People deal with trauma in various ways. Some are aggressive- they’d prefer to get into violent arguments with people they’re supposed to love, instead of fostering space for dialogue. Some trauma responses cause people to shut down completely or run away. These types of people retreat and remove themselves from the situation because conflict is too difficult of a burden.

Just because someone’s boat is bigger doesn’t mean their journey is smoother. The tides will always change, and they’re beyond anyone’s control. We can’t control the waves or what life throws our way.

Our high school auditorium was notoriously hot and one of the things that our principal would say to us to try to offer some solace was, “think cool and you’ll be cool.” We all thought it was such nebulous information, because there was no way that in The Bahamas, in the middle of summer, in 98 degree weather that we could be cool just by thinking it so.

Living a life of gratitude means recognizing and appreciating the blessings we have, understanding that not everyone shares the same privileges, and striving to create a world where equal opportunities are accessible to all.

The culture of comparison, whether rooted in admiration, information or envy, becomes a powerful force in self-perception. It is dangerous and unproductive to be in this constant state of comparison, especially when that comparison makes you feel small, and leaves very little time for you to think about your own purpose in this life.

Someone in this life is waiting to be led by you. Someone is waiting to be loved by you. They are waiting to experience your light, and the only thing you have to do is be willing to show it.

Like the warning lights on our car dashboards, our bodies remind us that we need to stop and take a moment. Many of us push past the time the indicator light turns on and as a result experience exhaustion, resentment, or burnout. Instead of listening to our bodies, we find ourselves spiraling down into the same unhealthy habits that take us further away from living a balanced life.

So many people want immediate gratification. So many want results now. Life doesn’t work that way. You won’t receive the promise in your life without going through the process first. You can’t open a successful restaurant if you don’t know how to season your food. 

Growing up, my mom would purchase books like The Hardy Books and Nancy Drew, hoping that I would enjoy the twists and turns of the mysteries that had to be solved within those pages. Unfortunately, they had the opposite effect, and took me further and further away from wanting to open the cover of any book. The collection of books piled up, and collected dust over the years, and though she had wanted me to become a reader, I never witnessed her or anyone else in my family sit down and read a book themselves, so why should I?

When was the last time you looked in the mirror and said, “I love you.” If you’ve never done it, then start today. Take yourself on a date, get up, clean your apartment, go on a walk, work out, and plan a staycation with yourself. Work on you. Do beautiful things that make you happy so that you can then share that happiness with others.

How often has it been expressed that, “Looks don’t matter,” and how often has this statement been true? Is it truly possible to live beyond the physical and see people for who they are and not solely on what they look like?

People living with disabilities can be targets of downward comparison to non-disabled individuals because of societal barriers and expectations. Deviating from these expectations can lead to shame, ridicule, guilt, anxiety, and depression.

My experiences as a person living with a disability through congenital amputation have revealed that there are people who choose apathy over empathy, and that scares me.