2018 was undoubtedly one of the hardest years of my life. This is including being crushed in that car 10 years ago! 2019 has definitely been one of the best years of my life.
I recently celebrated my 10 year anniversary and have never felt more uncomfortable in my life. This is an amazing thing though…Well it all depends on how you want to look at it. This year for me has been all about self improvement and what I can do to be a better version of myself everyday. It all started with making some necessary changes…coaching, lifestyle and nutrition. All of these things really came together this year as I was definitely held to a higher standard across the board from not only people on the outside looking in but from the inside out. My nutrition has made the biggest world of a difference in my life and if I could just stick to it, I’d be an Paralympian in no time!
I was at a race in late 2018 when a buddy recommended that I read this book “How Bad Do You Want It?” At that moment in time it was a very good question! One that I didn’t have the answer to. In a sport that depends on big dollars and the right equipment and training to keep you going , it takes a village, to say the least.
One thing about me is that I hate asking for help. It really doesn’t matter what it is, I just don’t like it, UNLESS, I’m feeling lazy, like super lazy and then you’ll know something is up with me when I ask for help. (rant done) That book lit a fire under my ass and started a trend that I absolutely love and cannot kick, At the weirdest and most random moments of the day, I’ll be wheeling around listening to someone speak as they read to me out of my phone. I was never much of a reader as it took time, patience and you needed to have the ability to sit still or the words were hard to read lol. My ADHD diagnosis doesn’t help with that but when I find it interesting…I’m not going anywhere! I am now on my 10th or 11th audio book of the year and the knowledge I am gaining on an everyday basis is absolutely amazing and I have never wanted to learn more in my life.
As I’ve mentioned before in previous blog post that timing is everything and yet again it isn’t wrong. I recently just completed the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Consultant Course and it blew the doors off of what I thought accessibility was or is. I get around extremely well. With that being said, I still get stuck! When I get stuck is when everyone else with a disability pops into my head. Only recently did I actually start to realize how self absorbed I am/was, For many years I’ve seen what’s been happening regarding the lack of accessibility and support workers across not only the province but country. When you take a step back and look at our built environment, it is very scary to think that if you had a disability, even a temporary one, many of your favourite spots would no longer be an option for you. 2025….HAHAHAHA! This is when they said Canada would be accessible! Based on what I just learned and what I see everyday, we will be lucky if its 2045. With that being said I think I’ve found a career path. I can remember working at the shop under the hood of cars and feeling like I really wasn’t making a difference in peoples lives. With accessibility I’ll not only to be able to help people get back out there but get back out there as independently as possible. The path I will take and how I will learn depends on a couple of different factors but for now I will continue to learn about building codes and the AODA as well as the built environment! (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act)
I know that I have way more to say but this post I think is probably done…I really don’t want to blabber on and mix a whole bunch of different subjects together, although this is how my brain works! There is so much that is about to happen and I cannot wait for 2020! I feel as if life is just beginning! Maybe its because I love and value everyday that I wake up as a blessing. A day not to be taken for granted!