Parent Learning Support Group

Brainstormers Email Support Group

We have two email support groups you can join. One is through Denise Patterson. Contact Denise at deenomad@aol.com to be added.

The other is through Yahoo Groups. You can join at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Brainstormers101/

Parent Learning Support Group

Please join us at our next meeting :

When: Thursday, January 27, 2005 @ 6:30 p.m.
Where: St. David’s Church, 905 East McMurray Road, Venetia, PA
Topic: Mental Health Issues & Special Education Needs for Children.

For information call: 724-942-0209

Indiana Township Brain Injury Peer Support Group

WHEN: SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH
TIME: 7:00 to 9:00 PM
WHERE: HealthSouth / Harmarville, Guys Run Road
CONTACT: Tom Byrnes, (412) 531-0343

Upcoming Meeting Dates: 2005 - JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 8, MARCH 8, APRIL12, MAY 10, JUNE 14, JULY 12, AUGUST 9, SEPTEMBER 13, Please mark these dates on your calendar

JANUARY 11 Speaker – Alex Simkovich, PhD

Topic: FUNDAMENTALS OF GOOD HEALTH, How to Regain and Maintain your Health. (Discussion to follow presentation about a possible summer picnic)

Monroeville Area Brain Injury Support Group

Tentative Schedule

When: Second Thursday of Each Month.
Time: 7 to 9 pm
Where: the parlor of the Cross Roads Presbyterian Church, 2310 Haymaker Road, Monroeville, Pa.
January 13 - Discussion on the 2004 National Brain Injury Assn. Conference in Dec. 2004 -- Speaker -- Professor Edward Crinnion
February 10 - To Be Announced
March 10 - Home Modifications for the Disabled -- Speaker -- Rich Comfort

For more information please contact Paul Damon at 412-372-2888.

Refreshments provided.

Bowling Social Event

Who: All are welcome.
Where: Fun Fest Entertainment Center, 2525 Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
When: Last Monday of every month.
Time: 3:30 PM TO 6:30 PM on Lanes #1 through 6
Cost: $10 per person, Bowl 3 games, Includes shoes, 2 slices of Pizza & unlimited fountain drinks.

Bowling is wheel chair accessible at Fun Fest and bowling ramps are available.

For more information, Contact Tom Byrnes at 412.531.0343.

Stakeholder Planning Team (SPT)

Advisory body to PA Dept. of Public Welfare

John Pistorius

 

Yours truly has been appointed to the Home and Community Based Services, Stakeholder Planning Team (SPT) by the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW.) Secretary Richman inherited the SPT from the previous administration. She has reworked the team to better serve its purpose.

 

The Stakeholder Planning Team is funded by a Real Choice Systems Change grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This is a Federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To learn more about this agency, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/about/default.asp.

What is the purpose of the Team?

The Stakeholder Planning Team is an advisory body created to advise the Pennsylvania Dept. of Public Welfare (DPW) on matters regarding program implementation. It plans to do this by identifying gaps, barriers and quality issues that exist in DPW's current system of funding of healthcare services. The goal is to eliminate the institutional bias of the current system and thereby improve independent living for persons with disabilities based on functional need. (This is not an official statement. The official purpose statement is in the process of revision and acceptance by the team.)

 

Who is on this Team?

The team is comprised of an excellent group of individuals who represent many disability groups and DPW offices. The group has strong leadership which will compel the individuals to become a cohesive team, focused on its purpose.

 

The co-leaders of the team, appointed by the DPW Secretary, are Terry Roth and Linda Anthony. Both are consumer advocates for people with disabilities.

 

Ginny Rogers is the 'Real Choice Systems Change Grant' project director. Her job is to make sure the grant goals are implemented. The stakeholder team is one aspect of the grant goals. She represents the DPW, along with many DPW staff who were present at the first meeting.

 

Will more people be added to the Team?

I've been told that additional people may be appointed to the team in the next year. The Secretary is interested in improving the geographic representation to include more people from Western PA. She is also interested in improving ethnic diversity. Currently, the team is comprised of 17 people from the eastern part of the state, three from Western PA and the balance are residents of the Harrisburg area.

 

Ms. Rogers told me that there is some concern that the size of the group may hinder the team’s progress. To address this concern, the Secretary proposes regional focus groups that would then be responsible for certain tasks and then bring back the results of their group to the SPT.

 

How long will people be on the Team?

