Given my affinity for writing, the opportunity to blog here at the IRIS website was too attractive to ignore. Hopefully, someone, somewhere, will gain something from my meanderings in the world of literature. Okay, I guess that I cannot classify this as literature. Perhaps merely the ability to hold your attention long enough to make it through my blog will be sufficient. And, hoping for more, perhaps you will become a regular reader of my blog.

I am stubborn. I am given to stubbornness, and surely my family can testify to this. Oh, it's not a mule-headed refusal to conform or be cooperative. It's just that I wasn't made of the necessary bodily attributes to easily conform. I stick out like a sore thumb. That said, I am thankful of this fact.

The stubbornness that I possess is just one of several attributes that I give credit for getting me through life. After more than 40 surgeries in my lifetime (thus far!), I've needed several characteristics to keep me sane and, thankfully, I was blessed by my Creator with everything that I need to be me, and thrive!

Another important characteristic is perseverance. I always believe that I'm capable of anything. I just need to find a way to do it. It doesn't sit well with me when somebody tells me that they think I'm not capable of doing something. I will often set out just to prove them wrong.

In high school, my guidance counselor told my parents that I was "not college material." OUCH! That hurt to be boxed into a "She can't do it" mindset. What did I do? I tried to work directly out of high school, in a boring job that screamed to me that I needed something much more challenging to engage my brain. I then went to college: never mind what the guidance counselor said: I tested on the gifted level and was in 2 honor societies. I had a 4.0 GPA for 2 semesters in a row. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish college, due to the many interruptions of needed medical procedures.  However, I went on to study and learn on my own. I gained native competency in American Sign Language (ASL) and I became nationally-certified to teach ASL at the college level.

See what I mean? Tell me that I can't do something and that registers as a challenge to me to DO it and prove the naysayers wrong.

Onto other vital characteristics. Patience. I've had to spend inordinate amounts of time recovering from surgery. Summer vacation? Mine were often spent having surgery and recovering from it. I set goals, simple ones, met them, and just kept raising the bar. I always knew that, eventually, "This too shall pass." Big obstacles are NOT forever! They can be overcome. Believe in yourself. Where there's a will, there's a way. Find it!

Since I had the feeling that employers wouldn't opt for me over a non-disabled candidate for the same job, I thought that the answer was to create my own business. I did that, working part-time as I was able, teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to private clients, businesses, agencies, and colleges. I loved it! I persevered  until I was literally unable to mobilize myself to teach anymore. I would love to go back to it, yet using van transport for very part-time teaching jobs at many different locations is not feasible. Van transport would work for me to go to ONE location to teach ONE class, but then the amount that I would earn for one class would not be worth paying for van transport: Catch 22!

Previously, I had my own car and could make it using a cane, to travel to several locations and teach onsite for each client. That made it worthwhile, but I no longer own a car. I have not come up with a good solution to this problem, but I am still sure it is doable. I just have to find the right solution,

I never let anyone tell me I cannot do something. I owned my own business and I greatly enjoyed it!

Two additional traits that have greatly helped me are a sense of humor and optimism. Admittedly, I see life through rose-colored glasses. And what's so wrong with that? No matter how bleak things may appear, I see the silver lining in every cloud. I don't let things get me down for long. I make new plans or update the ones I already have, and once again, we're on a roll!

The ability to laugh at yourself cannot be overstated! Laughing at others is dangerous, for we can easily hurt feelings, but laughing at self is a definite way to get into a good mood, no matter how things appear around you. Be ready to uplift others with your quirky sense of humor. Let others see you poke fun at yourself. Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously, and a good, deep laughter is vital.

For example, after spinal surgery of level T-1 and T-2, the halo device failed and I had to have emergency surgery to reapply the halo. I was AWAKE during the procedure, and while they were busy drilling new holes into my skull, I told the doctors and nurses in the O.R that if they put a glass top onto the halo, I could be a coffee table. It made everyone laugh uproariously, and I was told that I was becoming quite the celebrity in the hospital, due to my positive and humorous attitude.

Be flexible! Flexibility will serve you well. If you become unable to participate in your beloved hobby or sport, why not seek something new? I became an expert at writing business plans and began to help non-profits write their business plans and By-Laws. I remember one particular man that looked at one of the business plans I had written and said, "You thought of everything that is overlooked in my business plan!" He told me that he had paid an attorney $5,000 to write it, and that it was not satisfactory to him.

This is something I would like to explore, perhaps being a business consultant, helping people to develop or grow their businesses. Expansion is exciting to me, and I can always come up with feasible ideas to get a business growing in great new areas that they've left untouched. Research is my forte and preparing a business plan requires a LOT of research and planning. It requires communication to bring the owner's vision into fruition. How exciting it is to be a part of of that!

Be creative! Practice creativity! You don't need artistic talent to be creative. Be visionary! Be bold! Think of possibilities and explore them in as many avenues as possible.

Don't bother bringing any negativity along for the ride! Negativity pulls you down, casts doubts, and greatly limits the heights that you are capable of. Be all that you can be! Leave negativity to the naysayers and the pessimists. There should be no room for it in your everyday life.

Sure, I become down on occasion, when something is not going the way I expect, or when too many medical issues crowd in to burden me, but I do NOT allow myself to wallow in it. I make sure the pity party is short-lived. Look for that silver lining. It's ALWAYS there for you to utilize. Put it into practical, everyday living, and depression and negativity do not stand a chance!

Keep your faith intact. No matter the evidence, or lack of it, remember that faith can be the evidence of things not seen!

Believe in yourself and your talents and capabilities. If you don't believe in yourself, how can others do so? Encouragement is great, but we should be able to generate our own and not be reliant upon others for it.

Be your own cheerleader. Talk positively about your ideas. Seek suggestions and advice from the experts, but eventually realize that YOU are now an expert!

There comes a point when you can be the catalyst for helping others succeed by reaching their goals.