3. Place the edge of the can opener with the metal piece that opens the can on the side of the can and click it into place by pushing the bottom hand up towards the top hand.
4. When ready you will push the bottom handle up and down while keeping it steady with your hand as the can begins to move in a circle with each motion of the bottom handle.
5. When the lid is completely off it will fall down in the can a little bit in which that cool little metal piece comes in handy to get it out. 

With a little help from these products and a learning mindset. You too can develop the skill of cooking with one hand.

How To Do Laundry With One Hand

Laundry, what a time-consuming chore. Don't you think? You spend hours upon hours sorting the clothing into piles, putting a pile into the washer, cycling it, and putting it away. It's practically an all-day chore, sometimes two if you don't do laundry every week. Everyone has to do it but what is the easiest and most effective way for people with disabilities to do their laundry? Let's find out.

Sorting Laundry

To be honest, I don't do laundry very often. I am one of those people that can go two or three weeks before I run out of clean clothes to wear. Usually, my mom and dad do the laundry and I help them keep it going throughout the day, but the times that I do laundry on my own I have my own little system in order to get laundry done. As we learn at a young age, at least that is how it was for me, was that the first step to doing laundry is to short it into piles depending on if their colors, jeans, whites, etc. When I do laundry I like to start with my colors, because it is normally my biggest load of laundry, and that way I know that I have something to wear if I don't finish all my laundry that same day. The best way I found to sort your laundry especially if you have a lot is to either have a few different laundry baskets available to put each pile into or grab out everything you would normally put in a load, for example, all of your colored clothing and put everything else back in the basket for now. By doing this, it can help you keep your piles separated and not have piles all over your walking area that you have to step over while tackling your other household chores.

Putting A Load Of Clothes In The Washer

When loading the washer with a pile of clothing, make sure that your load is evenly balanced around the agitator( the middle of the machine) to help protect your washer from vibrating so hard that it moves and prevents you from having to spend a lot of money on repairs.

After I put in my full load of laundry into the washer I found that using Tide Pods is very handy because you can just throw it in on top of your clothing, close the lid, turn the dial to the setting you want, and press start.

Transferring A Load From The Washer To The Dryer

This doesn't really take much to complete. When you hear your washer go off, check the dryer to make sure nothing is in there. take the clothing from the washer and put them in the dryer. Once all of your clothing is in the dryer check the lent trap and clean it out after each load to help your clothing get dry the first time. Next, you will want to put in a dryer sheet. Finally, you will put the dryer on the setting you want and press start.

Hanging And Folding Your Clothing

You sorted, you washed, you dried, now it's time for the fun part.

Folding Your Clothes

This can be a little challenging at first, but luckily there are a few different ways to fold your clothing with one hand.

1. Shirt Folder products
2. Alyssa-bility Way

Shirt Folder Products
I knew these were a thing, but I didn't realize how cool and fast these are to use when doing your laundry. It looks super simple to use and it would be a fun way to fold your shirts perfectly while getting your laundry done.

                  Shirt Folder by Wardy00712

Alyssa-bility Way

For me, folding my clothing is more than just a chore; it's fun because I get to practice and improve on a new skill. When I fold my clothing the biggest tool I use is my bed.

Folding Shirts

1. I start by laying the shirt out on the bed where there are no wrinkles the best you can
2. Next, I pull the right side of the shirt to the center.
3. Then, I pull the left side to the center to were it touches the right side.
4. Finally, I pull the bottom of the shirt up to the top to line up with the collar

Folding Your Pants

1. Start by laying a pair of pants out on the bed where there are no wrinkles the best you can
2. Pull-on one side of the waistband and fold it over to line it up with the other leg
3. Grab ahold of both of the bottom legs and fold the bottom of the pair of pants up to the waistband

Hanging your clothing

Hanging up your clothing with one hand can be quite simple if you put your mind to it. When doing my laundry I like to use non-slip hangers to help keep my shirts and jackets on the hanger. Much like I do with folding my closing I start by laying my shirt out flat on the bed. From there I place the hanger overtop of the shirt where the ends of the hanger line up with the collar of the shirt as much as possible. After that, I pulled part of the collar over one end of the hanger and then pull the other side of the collar over the other end of the hanger.

