Day 3 of Invisible Disabilities Week Sirius XM Canada interview and brunch thoughts

Yesterday, I was on Sirius XM Canada’s The Boost morning show for Invisible Disabilities Week. Afterwards, I had brunch with a new friend who also has a mobility disability, who’s been on a self-acceptance journey similar to mine.

During the interview, I was asked what advice I’d give to someone with an invisible disability who wants to talk about it, but isn’t sure how to share it publicly, and I said 2 things:

First, start getting used to telling people other things about yourself, unrelated to your disability, that you don’t usually share - an unusual food pairing you’re into, or somewhere you’ve always wanted to travel, or a hobby you were into as a kid - anything you don’t generally talk about much. Mention things like that here and there, because that’s a small step in getting used to talking about something you usually don’t, and how it feels.

Second, start with one person. Maybe you can bring it up to someone who has a friend/family with a disability as well, or someone who has something you know they get nervous to talk about too. Once you get over the fear of telling one person, it can get easier to tell a second, and a third, and how you want to go from there.

Afterward at brunch with my friend, we talked about how we both tried to avoid facing/accepting our disabilities for years. I said when I finally did accept and start talking about it, I also then had to face when things are harder for me, or when I’m having a difficult time - and that it was easier to ignore that some situations ARE harder because of my disability, when I was pushing my feelings about it away in general. His face lit up when he immediately agreed, and I was so heart-warmed that he related.

I was watching Suits a while ago, and a line from an episode hit me - that “true power is not pretending to be what you’re not, it’s admitting the truth of who you are.”

To me, Invisible Disabilities Week (Oct 19-25) is about creating visibility and community for those living with them, and to encourage others to share their stories and experiences.

Because every time someone steps up and says who they are, the world becomes a better, more interesting place. ✨