Team members will serve for one, two or three years. I've been told that we will draw by lottery at the next meeting to determine each person’s term. "I encourage additional participation as we work to hear new voices" wrote Ginny Rogers. "– and we can support additional folks to attend team meetings in Harrisburg." That means the grant will reimburse expenses related to attendance for team members and others who want to voice their input.

 

Can anyone attend Team meetings?

Consumers and consumer representatives are encouraged to attend these Stakeholder Planning Team meetings. Whatever individuals need to make the meting accessible to them will be provided. Expenses will be reimbursed for attendees who are not reimbursed by their organization or company.

 

Where are the meetings held?

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The meeting that I attended was held in the Harrisburg Hilton.

 

How long are the meetings?

The meetings are usually held from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. However, attendees are not required to be present all day. Lunch is provided and attendees can take breaks as needed.

 

When are Team meetings held?

I do not currently have a schedule of meetings. I've been told the next meeting is scheduled for some time in February. I'll pass the details on as soon as I receive it.

 

How can I get to the Team meetings?

Again, transportation costs will be reimbursed. Some groups may want to pool their funds to send a spokesperson. Others may want to join together and 'carpool' to Harrisburg.

 

Where can I find more information?

For information about the Home and Community Based Services Stakeholder Planning Team, you can visit http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/Disable/HomeCommServices/HCBSTeam/

I've been told that the site will be updated soon to include the names of all team members and latest meeting notes.

 

Interested?

Write or call me jp@pabia.org or (412) 481-0443. I'm  willing share a ride for anyone in the Pittsburgh area who is interested in attending. Contact me for more details.

 

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Wheeling for Access on the Ocean

Supreme Court Hearing Case Number 03-1388,

Spector et. al. vs. Norwegian Cruise Line

Julia Hollenbeck is a tireless advocate for people with disabilities. She admits to looking younger than her age, but claims she sometimes doesn't feel any younger.

She inquired about cruise packages from an American travel agency for Norwegian Cruise Line vacations that sailed out of a United States Port in Houston, Texas, in 1999, for her and another member of ‘Wheel Me On’ (WMO), a nonprofit organization dedicated to active individuals, 18-years and older using aids as a means of mobility, people with speech, hearing, or sight impairments, and people who struggle to overcome difficulties in society. The organization is based on education and promotes activity and unity of all Americans. It advocates for greater access in America for people with and without disabilities for safety and longevity.

The trip was to celebrate her 56th birthday. This seemingly 'normal' activity would not at first appear to be the start of a Supreme Court Hearing. However, as the would-be vacationers learned, all too painfully, their vacation was anything but "normal." Not only were Hollenbeck and her companion, David Killough (a Board Director of WMO) unhappy, but also later, she learned so were other members of the WMO organization. In total, there were five members who cruised on three separate occasions during the same year, and ultimately, these vacationers’ nightmares started the hearing for Case Number 03-1388, Spector et. al. vs. Norwegian Cruise Line, which will be heard by the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on February 28, 2005.

After returning from her voyage, Julia Hollenbeck was an unhappy 'camper.' "The amazing part of this story is one of the members (Doug Spector) made a call to WMO to discuss other involvements and nonchalantly asked if I had gone on the cruise." says Hollenbeck. "After speaking with him for several minutes, I decided to contact David Killough who had gone on the cruise with me, and making a long story short, we decided to join the endeavor with Doug and Anna Spector regarding our discrimination encountered during the cruise."

In the WMO newsletter, Hollenbeck wrote, "Messages were posted to [the Wheel Me On organization's] web site and E-mails were sent to other members - enter member Roger Peters, who had also taken the cruise during the same year. The five of us kept in touch with one another, and eventually, Wheel Me On began a program called ‘Cruise Line Awareness.’ Additionally, education for traveling on cruise vessels was posted on the site. . ." Due to an abundance of people writing and thanking the organization for "all the wonderful information," it was decided to move the page into the "Members Only" section, after realizing people were taking copyrighted pages from the site.

Now, after more than five years, the case is heading to the Supreme Court. Hollenbeck says, "One of the questions frequently asked by people is, "Will you receive any compensation?" According to the lawyers, the answer is "no," and in fact, every single one of the depositions and court hearings attended were paid for by the individual plaintiff."

