A Shift in Perspective: Empowering Life Lessons You Can Learn from Persons with Disabilities
Disability is a word often associated with people with incompetence and being helpless. The truth is this kind of association and mindset is outdated and misinformed. Having a physical or mental disability does not automatically make a person incapable of controlling their life or attaining success.
With proper guidance and support, like the ones offered in supported independent living programs for people with disability, they can make their dream life possible. Although living with a disability may have certain setbacks and limitations, it also comes with highly valuable and motivational realizations in life.
Their Disabilities Are Not Obstacles
People with disability are not 100% incapacitated, and they are also not to be viewed as people who have lost their chance to make a difference in life. They may be taking a course quite different from what society dictates, but they can set and achieve goals for themselves, too. They can aim high and experience failures, and their disabilities should not measure how far they can go.
They Don’t Need Your Pity
Instead, most of them would ask for people to treat them as they would with peers and relatives with no disability. They are regular people, making them extremely uncomfortable being put in a position where people expect them to wallow in self-pity. More than looking at themselves as unfortunate, they see themselves as unique and competent persons with so much talent and gift to offer.
Some of Them Are Pretty Observant
Here’s a hard pill to swallow: There will always be people who will shed negative judgment on disabled people regardless of where they are or what they do. This polarity in perspective from society has led some persons with disabilities to be more critical and careful with the people they associate with. Don’t get it wrong; they simply want to save themselves from the drama of having to deal with fake friends and manipulative people.
They Share the Same Interests and Social Experiences as Yours
It is truly outrageous to think or assume that an individual with a disability cannot experience love, go on a date, travel with friends, or even have hobbies. Having a disability does not mean being incapable of having any emotional response, daydreaming about their ideal love interest or career, or developing interests to share with other people. At times, their motivation and drive are even stronger because they are fueled by the opportunity to enlighten the people surrounding them.
They Can Take on Any Career or Role
There are several licensed and skilled professionals like nurses, lawyers, enforcers, managers, and supervisors who are disabled.
If there is one true disability that everybody shares, it would have to be that tiny and overly critical voice in their heads that tells them they are not good enough or they are not worthy of being accepted and loved. When people think less of themselves, they are unknowingly closing doors of opportunities for them to grow and be happy. In contrast, people with disability are more inclined to seize chances and not be beaten up by the negative feedback they receive daily. Who would want to stay in an excessively protective bubble where growth and development are impossible? Individuals with disabilities don’t want people to recognize them through their disability.
They want to be acknowledged for the skills and brilliance they can bring to the table. They want equity in terms of career opportunities and options for supported independent living.
What misconception about disabled persons do you want to change in your community?
Author Bio Reba Webb is a farmer of words in the field of creativity. She is an experienced
independent content writer with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing
industry. She is a multi-niche content chef who loves cooking new things.