There are many different ways to accomplish a task. Anything is possible when you have an open mind and a little imagination.

Living Out Of Bounds

Our childhood strongly shapes what our life is going to be like as an adult. Between the different situations, we experience, what people tell us, and what we figure out for ourselves lays out our life for us. At least that's what people think. Over the years I have found out that things that happen in your childhood can influence different beliefs around parts of your life, but also that we have the power to change all of that. What if I told you that your childhood beliefs don't have to shape your future. Let's find out why.


Victim vs victim Mentality

When I learned Victim vs victim mentality in my life skills class, I thought it was one of the most interesting things ever. Mainly because everything else I learned in that class was stuff that my mom and dad already taught me, but still it was an interesting topic. When my instructor had us apply this to our lives I very much could have been a victim with a capital V to my childhood. I could have made excuses, making no attempt to change my life, letting life just happen to me, and living with any limiting beliefs I may have that would hold me back from my potential; but I chose differently. I didn't want to live my life in that way, so I chose to be a victim with lowercase v. A person that doesn't make excuses, tries their hardest at everything, makes changes in their life for the better, and works on personal development.

Steps To Living Life Out Of Bounds

1. Love and believe in yourself
2. Change your mindset
3. Believe you can have anything you want
4. Practice personal development daily

Love And Believe In Yourself

One of the biggest things that you should master before starting any journey is to love and believe in yourself. If you don't love yourself then you won't believe in yourself that you can make a change then you won't even start the journey.

Throughout my whole life, I have loved myself for who I am as a person. I love all the challenges I went through, I love how hard I worked for each of my successes, but the biggest thing I love is how I believe in myself with everything I do. By loving and believing in myself has been the biggest thing that has started me on this amazing journey.

Change Your Mindset

As many of you know from reading my past posts is that our mind is very powerful. When we think of things either good or bad, you actually send a message to the universe that the thing you are thinking or saying is what you want to experience more of in the world. So, if you think of everything that can go wrong, then you will have more bad experiences and everything will go wrong in your life, but if you change your mindset and think of everything that can go well, then you will start seeing good experiences show up in your life.

Believe You Can Have Anything You Want

If you didn't have to worry about money and had an abundance of it; what would you buy? For me, I would go on all kinds of trips around the world, go ziplining, white water rafting, go on a hot air balloon ride, and get tons of books to read.  I have never been one for owning a lot of material possessions and always preferred to have as many fun experiences as possible. By believing that you can have everything you want in your life, you start attracting those things into your life.

Practice Personal Development Daily

Practice makes perfect. When going on a journey to living life out of bounds you have to practice, it doesn't just happen overnight, although that would be nice. Throughout my living out of bounds journey I have learned many different things to help clear the mind, loving myself, changing limiting beliefs, and healing yourself. Some of these things include

1. Meditation
2. Reiki
3. EFT Tapping
4. Affirmations

All of these things I have found on youtube with many different topics to explore and have used them in my own life. I highly recommend you take the time each day to do one, two, or maybe all of them. I try to do reiki and meditation each day and the times I do it constantly I feel and see a difference in my life.

The only Boundaries are the ones you set on yourself.

Throughout my life, I have always had the mindset that I could do anything I put my mind to and accomplish it. I never let things get in my way; I continued to grow even when things were challenging and never gave up on something when it didn't work the first, second, or hundredth time. I never put those boundaries for myself and you shouldn't either. I think living in a way that allows you to be open to all the different possibilities, working through your challenges, expanding your knowledge, and then taking flight into the vast unknown of the world is way more exciting than living a life where you are afraid to step out of your comfort zone, being closed-minded where you don't see all of the wonderful things around you, and just letting life happen to you. Don't you think?


Everyone has a say in how they want to live their life. Make it your own and live it to the fullest.