Hollenbeck says their next question is "Then why are you going to the Supreme Court?" To which she responds: "There comes a time in life, when a person makes a commitment or decision which is not necessarily just for that person, but rather for millions of Americans with disabilities who will possibly be helped by the efforts of others advocating for disability awareness. It is not only for the plaintiffs in this case, but also for thousands of other individuals, if the Supreme Court rules in the favor of the plaintiffs. Of course, there is no way of knowing how the highest court in the United States of America will rule, so any plaintiffs attending are actually going to support the cause, and so should other Americans with disabilities, whether they sail on the sea or not.

The presence of people who use wheelchairs will create visibility, and your presence could well provide the impact for millions of others unable to attend." In 1989, people with disabilities from all over this great nation went to Washington, D.C. to voice the need for the Americans with Disabilities Act. These were average Americans, many with visible disabilities, and some with hidden disabilities.

Here in Pittsburgh, we organized the people who were willing to travel, spent our time, and shared the expenses to make sure we were heard on this important issue. Back then "the streets in Washington were covered with people who had disabilities and used wheelchairs, fighting for human rights, running the risk of imprisonment, but never giving up." writes Hollenbeck, "Had it not been for those strong-willed individuals and organizations who fought for the rest of us, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may not have been set in place by 1990."

When asking her specifically what the discrimination was about, she replied, "Can you imagine having to wait up to an hour in order to use a bathroom (when you are on a specific bladder/bowel program) because there were no accessible bathrooms except in your small stateroom, that could take as much as an hour to get to? Can you imagine being excited about going on a land tour, you had just hours earlier ordered tickets for, and then being told you could not go because there was no way to provide access to a tender or tour buses because of the wheelchair? Can you imagine not being able to use many facilities people without disabilities could use, but you could not because you were sitting in a wheelchair? These are only a fraction of things that happened to me and the worst is that I asked all the right questions, before going on the voyage, but got all the wrong answers."

Inaccessible Cruises Sold in Pittsburgh

When Julia told me about this case, I had just finished speaking with my Sister-in-law Darlene Holan. Darlene told me about her own cruise vacation nightmare that just occurred. She was assured that the trip would be accessible. She was told some of the excursions would be accessible. However, one thing after another proved to be inaccessible. She had to be carried by strangers onto and off of the beach because an accessible means was not provided.

On the way back to the ship, the wheels to her chair fell out of the taxi van twice. It became clear that the driver had not secured them properly. While not directly connected to the cruise line, this furthered her disappointment. One of her wheels was damaged, which she had repaired at her own cost. On day three of her trip, she was told that she could not board the ship-to-land ferry because it was not accessible. In short, she was forced to accommodate herself as best she could. Her trip was not what she paid for because she was unable to enjoy it fully with the rest of the passengers.

Holan is no stranger to having her civil rights violated. At her graduation ceremony, where she received her Masters Degree in social work, she was forced to sit in the narrow aisle because the facility was inaccessible. Every time someone walked by her, she experienced the discomfort of being disturbed. She was forced to make her own way onto the stage from backstage instead of remaining in line with her classmates. She was embarrassed by the halting of the ceremony to wait for her to reach the stage by her makeshift means.

Darlene Holan's nightmare continues as she tries to get a refund for this miserable trip. The Cruise Line Company is only offering a repeat trip. It’s like telling someone who complains about being abused that you will give them more of the same to compensate them for the first smack in their face!

People with disabilities still suffer this type of civil rights violation. It is exactly why this Supreme Court case is important to all persons with disabilities.

What can you do?

Plan to attend this hearing. Start getting ready. Raise the money needed to travel and stay in D.C. for two days. Get sponsors. Ask your local merchants for help. Go to the places where people know you, where you spend your money. Ask your banker. Ask your grocer. Ask your place of worship. In short, ask everyone your life touches to help you to make the trip.

Show up in Washington. Let them know that people with disabilities are not going to be ignored on issues of accessibility. If enough people become interested, we can organize a bus and block off rooms in D.C.

Contact John Pistorius at jp@pabia.org if you are interested.

"I hope I will see you there. Wheeling for access on the ocean... "- Julia Hollenbeck

(Editor’s note: This article would not have been possible without Julia’s help. Write to Julia Hollenbeck at wheelme@wheelmeon.org and join the cause by inserting "Cruises" in the subject line of your E-mail. Even your words of encouragement will be appreciated and helpful.)

