Come On, Get Going

I am struggling. With what, you ask? Well, with writing a blog post about being an amputee. I think the reason why is that I just don’t see myself as an amputee. I mean, obviously, I know that I am missing a leg. But, really, I look at myself just like I look at everyone else. I walk, all the time. I can run. I play sports. I don’t struggle like I see many people who are also amputees struggle. I don’t have phantom pains and I don’t think I ever have. I can’t remember what it was like before I had my leg amputated. But I think that’s the point. I can do all of these things in spite of being an amputee. If I can do it, so can anyone else. I don’t feel sorry for myself. I don’t think about the what-ifs. I just live my life. I get out there. I work. I push. I do it because if I don’t, what’s to stop me from becoming complacent? To stop me from feeling sorry for myself and wallowing in self-pity? Nothing. It hasn’t always been this way, though.

There was a point in my life in college where I was so down on myself that I didn’t even want to get out of bed(I don’t want to call it anything because I honestly don’t know what it was.). I missed classes. I didn’t hang out with friends. None of this had to do with my amputation. It all had to do with my mind. I had to pull myself out of that funk. So I made a decision. Step one: Talk to someone. I needed to get what I was feeling out in the open. Address it. Talk about it. I started to use my university’s free counseling center. It helped. I would go weekly to talk to a counselor and discuss what was on my mind. Eventually, it got to the point where I didn’t have anything else to tell them. It’s not that I was cured, but I was feeling better. Step two: Get back to living my life. I started making it to all of my classes again. My grades improved. I started to hang out with my friends again. I went out. I socialized. Life was better. I let go of whatever it was holding me back and keeping me down, and instead, I just lived life. I enjoyed myself. Life gets better. Pain gets better. You may not see it now, but it does.

There are many in the disabled community that have given up. Given up on living their lives. Given up on pushing and working to better themselves. Just given up in general. That’s not okay. If you are sitting there feeling sorry for yourself. Feeling like life is over for you. Like you can’t do anything and nobody cares. Well. STOP! You can do whatever you set your mind to. You can get out, go places, do things, live. All you have to do is put your mind to it. Don’t use excuses. An excuse is just a way to continue to lie to others and, more importantly in this case, to yourself. Instead of saying “I can’t do this because…” say “I am going to do this in spite of…” I promise you this: You can do it.

Get up. Get out. Get going. If you can’t get yourself to get moving, then who do you think will? It is your life. Your choice.Let go of your fears. Let go of the excuses. It doesn’t have to be all at once. Baby steps. Talk to someone about what you are feeling. Don’t get mad when they try to help you work through it. Go out. Live life. Enjoy it. We only get one.

I believe you can do it because I did it. I believe in you. So should you.

Feel free to contact me. Even if it’s just to talk. I am here. I am willing.

Thanks for reading and remember…

One foot in front of the other…sort of.

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