When you are disabled, life is harder than it is for non-disabled people because we live in an inaccessible world that makes it harder for disabled people to function than it has to be. It is easy to focus on all the struggles of a disability because disabled people are often isolated, and there are more negatives than positives. I can’t change my disability, and there are some things that I am always going to need help with, but I do try to not focus on only the challenges. I struggle with almost everything I do, but not everything about a disability is bad because it does teach you a lot of lessons you wouldn’t have learned without your disability. It is frustrating to be disabled, and there are a lot of challenges that I wish would go away, but I am so grateful for all the things my disability has taught me because it has made me appreciate the little things a little more. Non-disabled people often complain about the smallest inconvenience and don’t realize all the simple things in life that they take for granted. What lessons has my disability taught me? In this post, I am going to share six things that my disability has taught me.
Don’t stress about things you cannot control– Most people know that they shouldn’t stress about things, but non-disabled people often struggle more with putting it into practice and complain about the smallest inconvenience. As a disabled person, I have been forced to learn how to let go of things that I cannot control because when you are disabled, you are faced with a lot of unexpected challenges. I have needed many unexpected surgeries, and sometimes I am not able to participate in activities with my non-disabled friends because accessibility was an afterthought. I could choose to get upset every single time I am not included, but I choose not to and have learned to let these things go. I think everyone can benefit from learning to not stress about things they cannot control, but no one is forced to put this into practice like disabled people are, because we have so many challenges in our daily lives that non-disabled people will never experience. My disability has truly taught me to not stress about things we cannot control and to put my energy into things that I can.
It teaches you who your true friends are- It is more difficult for disabled people to make friends than it is for non-disabled people, because disabled people are often isolated and judged before people get to know us. I do my best to try and help people understand that my disability is something I live with, but it’s not my whole identity, and I am just a regular girl with legs that don’t work. I have been able to change some people and get them to see past my disability, but I can’t change everyone, and some people are stuck in ableism and think I need to be fixed. Disability can negatively affect relationships, but at the same time, it teaches you who your real friends are because only true friends aren’t going to run away when they see someone’s assistive devices. It has always been hard to make friends as a disabled person because people don’t give me a chance, but the ones I have are very strong. Disability makes it more difficult to make friends, but it can strengthen relationships because friendships with disabled people have more challenges and often are tested in ways that non-disabled people will never understand.
Sometimes you do workouts you don’t like– I have said many times before that fitness is not accessible for disabled people, and I stand by that. Exercise is important for disabled people, but it can be difficult to find an exercise routine that you enjoy because disabled people have less options than non-disabled people. If you have a disability that does not prevent you from being able to exercise, it’s important that you do because fitness is just as important for disabled people as it is for non-disabled people. I have never enjoyed cardio workouts, and it’s still not my favorite to do, and for many years, I avoided it like the plague and stuck to mostly strength and Pilates. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I have to be realistic with my ability and do walks even if it’s not my favorite thing to do. Swimming and walking are two of the best ways I can get a cardio workout, but it’s not my favorite thing to do, and that is okay because sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do. Non-disabled people can do whatever workout they want, but disabled people don’t always have that luxury, and sometimes you just have to be realistic with your ability and force yourself to do a workout because you’re able.
It teaches you how to advocate– Non-disabled people have to learn to advocate for themselves because it’s a skill that everyone needs. When you are disabled with a lot of health challenges, sometimes people don’t take you seriously, and you are forced to learn how to advocate for yourself to get everything you need to live well. Disabled people often go to the doctor more often than non-disabled people, which means it is more likely that we will be dismissed, and we are constantly having to advocate for ourselves. Disability makes you a better advocate because doctors don’t know everything, and when tests come back normal, sometimes doctors don’t want to do anything, even though you are in pain and you have to advocate for yourself. Disabled people are forced to learn advocacy on a whole new level because a lot of the time, people think we can’t speak for ourselves, and we have no choice but to speak up for ourselves to let people that is not true.
It teaches you to appreciate your body in a different way- As a disabled person, I am able to exercise, but I cannot get results as quickly as a non-disabled person because I can’t exercise like people without a disability. Disabled people sometimes struggle with body confidence more than non-disabled people because not everyone is able to exercise. I am grateful that I have the ability to exercise, but I do sometimes struggle with body confidence because I can’t push myself like a non-disabled person can, and I have a stoma that sometimes makes it difficult to love my body. It took a long time, but my disability has taught me to appreciate my body more and that fitness is not about being the most muscular person in the room. It is harder to have a healthy body image when you are disabled, and if there is one thing that my disability has taught me, it’s that I need to appreciate what I do have, not what I don’t. I have a greater appreciation for my body because my disability makes it more difficult to improve my fitness, which makes it even more rewarding.
Not care what people think– When you are disabled, sometimes people will stare at you and will say the meanest things just because they can. Non-disabled people sometimes struggle to get over mean comments because everyone wants people to say nice things all the time, but that is not life. As a disabled person, I have been bullied more than non-disabled people, but because of my disability, I have been forced to learn to not care what other people think. I used to get very upset when people called me retarded for no reason and I still get annoyed by it but have since learned to not care about the opinions of others. You can’t control what other people say about you because the only thing you can control is your own actions. My disability has taught me to not care what other people think because if I got upset over every mean comment, I would be a very unhappy person. You don’t have to agree with what other people think of you, but you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone to get them to like you, because some people in life aren’t going to align with you, and that is okay.
Disability changes a person and teaches you a lot of lessons that you would not have learned without your disability. I have learned a lot of skills that I wouldn’t have as a non-disabled person because I wouldn’t need those skills. It is frustrating to live in an inaccessible world, but because of my disability, I am more understanding of pain you can’t see, and not everything about a disability is negative. Disabled people see the world in a different way and understand things that non-disabled people miss, which is not necessarily a bad thing. My disability has given me the ability to recognize ableism, so I am able to educate others in ways non-disabled people can’t. I get frustrated with my disability every single day, but I am grateful for the person it has made me and all the opportunities I have had because of my disability. What lessons has your disability taught you? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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