Living life with a disability doesn’t mean that you can’t access, obtain, and enjoy a quality life. With advancements in technology, accessibility, and basic understanding of needs, our world has become far more compassionate and supportive.

But, our work isn’t done of course.

If you have a physical disability, please know that there are so many ways you can live life more comfortably and positively. Whether that’s growing in your own self-love and awareness, seeking support, or building coping mechanisms and strategies to help you succeed, anything is possible.

Here are a few reminders to support you in your journey:

Practice Acceptance & Self-Compassion

If you have a disability one of the first things you should learn is how to be compassionate towards yourself. It can be easy for you to be hard on yourself especially if you have been formally active and able to do a lot of things on your own, but remind yourself that you are much more than your disability and/or limitations.

When a negative thought comes, don’t dwell on it. And don’t beat yourself up about your feelings, either. Try to accept them, and try to come to terms with where you are right now. The sooner you accept what you can’t control, the sooner you can move through life focusing on what you can do (and this will make your life far richer).

Seek Support When Needed

Whether you’ve been self-sufficient your whole life and find yourself with a disability, or have been disabled since birth, you’re going to need assistance from others at times. And this is nothing to be ashamed about!

Oftentimes, the people around you (family, friends, and strangers alike) will want to support you. So, let them! If you have a case management provider, this person can also help you, especially when it comes to things like employment, resources, managing care, or maintaining your quality of life.

While it may be difficult for you to lean on others sometimes, it is necessary at times and something that you have to learn to embrace. Once you do, it will make your life a lot more fulfilling. 

Refocus and Celebrate Yourself

It’s easy to focus on what you can’t do when you have a disability, but have you ever thought about just switching your thoughts and thinking about all things you can do? You are bound to still have strengths even with your limitations and they should be celebrated!

If you have passions and interests that you can continue to pursue, then go ahead and do them. There’s no need to completely give up the things that you enjoy the most just because you happen to have a disability. Join support groups, talk to other people who face the same set of circumstances that you do, and learn how and what accommodations you can access to be able to do what you love differently.

Develop Coping Mechanisms

Coping mechanisms are strategies to help you move thorough life despite what difficult things you may be going through. When talking about living life with a disability, these coping mechanisms will be different depending on the individual and his/her needs. But, start by recognizing ways that you can (1) move through life differently but positively, (2) what triggers you and when you might need others to intervene and/or support on your behalf, (3) where your biggest physical limitations are so that you can create realistic goals and accommodations, and (4) ways to shift your mindset when you start to face self-pity, frustration, depression and/or anger.

By not only recognizing these things but actively creating strategies to overcome them, you will feel a lot more empowered.

Something else you might want to consider is how your physical spaces can be more supportive of your needs. For example, you can try to make your home more comfortable, as this is not only your ‘safe space,’ but the space you’ll spend the most time in. While you don’t have to spend tons of money, you can create simple workarounds to help you move easier and feel more independent (which is important!).

TLDR; it is possible to live life with a disability (and live a good one at that!). Strive to enjoy life to the fullest each day, despite the challenges that you may face. You’ve got this!