I AM MY ATTITUDE

People always tell me, “you are such an inspiration,” but I never thought of myself as an inspirer. I consider what I do and who I am to be normal.  Despite my visual impairment, it is normal for me to hold a book up to my face or sit right in front of a large screen TV. It is normal for me to tell the local drug store clerk I am visually impaired and may need assistance.  It is normal for me to ride my bike on my own to get to where I need to go.  It is normal for me to hit things, but I still continue to thrive in unfamiliar territory. This is just who I am.  

We all have our own potential in life, but our ability to reach this potential is exactly the same.  When I set out to break the two hour barrier in an Olympic distance triathlon, I knew that I had the potential to achieve this goal.  Of course there were obstacles in my path such as the curb I stumbled over while training or when I crossed directly in front of traffic and almost got hit by an oncoming car.  The key to achieving your potential is perseverance.

Years later, I now understand why people say “you are such an inspiration.”  The answer lies in my ATTITUDE.  An epidemic of NEGATIVITY has infected our nation.  Instead of correcting mistakes we as a society have just given up.  Most of us wake up to “just another day of the same routine at work.”  We watch TV and think to ourselves “I could never achieve their level of success.”  Because of the negative ways in which we pursue our lives, many of us fail to reach our own potential.  

Through my message I want to provide real experiences for why a life of POSITIVITY is so much more rewarding and fulfilling than the life of “just another day.”   Positive people have learned that resilience and persistence without exception is the only way to live.  They smile through the  hard times and exude energy into every room they enter. They are successful because they make positive choices that lead to positive results. They are the glue that is holding this world together.  

The reason I am an inspiration is not because I am visually impaired and compete in triathlons.  I am an inspiration to others because of the energy and passion with which I live my life.  We are surrounded by others that bring us down.  When we finally see someone that is “fired up about life” we are uplifted.  It is similar to the person that never drinks coffee and then has a shot of espresso. A rush of energy runs through their body.  Positive attitudes give off positive energy in the same way.  Positive attitudes are also contagious.  We ALL need to have one!!!