Whether you have always spent your life in a wheelchair or it is something you have needed to adapt to, being as independent as you can is very important for your own mental wellbeing. It can be easy for people to overlook your needs and perhaps forget about you, but ensuring that they don’t is important so that you are not dismissed. Here are some aspects you may want to consider if you are a wheelchair user.
Demonstrate Your Personality
Just because you are in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you do not have a personality. Wear your favorite brightly colored outfit or get an interesting hairstyle done. People can easily overlook you when you are in a wheelchair when out in public, so feeling as though you can at least demonstrate your own personality will be good for your self-esteem.
Keep Your Sense of Humor
You are likely to come across scenarios whereby people make a comment or ask you a question as to why you are in the chair. Maintaining a good sense of humor will help alleviate any awkward situations where people might ask you a daft question. It is good to demonstrate that you are not embarrassed or ashamed to be in your chair and that you are still able to live an independent life just like a non-wheelchair user.
Make Your Home Wheelchair Friendly
So that you do not need to struggle or ask for assistance when you can cope perfectly on your own, it is a good idea to have some accessibility ramps installed at home. This will enable you to come and go freely without having to ask for assistance every time you leave home.
Pursue A Career You Enjoy
You might find that you need to work twice as hard as everyone else to get noticed, but do not let this deter you from pursuing your dream career. Or you could find that you experience the oppsiute scenario and the company feels as though they need to hire you just because you are in a wheelchair and they do not want to be seen as discriminatory. Demonstrate your ability and skills so that they can see why you are the perfect fit for the role as opposed to being regarded as a box ticking exercise.
Keep Active and Learn a New Sport
There are plenty of wheelchair-friendly sports that are available to do, so perhaps you could join a local group to see if you enjoy learning a new sport. It will enable you to pursue a healthy lifestyle whilst also making new friends along the way that can relate to your situation and understand how you feel when you are having a low day.
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