Curious Insight

From http://www.wheelmeon.org/newsletter.html

Did you know the eagle knows when a storm is approaching, long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to a high spot, and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, the eagle sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up, lifting it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher, and rises on the winds that bring the storm. When the storms of life come upon us, we can also rise above them, and ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment in our lives. The storms do not have to overcome us. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down; it is how we handle those burdens, to soar above the storm.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a Federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administers the Medicare program. It also works in partnership with the States to administer Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and health insurance portability standards. CMS is responsible for the administrative simplification standards from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and quality standards in health care facilities through its survey
and certification activity.

 

To learn more, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/about/default.asp.
 

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The most important thing I need to do before I die is ...

by Tim Larson

What is the most important thing you need to do before you die?

Why haven't you done it yet?

Many of us have aspirations and dreams of things we want to do "sometime" in the future. Too many times these aspirations remain only as dreams because they get put off due to any number of reasons that we can easily manufacture when we think about it. But time passes all too quickly and before we know it another year has passed without the fulfillment of that dream or aspiration.

Never take life for granted. It is full of surprises and can change in an instant - we never know when a terminal medical condition could suddenly strike or when an auto accident could leave us crippled or dead.

But we do have the power to decide what things we will accomplish today. Take a step forward in the fulfillment of one of your dreams!

******************************************************
Source: Winning Ways
Editor: Tim Larson
******************************************************
Copyright (c) 2004, MindXpansion
4850 N. Lake Blvd.
Carnelian Bay, CA 96140-0598

Winning Ways is a free publication, dedicated to methods for enhancing our lives by seemingly simple actions that have a profound effect on our sense of well-being. You can subscribe to it free at the web site, http://www.mindxpansion.com/winningways/
or send email to winningways-subscribe@topica.com

The Winner's Edge Coaching Tips

Part one in a series by Denis Waitley

 

As we move into the New Year, often this can be a stressful time as we close out the old year and work to create new goals and determine our direction for a new year. So for the next three weeks we'll cover, "The Three Rules For Turning Stress Into Success". So let's go ahead and cover our first rule.

1. Accept the Unchangeable - Everything that has happened in your life to this minute is unchangeable. It's history. The greatest waste of energy is in looking back at missed opportunities, lamenting past events, grudge collecting, getting even, harboring ill will, and any vengeful thinking. Success is the only acceptable form of revenge. By forgiving your trespassers, you become free to concentrate on going forward with your life and succeeding in spite of your detractors. You will live a rewarding and fulfilling life.

Your enemies, on the other hand, will forever wonder how you went on to become so successful without them and in the shadow of their doubts.

Action Idea: Write down on a sheet of paper things that happened in the past that bother you. Now crumple the paper into a ball and throw it at the computer screen. This symbolizes letting go of past misfortunes.

Until next week, work on letting go of the past, forgiving yourself and others and move forward!

DW

 

Copyright 2004 Denis Waitley International. Reproduced with permission from the Denis Waitley Weekly Ezine.

 

Denis Waitley International
2835 Exchange Blvd., Suite 200
Southlake, TX 76092
800-929-0434
International and/or Dallas/Ft Worth - 817-442-5407
or visit the website at http://www.deniswaitley.com/

 

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Free Support Group Development Tools

Free Help for anyone Starting or Running Peer Groups

The Ten Insider Tips manual is ready for release. Anyone interested in receiving a copy of the manual and tools can write to John Pistorius at jp@pabia.org or call (412) 481-0443 to receive a free CD with the support group tools created so far. This CD is free, however, while not necessary, free-will gifts are accepted and appreciated.

Cognitive Dissonance XVII

by John Pistorius
Drill Instruction-Dissonance Reduction Through Orderly Procession

“Line up in a single file.” Every child has heard these words in their school days. This simple command is a basic drill instruction. It can be used as a means to reduce dissonance also. I propose to use an orderly procession of thoughts to help you in your battle against cognitive dissonance in your life.

Whenever you are faced with learning something which contradicts what you think you already know, you are likely to resist the new learning. Therefore, if you really want to overcome dissonance, you need to take control. If you really want to be free from negatives, you can plant the desire, even when you might doubt this process. Repetition is the key to success. It is an orderly procession that produces a direct outcome. The best time to line up new thought soldiers is either upon awakening or when you are about to fall asleep.

I affirm the following: I want to be free from negative thoughts, ideas, attitudes and prejudices now and forever.

Now say it aloud. Repeat this phrase ten times when you wake. Repeat it aloud and silently throughout your day. Use it in reference to situations and say it aloud to others who might attempt to dump negatives on you.

