By The name of this blog is intentional. I do my best to thrive with cerebral palsy. Thriving is how I referred to my mindset with my condition before sharing my life and story with the world. It is just what I do. I am learning thriving is a constant work in progress and never a straight line. Breathe, adjust, and try again, is my constant mantra these days, it seems. What you will NEVER see me do is quit. I am determined to have a beautiful, full, life. My surviving at birth was not an accident. It was supposed to happen. God had plans for me. It is still the case.
What am I learning about thriving you may be wondering. Steely determination is in my DNA for a reason. Having it in spades is a vital ingredient to thriving. My watch me attitude is as well. Telling me I cannot do something is excellent motivation. Proving people wrong is so satisfying, and myself right is even more so. I will prove me right. The world gets to watch, now, is the only difference. Help is available whenever I need it or forget who I am in the form of my chosen family. Blessed by each of their presence in my life, I am my truest self and braver than I know. Together there is nothing we cannot get through including this difficult patch in thriving well.
They often remind me to give myself grace. Perfection is not needed. Just me being my best self and living my fullest life is needed. The life I have always known in my spirit and heart is possible for me. There is no competition with anyone, but me. To be better than myself yesterday is the only goal and to repeat it daily. Losing sight of that truth is easy to do in the social media landscape. I make a conscious decision to limit my social media scrolling, now, so that comparison doubt does not make me lose myself or what is most important. That too is an ongoing work in progress. Sharing my real life, instead of some glittery, sugar coated, version is so that y’all know you are not alone in your struggle, and it is okay to be brave and honest, always. The world needs more of both of those qualities.
