It is hard to believe we have already traveled through ½ of the year. I hope you have found your journey filled with excitement, joy, friendship, love and any difficulties you may have experienced has not stifled your positive attitude, energy for life and pursuit towards your goals. With the challenges many have during these uncertain economic times it is easy to fall into negative feelings and attitudes. When we see and hear about all of the humanity injustices, our world resources being depleted and degraded, lack of jobs, the gap between the rich and the poor / middle class growing, causing many individuals to slip into poverty and become homeless and hungry can make one become negative. Extreme immediate changes in one’s life causes some to go into “Fight or Flight” mode and act and engage in battles for their own survival. Several feel this is the only way to act to survive. A few will even emotionally abuse the disabled and others in these trying times to get ahead. Some of the people who may make hurtful comments may not be acting in such a way if times were not so challenging and difficult, in my opinion.
I hope you have accomplished positive work in these difficult times. With a positive attitude, courage and believing in your skills, talents and letting your inner beliefs and passions hold true, you can make a difference!
It may be hard to break out of a negative frame of mind if your negative thoughts get a tight stranglehold on your inner beliefs in yourself. One good way to keep positive in what seems like challenges is to look at the difficulties and obstacles from another perspective.
An immediate way I can ground myself is to ride on paratransit. Paratransit is a service to drive the disabled who cannot drive themselves, provided in some areas. I am completely blind and ride paratransit to get to some locations. When I ride paratransit I ride with many people with a broad range of disabilities. Just the other day on the way to work I was sitting in the back seat. I was the only person in the car and was holding a pleasant conversation with the driver when it was time to pick up another passenger. When the driver helped the passenger get in next to me, I cheerfully greeted the person as I looked towards their face, with a heartfelt “hello, how are you today?” I did not hear an answer, so I asked again. The driver then told me the person sitting directly next to me cannot speak. I thought to myself as I looked towards this person, I wonder if they had any expression on their face of acknowledgment of what I had said. Since all I can see is blackness, I had no idea if they were even looking towards me as I attempted to greet them. Before I reached my destination this person got out of the car with help from the driver, without my being able to communicate with them, for whatever reason, I never knew why this person could not speak. These true to life, real experiences always make me think about what priorities should be most important in my life and what should be valued. This experience brought back memories of when I did not have the ability to speak for a while after I lost my vision. I wondered if this person’s lack of ability to speak was permanent or temporary.
Let’s work together to fight off negative attitudes, incorrect perceptions and thoughts that will hinder our ability and others to do work at our best potential. If I was not open to considering the possibilities of others, I might assume incorrectly, just because I could not communicate with the person I rode with on paratransit they were not capable of positive work, but in reality they could have been ingenious and were on their way to work to do very valuable, creative and important work that benefits all of us. Try not to let the distractions of the challenges make you lose your focus on what you really value. Do not stifle and blow out the flame of the positive energy of people you do not understand. We need all of the positive people working together to solve our complex problems we currently have. I hope with the help of other positive and courageous people we can all draw from our strengths to help us pursue our goals and dreams in these extraordinarily challenging times. I believe positive energy can flow through virtual connections.
Has anyone noticed increased challenges for the disabled during these challenging times? Does anyone want to share your accomplishments this year,that you are grateful for? Any lessons learned? Anything you need help with during these difficult times?
Remember we are all extraordinary people. No verbal words or misinterpretations can tear down our true inner souls. They can only put superficial wounds in our outer body that will hurt terribly at times, although these assaults should not be treated as fatal and bring us down. Embrace the gift of positivity!!
Bill Tipton
Contributing Author
Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/