You can say it like this with a smile: “Thank you for helping me to remember that I want to be free from negative thoughts, ideas, attitudes and prejudices now and forever.”

Sure, some of them might look at you as if you’ve flipped. But that is irrelevant. When you say the preceding phrase, you are taking your power back from those people and negatives that would otherwise zap you. And it helps you to clear the negative thought soldiers from your mind.

How it works
When used in response to certain circumstances, this phrase empowers you to stop the negatives from entering your mind. Some people will not believe you are serious. They might even pursue you in the hope that they can convince you to buy into their negative thought slinging. However, if you give them the phrase as your standard reply, they will eventually stop dumping negatives on you. Be creative. Mix in a few other words. Change the way you set it up. But remember to thank them for helping you remember that you want to be free from negative thoughts, ideas, attitudes and prejudices now and forever. Thanking them is a polite way to tell them to stop crippling your mind.

At the end of your day, repeat the phrase at least ten times just as you are about to fall asleep. Let this be the last thing to enter your mind before you fall asleep. “I affirm the following: I want to be free from negative thoughts, ideas, attitudes and prejudices now and forever.” Repeat it at least ten times aloud and silently. Read it over and over. Write it out. Use as many ways as possible to drill this thought into your mind. That way it will sink deep into your mind where it will work from within to establish your desire.

You really will want to be free of the things you state once this new thought soldier is stationed in your thought garden. Saturating your thought garden with thoughts that affirm something is like watering and fertilizing these power thoughts. In time, you can have a battalion of thought soldiers working from behind the scenes to do your bidding, with very little effort. Right now, you must line them up in order, one at a time.

Once you realize that this desire has become a reality in your heart of hearts, then you can proceed to line up another soldier. When you really want to be free from negative thoughts, ideas, attitudes and prejudices now and forever, you will know it. I mean know it, not just think it. There is a massive difference which you will experience after planting this idea deeply. It will become part of your reality. You really will desire to be free of the things you stated. In time, you will become free of them by moving toward freedom.

Realizing your Personal Power
After you successfully plant the desire to be free from the negatives, then you can move on to realizing the power that is already yours. The systematic planting of power thoughts will help you to do the following:

• reduce (prune or cut down) the importance of the incompatible beliefs and
• add (plant, water and fertilize) more agreeable beliefs that outweigh the dissonant ideas, attitudes and beliefs, and
• mutate the dissonant beliefs, ideas or information so that they are no longer inconsistent with those which you hold dear.

Next Recruit
Once you are sure that you have successfully trained your first thought soldier to reside in your thought garden, work on the next;

“I want to build a new set of hidden command files in my mind that will project me into the life that I desire.”

Now, repeat this statement over and over again each time you awake and when you are about to fall asleep. Seek support from those who agree with your convictions. At first, you might not believe anyone is ready to line up with you in this endeavor. In time, as you progress, you will find others who want the same things that you want. Especially when you boldly proclaim your desires to the people who would rob you of your power to overcome the dissonance. Other people will notice, of that you can be sure.

Once you become committed to this important view, you can begin to resist the things that confront your accepted position. It can be easier to plant the new information and fertilize it with evidence to support rooting and growth into your thought garden when you are isolated from the people who oppose such ideas.

Stimulate Your Mind
Use a different path to familiar places like work, your favorite restaurant or grocery store. Now that you have decided to reduce negative thought soldiers from your mind, you are opening your mind to new possibilities. Choose reading material, television programs and movies that are consistent with your new beliefs. Likewise, surround yourself with people that promote positive thinking patterns of love and acceptance. This is equal to organizing your thought soldiers by reinforcing them with external stimuli.

You might want to join or form a group that works on the process of orderly thought instruction planting. This can increase consistency in your cognitions. Positive feedback and sharing results can inspire and reinforce your efforts. This may be a difficult process. Nevertheless, the level of difficulty you experience can be used to reinforce your value of the experience and improve your success. Even if you only do this with one other person, you can reinforce the planting of positive thought soldiers in your garden.

This process will help you restrict the planting of the seeds of negative thoughts. The amount of resistance to change depends on the extent of pain or loss that must be suffered and the satisfaction obtained from holding onto your existing beliefs and attitudes. That is why it is so important to start by planting desire. Once you own the desire, it will work with you from within to help you accomplish its fulfillment.

