Doubters are all around us, whether it be medical professionals, family, friends, co-workers, classmates and even yourself can place doubt on what you can and cannot do! How do we overcome this?
In my journey, I have been told I would not do things many times. I was told on numerous occasions that I would never walk again. This doubt is a lot to deal with it places great deal of pressure on yourself and people see you differently. I remember doubting in my own ability to walk again because I was constantly told I wouldn’t. What made it even more difficult was that knowing this made people look at me differently. Although my close family and friends didn’t doubt me I felt as though they were feeling sorry for me and looking down on me. The doubt in myself to finish school, learn to walk, and have a normal life really started to slip away. This was a dark time in my life!
One day in class we were sitting there and our teacher had come up to me before class warning me that the video she was going to show may affect me. The video was of a man who was told he would never walk again and he started little by little every day working towards his goal and at the end of the video you watch him run down the street. My teacher was right it did affect me! I cried and many people in my class during the video looked at me and offerd silent support. Something in me that day did change I knew that I had to do something and work towards my goals. I told my teacher that day that one day I would run down the street I just did not know when that would be.
That same teacher through my third and fourth years of university really pushed me and challenged me. One day she asked our class what we value the most in life and I did not want to answer because I was not sure. I remember listening to other people say they valued their health and their ability to workout and walk and I remember running out of class crying. These were some tough times. I remember sitting in this professors office crying my frustrations out but she always believed in me even when I doubted myself entirely.
After my stay in the hospital I did not know what I was going to do with my life I felt with my limitations my career choices of being a Kinesiologist and a Therapeutic Recreationist were behind me. I sat down with this professor who was about to go on maternity leave and she motiationally interviewed me into realizing that I should take an extra year of school and find what I can do because I was right where I belong. This professor had a big place in my life, she may not even realize it but so many times she has changed my life and taught me to love and believe in myself.
Doubt still creeps in from time to time but it is important to push it aside. There will always be someone that will put doubt into your mind and tell you that you won’t be able to achieve your goal, whether it be your goal to lose weight, start a new career, go back to school. The most important suggestion I can make is to surround yourself with people who believe in you. Who push you to be the best you! Who only bring positivity to your life and make you want to be the best!
Your goals can only be obtained when you push your doubt aside. So start today believe in yourself, know that you can do whatever you put your mind to. Set goals, make them realistic and get out and achieve them. Prove the doubters wrong because let me tell you nothing is more satisfying. If I could send a picture of me walking, running, or sliding across the sliding board at the gym to the knee surgeon who told me he would never be able to fix my knee and that I would never walk again would be one of the best moments.
You only get one life to live and do what you want when you want and I am so glad I went through the struggle to get where I am today because I appreciate the journey so much more. I wouldn’t change anything because now I know that I can overcome anything!!
Special shout out to those who stuck beside me even at some of my darkest times because you helped me see the light and change my mind on doubting myself!
