Firewalk: Embracing Different Abilities
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Releasing the Myth of Disability
Letting go of the shame is how we begin to release the myth that asserts there is something wrong about having a disability. Yes, it creates difficulties throughout life, but so do thousands of other things. We usually do not view these other things as flawed, but something to deal with as we live our lives. Why should disabilities be any different? Children are born with disabilities and people acquire them throughout life for a reason, to add greater meaning and diversity to our world. They do not occur as a form of punishment or cruelty. Disabilities are a natural way of life.
Once we can understand this, we see our bodies as vessels with which we carry out our purpose in the world. The size, shape and condition of our bodies are specifically designed for our unique purpose. As individuals, the beginning step toward embracing our bodies and their differences is to accept that differences are an intrinsic part of life. In order to live in greater joy, we need to begin to value our bodies for who and what they are instead of continually trying to change them by correcting a flaw that is not there.
The term disability is a misnomer. Every living person has abilities. Different abilities. As a society we have been trained to think that as long as someone has full control of her extremities, can verbally express herself, and has an IQ of at least 85, then she has value and significant meaning. This is the myth our society created, along with the belief that having a different ability lessens one’s value. We need to truly believe and accept that our bodies are all different, not just in sizes, colors, and shapes, but also in mental and physical abilities, form of expression, and flows of energy. For some of you, this may be a very hard concept to understand and/or accept, so let’s look at it more closely. It is true that having a disability can certainly imply that one may experience several and profound difficulties in life. These trials can be as life altering as not being able to take care of one’s daily living needs, not being able to verbally communicate, and not having one of the major senses. I sometimes use the word inconvenience to describe these hardships. Inconvenience may sound minimizing, but meanings are largely based on the way we choose to view things. Inconvenience means a lack of ease or comfort. Since the world, for the most part, continues to be designed for people without different abilities, many inconveniences are therefore created for people who have what I call standard abilities. The thing about inconveniences, though, is their effects in our lives can be subdued. Some of them may take a lifetime and then some to eradicate. In our time on this earthly plane, we may just scrape the surface of their elimination. But it is the scrape that is important. We can all begin to do so by looking into the face of these inconveniences with a smile, knowing that it is our strength and power that counts.
Moving beyond these inconveniences allows one to get in touch with what our purpose is while here in this earthly form. Essentially, we are all here with the same mission - to give and receive love. Our bodies are just made to manifest this expression of love in different ways. When one learns to soften their judgments and sharp edges not just about others but about oneself, then this contributes to the entire world being more open to differences. We then realize these differences are what create the beauty in our world. This is the key to really living a full life - being able to accept, love, and honor all differences and the lessons they bring us.
Releasing myths we hold about differences is at the core of this. In releasing myths about others and ourselves we acknowledge the equality among us. We liberate ourselves from thinking that there is such a thing as status between us. We realize that as long as we are fulfilling our unique purpose in life, there is no such thing as being better than or worse than others are. We proclaim our lives as a gift to the world because we honor the significance of our souls rather than our bodies. In doing so, we acknowledge our inherent perfection and are free from trying to correct a flaw that is simply not there.
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About the Book
Firewalk: Embracing Different Abilities presents a new perspective and action plan for anyone who lives with adversity. Author Kathy O’Connell draws from her own experiences of living with cerebral palsy and working with others as a counselor in this powerful—and empowering—book about living life to the fullest with a disability. Readers are offered an approach to moving through feelings of fear and victimization, which lead to embracing and appreciating their different abilities. As a result, people experience greater love, happiness, and fulfillment.
Kathy uses the metaphor of a firewalk to represent the fear we feel when faced with difficulty, circumstances that could further hurt us, and the doubt within about our own ability to be successful. The author’s epiphany during an actual firewalk served as a catalyst for developing this powerful and unique approach she now teaches to clients, audiences, and workshop participants.
Firewalk: Embracing Different Abilities shows how to:
- View your difference as a valuable gift, teacher, and opportunity for growth
- Move beyond hardship and “why me” victimization
- Face fear, anger, and frustration head-on so you can access your authentic self
- Stop letting others’ attitudes and perceptions define, limit, and hurt you
- Get in touch with your sexuality and power to attract
- Find your purpose and go after it with new abilities, strength, and focus
Firewalk: Embracing Different Abilities offers invaluable tools for parents and teachers of children with disabilities, as well as new ideas for therapists and other healthcare workers who work with clients and patients who have different abilities.
When we learn to see our disability or difference as a gift, we can use it as a transformative tool. Instead of struggling against what is difficult, or trying to “manage” or “fix” our difference, we can embrace the very thing we resist—and allow it to strengthen us.Drawing from her own experiences of living with a disability and working with others as a therapist, Kathy offers readers an approach to moving through feelings of fear and victimization to a place where they can embrace and appreciate their different abilities, and experience greater love, happiness, and fulfillment as a result.
About the Author
Kathy O’Connell is a certified rehabilitation counselor and licensed mental health counselor, specializing in personal growth and transformation for people with disabilities. Kathy is director of Radiant Abilities, which provides an array of counseling and consulting services. She believes that within each of us is the full potential to lead the lives we dream of, ones full of happiness, love, health, and peace. Kathy teaches the concept of “different abilities,” meaning that each of us has our own unique strengths and gifts to share with the world, regardless of ability level. She believes and teaches that a disability can be a launching pad for transforming one’s life. When a person embraces a disability, both the challenges and the triumphs, life takes on new meaning, and one becomes empowered to make choices, pursue dreams, radiate abilities, and live fully.
Firewalk: Embracing Different Abilities offers invaluable tools for parents and teachers of children with disabilities, as well as new ideas for therapists and healthcare workers who work with clients and patients with different abilities.