Planting Desire Fuels Action
You can use this strategy to break the chains of thought that bind you and cause dissonance. You can learn to be the governor of your thoughts. The desire to change will break the fear you have of the monsters and the idea that you own them. Desire will propel you like rocket fuel in your mission to become free from their grasp and control. Understanding your ownership role will help you to get rid of the negative thought soldiers that you have stationed in your mind causing dissonance.

As I’ve previously stated, battling cognitive dissonance requires your hands-on effort. You must play an active part in the process or it will not work. You must have the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things unseen. Adding new cognitions changes the dissonant belief so it is no longer inconsistent. Once you accept this process and plant desire and begin realizing it in your life, you will automatically change your behavior to reflect the new cognition.

Sometimes you need to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in your life. To beat these circumstances you must first want to. Once you desire it, you can achieve it by believing it to be possible. Planting thought soldiers that work with you instead of against you is the first step to success in your dissonance battle.

Reinforcements
After planting the desire to be free from negatives, reinforce it with the following:

“I am starting to remove & eliminate all doubts, limiting beliefs, prejudices, and fears from my mind for now and forever.”

Notice that in this statement, you are starting. Anytime you start something, you might stumble. Think about learning to walk or learning to read. When you are starting anything, you might not experience perfection. In fact, you may never have perfection. Nevertheless, you can have excellence and completion. In this sense, every day, you can start removing and eliminating all doubts, limiting beliefs, prejudices, and fears from your mind for now and forever.

If you can accept this, you can go forward. Plant this thought soldier firmly in your thought garden by repeating it ten times or more as you awake and just before falling to sleep. Use it in response to other people’s doubts, limiting beliefs, prejudices, and fears and watch what happens. Thank them for reminding you of how you are starting to remove and eliminate doubts, limiting beliefs, prejudices, and fears from your mind for now and forever. In time, the really unenlightened people in your life will become charged as if with neon. You will recognize them as soon as they open their mouth. And you will seek to avoid them and they will seek to avoid you. This is good for your drill instruction process. Your new soldiers will line up and do exactly what they are trained to do, reduce dissonance in your mind.

In relationship to disability issues, you can start politely refuting other people’s undignified, prejudiced, discriminatory treatment of the individual who is experiencing disability. You can learn to refute discriminating, debilitating language. You can learn to overcome cultural barriers. You can help to create an enlightened focus on ability. You can learn to overcome your own preconceived opinions, attitudes and beliefs about disabilities. You will gain a sense of self to rise above circumstances beyond your control. You can aspire to new dreams. You can learn positive recovery options. You can restore hope.

Your planting of these thought soldiers will automatically improve your attitude. Of this, I am living proof.

The Success Formula
Externally, you are contending with word choices and order of usage. Internally, you are building the subjective imagery that your word choices and word order create. The way you phrase what you say really matters. Phrases help you to speak of different relationships and the relation between words in the phrase. The connections between the concepts that the words represent are also controlled by the way you phrase them. Everyone relies on the context of a phrase to interpret it. This feature of human language is probably the most important to your drill instruction process. Using phrases that convey meaning which brings results is the ultimate goal. There is no sense in planting thoughts that will not do exactly what you want to accomplish.

Once you have planted the desire and have started removing negatives, use the following statement to reinforce the process:

“I am starting to build a bank of positive and constructive thoughts, ideas, words & statements in my subconscious mind that will be the foundation of my new life.”

Take this statement apart. Analyze the parts of the phrase. Again, you are starting. Don’t beat yourself up over minor setbacks. So you forgot to read your statement today. No big deal. Make sure you have it available where you will see it throughout your day tomorrow. Read it before you close your eyes to sleep. It is most important to have it available when you are about to sleep and when you wake. Use it during the day to reinforce the line up you are creating.

Repetition is the drill instruction you will use to create order and improve consonance in your thoughts. This is the only weak link that I’ve discovered in the process, creating the willingness to do what it takes to incorporate these ideas. ‘You are what you think’ becomes reality every day of your life. If you accept this truth, you can be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Planting these ideas will bring results, but only if you plant, water and fertilize them with repetition. This is the key. Do you want a new garden? Then do what it takes to get it. Drill these ideas into your thought garden where they will work from within to do your bidding.

Once you plant these seeds of thought and water and fertilize them repetitiously, you will reap what you sow. Of this I have no doubt. For it is you that have the key to your thought garden. You are the gatekeeper. You are in control, even when you don’t believe that you are. Once you realize and accept this, you can overcome anything, even cognitive dissonance.

Next time: More Drill Instruction, Planting, Watering and Fertilizing
 

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