When I think my life is hard and I want to quit, or just feel sorry for myself, I try to think of people like Aimee Mullins. Who is Aimee Mullins?
Aimee is a double leg amputee. She lost both her legs in childhood to a genetic disease. As an adult she is a recognized athlete, model, actress and activist. And this beauty has brains. She graduated from Georgetown University with a double major in history and diplomacy and is a tireless advocate for the disabled. She has been named one of the fifty most beautiful people in the world by People Magazine.
This woman has accomplished more than I ever will, and has done it with a grace and dignity I can only hope to aspire to. She exemplifies something I have observed in my practice, "from adversity comes strength". If you turn and face it that is. If you run from adversity, or medicate it, or use drugs, alcohol, relationships, work, sex, eating or other things to distract you from it, you do not learn to overcome it. But if you face adversity squarely in the eyes and walk through it, you come out on the other side with increased compassion for others, increased coping skills you can use to face other adversities in life, increased wisdom and increased self knowledge.
Aimee Mullins has not only faced her disability, she has embraced it; with courage, humility and even humor. In one interview she quips,
"Pamela Anderson has more prosthetic in her body than I do. Nobody calls her disabled."
This young woman has a voice which should be heard. I encourage you to listen to her interviews and seminars. They are free and readily available on the web. Aimee tells personal and humorous stories of her struggles and her triumphs which will inspire and uplift you. Two of my favorites are listed below.
"How my Legs Give me Super Powers" on Boing, Boing.
"Aimee Mullins and her 12 pairs of Legs" on Ted.com.
For more information about Aimee Mullins please see: Sport’s Heroes’ article on Aimee for information about her accomplishments and her life, or see: Wikipedia’s article on Aimee for pictures of her and her famous "boots" designed by Alexander McQueen.
For more articles about mental health, please visit my blog at Kellevision.com.
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