I have had the privilege of being interviewed by four different newspapers and I found some thing that they all have in common… They all ask me the same question, “what was the reason you started the motivational speaking?”

 The answer is quite simple actually…  It’s all about the domino effect you see, inspiration, motivation then action.

I know what you are thinking, “um, could she be anymore vague?  Is she sure she got those interviews?”

Firstly, no and secondly, yes…

Ok now I’m just playing with you, I’ll explain.

The reason I say no to the first question was just to test your patience. Like the total professional writer I am, I’m using my writing techniques to emphasize the symbolism of patience.  How poetical, I know.  All I’m saying is that the domino effect needs patience. It begins at the inspirational part, sharing my story and experiences.  Next in line comes the motivation, using my story to motivate the listeners that the possibilities of life’s choices are endless.  Lastly, action, this is in the hands of the audience members mostly.  Of course, I can help in this third aspect, but the audience members need to take action in their own lives with their own situation and make something of it the best way they can.  Therefore, I say this domino effect takes a while to come into full effect but the more people who are involved in the effect the better.  People can help each other to the final stage of the effect if they realized how similar their circumstances are.

I have generally the same answers for each reporter when it comes to this question. I always reply with an answer along the lines of, ‘I have a dream and goal of bringing my story to the centre stage for people to learn from.  I would hate for people in similar situations to experience what I did growing up.  Going from completely able bodied to disabled, I could see the differences of how you are approached by other people.’

I figured that society expects you to be less capable than the average person, but I’d love to be the one to point out the HUGE lie that is being said in this respect.  This is one of the messages I want to spread with my motivational talks.

I realised that people were uneducated on my disability yet alone other disabilities. If people are taught from a young age about disabilities, there would not be this uncertainty around disabilities. It would not be a taboo subject that is so uncomfortable to talk and learn about if we grow up with the subject.

It brings me such happiness to have the opportunity to go to all kind of events and present my story to all sorts of age groups and have the confidence to do so.  Many people become too familiar to the stigma that surrounds disabilities that they are afraid to share their story with people. Therefore, by allowing myself to dig to the most venerable parts of my past after becoming disabled, I want my story to be put out there to give a voice to all the members l in the disabled community that can’t speak up for themselves.

It hasn’t been a long journey as up to now, but it has felt like I have been doing motivational speaking for AGES. I have met amazing people who allowed me to share my story with or even shared their own story with me.  I have opened so many people’s eyes and mindsets.  I have learned so much and it will be a great pleasure to be able to continue sharing my story and teaching, inspiring and motivating people so that they can accept who they are and take themselves to the highest level of success. Not all of us can see our full potential first.  Excuse the pun…. But hopefully with a little nudge in the right direction we can help each other get to the point where we can take action and reach our goals we set for ourselves no matter what obstacles get in our way. As a blind person, I can confidently say that these obstacles can pop out of nowhere, be it metaphorically or literal.

P.S. you gonna have to get used to my blind jokes, I really can’t help myself.

“My Ability Is Stronger Than My Disability” – Niki Rowe