10 Things That Parents Of Disabled Kids Should Know

10 Things Parents Of Disabled Children Should Know.

Being a parent is challenging, but being a parent of a child with disabilities is even harder. Let me ask you a couple of questions. Are you new to being a parent of a disabled child? Do you feel as if your world has been turned upside down? Or do you feel lost and helpless on what steps to take next? If you said "yes" to any of these questions, then you came to the right place. My mom and dad were in that exact same place when I was born. It wasn't easy, but as my parents grew on their knowledge, they came up with different tips that will help you and your child live your best life possible. Let's check out these different tips, shall we?

Tips For Living Your Best Life Possible With Your Disabled Child

Trust your instincts

There are a lot of great resources out in the world such as doctors, teachers, and therapists, but they only go off of what they learn. If you don't feel like you or your child's needs are being met, trust your own instincts, and don't be afraid to fight back. The professionals may be experts in their areas, but you are an expert in your child.

Don't lose yourself

Although being a parent of a disabled child is part of your identity, it shouldn't be the only thing that makes up all of who you are as a person. An important thing to remember is to make time for yourself. Set aside some time and either have someone watch them for a little while or if you are single have your child nearby, so you can keep an eye on them while you do any activity of your choice.

Keep your sense of humor

Taking care of a child with disabilities is like a marathon. There will be times in which bursts of energy fill the air and everything is going well and then there are the moments when there are challenges that have to be faced before that next burst of energy. The thing to keep in mind is to have a sense of humor and, in a way, laugh your way through that challenge with your kiddo. By laughing your way through the challenges in life, it lifts your vibration; which then lifts the vibration of those around you and it makes for a happier life.

Don't compare yourself to others

Comparing yourself to others is like a poison to your soul. It doesn't do any good. In fact, it just digs you into a deep hole of feelings that you didn't need to venture into in the first place. Everyone was created differently and that's a good thing. Who would want to be exactly the same as someone else? I know I wouldn't. By living your true self and embracing all parts of your life, not only is it helping you become happier but you also encourage it in your child's life and it helps them be happier as well.

Playing is therapy

For kids with disabilities, playing is an important part of their life. Think about physical and occupational therapy, to adults it may just seem like you're paying for your child to play for an hour a couple of times a week, but there's more to it than that. Whether your child has a mental or physical disability it is important to encourage some sort of playing in their life. By playing, it not only takes their mind off things, but it also helps with their personal development.

Celebrate the small things

Every accomplishment in life might seem small to others but are huge for kids with disabilities. We don't learn like everyone else, we learn on our own clock even if it means we learn skills later than other kids. The important thing to do is celebrate and even brag when your child accomplishes a new task. I know for a fact that my family does and inside it makes me feel so excited which then motivates me to take on the next challenge.

You are a superhero

To me, I think that parents who have children with disabilities are superheroes. You guys are strong and brave to take on the challenges you deal with on a daily basis. It has to be stressful, scary, and even exhausting. You fight for us, you encourage us, and most importantly you never give up on us. Not a lot of parents can do or go through the different challenges that you go through and that's what makes you a superhero.

Learn to say "I love you too much to fight with you"

When parents raise kids with disabilities there's a certain level of stress that rises up within parents and mainly kids with mental illnesses or disabilities that they aren't aware of until things get heated. From what I experienced from my little sister, who suffered from mental illness before she passed, was that a person with a mental disability/ illness has to believe and think the things that we tell them that are true for themself before they will believe us. This was very hard for her and most of the time turned into fights between her and our parents. After she passed away, my mom and dad found the phrase "I love you too much to fight with you"  and use it to help other people have a better relationship with their struggling kid. When things end up getting heated between the two of you, don't try to fight back, just say " I love you too much to fight with you" and leave it at that until you are cooled down and can talk.

Mental health is more important than school

I recommend having a work/ life balance when your kids start going to school. Over the years since I started going to school, I watched as the time kids got to play with friends and socialize at school went from being almost 2 or so hours throughout the day, down to ten minutes throughout the day. It is insane how much it went downhill over the years. Kids these days are stressing over school because as they get into the higher grades they go to school all day and they have to do homework when they get home; which leaves them barely any playtime. They begin to get overwhelmed and if they fall behind that is just more stress that the school puts on until the kid gets caught up. No matter what, fight for your kid if things are not in their best interest and stick with a schedule starting school at a certain time and stopping at a certain time, even if the work is not completed. 

