Everyone has good and bad days but many people that have a disability have
more time to dwell on the negative aspects of life. When this happens a
person with a disability becomes bitter, angry and depressed. All of us are
different individuals and there is not a single answer that will solve all of
our problems. We cannot and should not keep our feelings to ourselves. We
must never be embarrassed or ashamed of your feelings and we must talk to
people about them. We can talk to our family, friends, a priest and a
psychiatrist if you need to. There are many people with a disability that
have a difficult time communicating and when this happens they are sometimes
ignored or treated like children and there problems are dismissed like they
are nothing at all. Does this happen to you?

How can a person with a disability change their own attitudes? I believe I
can never give up trying to improve and never giving up on life. I always set
realistic goals every year. My goals for this year are to exercise everyday,
improving on computer skills and finding a better job, taking a college
coarse. I may not accomplish everything I want to do but I will try to
achieve these goals.

When I feel angry, bitter or depressed I try to do something different that
will get me out of the same old rut. In 1983 I volunteered at a local
hospital and in 1985 I took a Business coarse at a Community College. This
year I started a forum in Delphi called Disabled Advocacy Movement  to help
people with disabilities.

Do you set goals for yourself and what are they? How do you try to change
your attitude when you feel trapped in the same rut?

People with CP and other disabilities must try to live the best lives we can.
I always tell people to accept the things you cannot change but change the
things you can. I will always have a disability and I also know the world is
not fair and we will not always be treated with the respect and dignity we
deserve. We cannot use our disability as a crutch for not trying to be the
best we can be.

Stephen Allman