Can't is Not a Word!

I will be the first to admit that I am an extremely stuborn person, and I do not give up very easily. When I want to give up, I am reminded that the word can't does not exsist ( at least not in my vocabulary).

A dear friend of mine was always there to remind me that success cannot be achieved, especially if I had already pre- determined that I was unable to complete a task without even trying it first. As I sat down to write this post, her words were playing back and forth in my head as if someone had hit the repeat button on a tape recorder. " The word can't does not exsist in our dictionary." She never stopped believing in my abilities. She saw something in me that I failed to see in myself.

I always enjoy the times when I get a chance to stop and reflect upon what is happening in my life. If I am being completely honest, I never would have imagined myself being able to accomplish so much, despite my challenges. Sometimes, I feel like I am dreaming, because it is hard for me to believe that everything that I am currently experiencing can possibly be real. The saying that I first heard from my friend several ago now, has since become one of my favorite mantras. It has encouraged me to keep moving forward, even when life proves to be difficult. Life is not always easy, but I truly believe that we are all capable of much more than we realize. If I had chosen to use Cerebral Palsy as an excuse, I would have missed out many amazing opportunties that have presented themselves throughout the years. However, I have also realized that sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we may not be successful in achieving our goals. It is a tough pill for me to swallow when I am faced with the reality that I am unable to carry out a task on my own, especially since my goal is to be as independent as I possibly can. For example, I felt absolutely humiliated when I had to ask someone to help me put my jacket on when my body was not cooperating. It is during times like these where I try to shift my focus to all that I have managed to accomplish.

I have learned that how I react to my challenges ultimately defines the quality of my life.