Being a parent of a disabled child is a gift

I didn't realize it until now, but my parents basically raised two kids with disabilities; mental with my sister and physical with me. I look at being a parent of a disabled child as being a gift. Yes, it is challenging, but people with disabilities look at the world in a different way that teaches others on a daily basis how to see the world from different perspectives and how to overcome challenges without allowing anything to get in their way.



Life is an amazing gift. By following these tips you can live a life that you want with your disabled child.

How Do Teens With Disabilities See The World

How Do Teens With Disabilities See The World?

For many people turning into a teenager was a big deal in their life. It is a time of transforming, learning, finding your place in the world, and of course friends. As teenagers, we no longer are interested in the things that we did as a child. Now, we view the world through the phone as we communicate with our friends through Facebook, Instagram, and any other number of apps on our phone, but how do kids with disabilities view the world?

I Am Not Like Other Teenagers

When I turned 13, I didn't notice any major sift, other than I turned a year older. I didn't really get why turning into a teenager was such a big deal to other people. I didn't feel any different and I still loved having different experiences with my family over spending hours upon hours glued to a cellphone. In fact, about 99% of the time I left my cellphone at home whenever we went out to do an activity. Ya, I would say that I am not even close to a normal teenager.

What Was Missing In My Life 

As I got further into my teenage years I started getting this overwhelming urge that something was missing in my life, but couldn't put a finger on it at first. After a while, as I went through high school and looking around at the other kids, I realized that the things that were missing in my life included being independent, acceptance, and a sense of belonging.

Tips For How I Gained My Independence

1. Youtube is your best friend

One of the tasks that led me to gain my independence was me wanting to pull my hair up into a ponytail with one hand. At first, when I first decided that I wanted to try to do this task I was standing in front of the mirror unsure of how I would do it and dismissed the idea altogether. It wasn't until a few months later when the idea popped into my head again. This time I went on youtube and searched how to pull your hair up with one hand to get some ideas.

      2. Try What You learn

After each video, I watched I would run into the bathroom and try to do it myself. I did that over and over again until I found a strategy that I liked.

  

       3. Create Your Own

After I watched tons of videos, I had enough ideas and decided to create my own strategy

Tips For Gaining Acceptance 

1. Accept yourself

The key to wanting others to accept you is for you to first accept yourself for who you are. 

       2. Be yourself

Don't try to be someone that you are not. I tried doing that once and it doesn't do you any good. Other people will enjoy and accept you more if you just be your true self

       3. Always be willing to try new things

    

There are many different things in the world to enjoy. Don't let your disabilities limit you to only certain activities. Don't hold back and just live life.

Tips For Finding A Sense Of Belonging

1. Put yourself out into the world

For the longest time, I will be honest I was terrified to put myself out into the world. I worried about what people might say or think of me, so it stopped me from doing it. It was until I had to do it for a homework assignment that I took a leap of faith and put myself out there and let me tell you it wasn't that bad and it was probably one of the best things I have ever done.

       2. Find something that you love

One of the best ways to enjoy life is by finding something that you love to do. For me, its always been helping others get things done and helping them figure out problems.

      3. Create your own masterpiece to share with the world

Once I put myself into the world what was at the time a little experiment which was this blog to help other disabled people actually turned into my life's purpose; which allows me to have a sense of belonging and allows me to do what I love.

The greatest stories in life weren't of those whose lives were simple but of those whose lives were challenging.

10 Things Kids With Disabilities Should Know

Life Is Like A Rollercoaster

Life is like a rollercoaster. One minute you feel like you are on top of the world with everything working well in your life and then the next minute you are speeding down a hill as you feel sad as you deal with an unexpected challenge. Everyone goes through it; kids, teens, and even adults; but how you deal with it determines if you continue to stay at the bottom of the hill or if you climb the next hill back to the top of the world. Many people, find different ways to overcome their challenges like seeing it from another view, stepping away from it for a little while, or even get advice from a friend, but what do kids with disabilities need to know when they are facing a challenge?

