#writingispowerful

It’s not January 1st but it’s still not far into the New Year so I figured I should write a bit about that.

I did so much last year that I have to step back and think...okay wait, what DO I want to think about / work on / manifest this year.

In 2021, I ended up being able to move out on my own. In December of 2020, I wrote a list of things that I wanted to see come to fruition in 2021, or to start working on. One of those things said, “I will start taking steps to move out as it is safe to do so.” I wrote the “safe” part because I didn’t know how COVID was going to be. I didn’t just start this goal, I completed it, and it feels amazing. 

If you would have told me in December 2020 that I would be living in my own apartment with my brother and a cat, and that I would be successfully adulting and working two teaching jobs, I would not have believed you. 2021 was an amazing year for me, even though I know it was hard year collectively for the world, with the pandemic and the many other issues.

Even though I did so much this year and have gained so many more skills and much more independence, I feel like some things that I wanted to work on got left behind as I got swept up in moving out and adjusting to living on my own as a disabled adult. 

Here are just a few things that I would like to do or work on this year. I will write them as if they are already happening. That is called manifesting. This means thinking about how you want to be or what you want to do in the future and imagine yourself actually doing it. I use the word “goals” rather than “resolutions” because I feel more pressured by that word and then if I don’t do the things then I’m upset with myself. Goals feel more actionable and something I can take steps to achieve. 

1. I take better care of my body. I work on movement and exercise regularly, even if it is something small each day. I am stronger and have better balance than last year. 

2. I write more. Blog posts, journal entries, poetry, reflections on my teaching. I write more often, even if it is just a little bit each day. I like writing, and many people in my life have told me that I am really good at it. But I don’t do it as much as I’d like right now.

3. I start actually planning how I want my “Disabled guidebook to France” to be. I have had this idea for about 3 years now to write a guidebook for travelers with various disabilities who want to go to France. It would talk about how accessible various cities are, have travel tips and other useful things. 

4. I keep up with current events more - even if that’s just listening to the news headlines every day or every few days. I got good with this in 2020 and then by the fall of that year I wasn’t really doing it anymore, and haven’t since. I don’t need to know everything that’s going on, but I would like to have a basic understanding of world events so I don’t feel lost when others are talking about things and I feel like an informed citizen.

5. I learn how to cook and bake more and I try more new foods. I don’t pressure myself to have to cook complex things - even the simplest things like heating up canned chili and baking squash counts as cooking. For me, cooking and baking generally takes about twice as long as it would for an able-bodied person, so simple is easier, especially right now when I have a pretty basic knowledge of cooking. So I want to cook more things, but start simple and keep an open mind with food. All 3 of my parents (2 moms and 1 dad) are good at cooking in different ways and I admire that about them. 

6. I start thinking more about how I’d like to help more disabled people and making plans - this blog, mentoring young people with cerebral palsy, teaching others who use mobility devices how to get on and off public transportation in my city and how to navigate the city. 

What cool stuff did you do this year? What did you accomplish? What goals do you have for this new year?

Hi Taylor. First of all, I want to thank you for opening my eyes to the wonderful world of songwriting. It’s been such an amazing emotional outlet for me, and I am so proud of the songs I’ve written. Well, the following poem was our English homework, but I got really into it, because it’s similar to writing a song. I want to know what you think. Love, Amanda

“Who Are Girls?”

Girls. We are oftentimes berated

For our unique little quirks

For our bodies, we are debated,

And we’re assessed based on our skirts

We are watched through a microscopic lens

And they don’t understand

The two-way glass used by our friends

Gives them the upper hand

They say we are free

But we are judged on more

That does not taste like freedom to me,

We’re more restricted than before

The constraints include what we eat

And even though we love to dine

We’ll lie to make ourselves seem sweet

And to the salads we’ll say “Fine”

The sweet smell that is jealousy

Makes it hard to love ourselves

The poisonous scent of envy

Takes away from the pride in yourself

The fake tan of a model

The flawless face on an ad

We don’t need to feel awful

We need to be glad

Girls, we’re not plastic dolls

We don’t belong caged in

We can take down our walls

We’re not animals in a pen

Can you hear the applause?

I’m here, cheering you on,

Let’s do this thing together, because

Girls are brave and strong

Smile in the mirror

Touch the glass that’s in the way

I hope that now it’s clearer

There are no rules you must obey]

Give yourself a high-five

Feel how strong you are?

It’s a wonderful day to be alive

You are a superstar

Girls are beautiful and one-of-a-kind

And to that, I have to say,

You are precious and not confined

By the guidelines of today