What Do I Need To know...

1. You are unique 
2. Your disability is just one piece of you
3. You are your best advocate
4. Many people around the world have disabilities
5. You won't outgrow your disability, but you will develop strategies
6. Some people still don't recognize or understand disabilities
7. Not all parts of your disability are bad
8. Everyone has challenges
9. It's ok to be open about your disability
10. You can be anything you aspire to be and more

What Do These Mean To Me?

You Are Unique 

To me, when I think of the words " you are unique"  I think of being yourself. Each of us is different from one another. We all have different parts of us that make up our personality which then makes us unique in our own way, but I believe it goes further than that. When I think of being unique in my life, I don't look at my disability as being unique, but in the way in which I live and grow with my disability as being a unique part of me.

Your Disability Is Just One Part Of You

There are so many different parts that make you who you are as a person. Yes, you have a disability whether it be physical or mental, but it is just one part of who makes up you. Let me ask you a question. What do you see when you look in the mirror? When I look at myself in the mirror yes I see my disability, but I also see many different that shows how I am a fun, creative, thoughtful, and honest person which makes up the rest of my personality.

You Are Your Best Advocate

The only person in your life that knows you better than you. Deep down you know how you learn best, how you best accomplish tasks, and overall the tools you need to be successful in life. Sometimes the things you need with come easy and other times you may have to work hard for it. When the timing is right, you will know. Just trust and believe in yourself.

Many People Around The World Have Disabilities

You are not the only person with disabilities.  I know it may feel like it, trust me, I felt like i was the only one with a disability when i was going through school, but tons of people around the world have some sort of physical or mental disability. You are not alone.

You Won't Outgrow Your Disability, But You Will Develop Strategies

You are always going to have disabilities. It's something that you follow you for the rest of your life. I always accepted the fact that my disabilities were a part of my life and as I got older I started creating my own strategies for how to do different tasks with one hand.

Some People Still Don't Recognize Or Understand Disabilities

Have you ever had kids not play with you or did they invite you to play with them and change their minds as soon as they see how you walk? I have a few different times. At first, I thought that they were just being mean or didn't like me. It took my mom sitting me down and telling me that it wasn't me; the other kids just didn't understand what a disability was or how to react. 

Not All Parts Of Your Disability Are Bad

Your disability is a gift believe it or not. It may not seem like it sometimes with the challenges you face on a daily basis. The way you deal with your disability actually helps and inspires others. Not a lot of people have the strength and bravery to go through what you and I have with our disabilities.

Everyone Has Challenges

When you are disabled it is easy to feel different or even invisible to others. I have felt this way in many different situations. The thing to remember is that everyone goes through challenges in some form on a daily basis even if they don't have a disability. 

It's Ok To Be Open About Your Disability

I encourage that you be open about your disability and talk to others about it. As a child, I was very open about my disabilities and talked openly about it to teachers, kids, and even parents when they asked me questions. I wasn't afraid of how they would react because my disability is a part of who I am and I wanted people to get to know the full me and my true self. In fact, all of my friendships started after I talked openly with other kids and they got to know me. Don't hide your disability from the world. Embrace it, be open to talking about it, and people who are willing to sit and hear your story will come into your life.

You Can Be Anything You 

What do you want to do when you grow up? Think for a minute or two. If you could do anything in the world with or without your disability; what would you choose? For me, I have always had a strong desire to help other people whether it be giving them advice, helping them complete a challenging task, doing small things like grab items for them, or showing them how to do something was my idea of time well spent. The thing was I didn't know exactly how I wanted to help others. After many years of trying different things; I then came across this idea of writing a blog on different topics to help kids, teens, and adults who have disabilities. Once I put my mind to it; I was then able to make it into a career path.





You are an amazing person, who is going to wonderful things in this world. Trust yourself, be open, and remember that the challenges you face in life are there to make you stronger and prepare you for your future.