Surround Yourself With the Right People

Having the right people around you in life is so vital. Especially in a world where so much is said online, and people can hide behind computers to share opinions.

It’s important to be versatile when it comes to hearing out new opinions from new people and carrying an open mind. But equally important is having your crew of close friends, those who are there for you in your everyday life; people who surround you to encourage and uplift you.

There’s nothing like having those core people who are solid. You know they are in your corner and cheer you on, every step of the way.

Find others who support you

Here’s the thing, and this may be a hard truth. Sometimes we feel like we have to be a friend to everyone, but we don’t. We just have to be kind to everyone.

The bottom line is this: find yourself surrounded by people who thoroughly want to see you do well.

Not only that, but it is possible to surround yourself closely with people of different mindsets. You may be closest to someone who thinks one way or another, and your other best friend might be on the complete opposite side of the spectrum.

Regardless of preference, a meaningful relationship, no matter how it looks (friend, parent, co-worker, significant other), always digs deeper than on-the-surface attributes such as political preference.

Understanding others in the SMA community

That is what is so beautiful about the SMA community. Despite our many differences, experiences, and abilities, we all have a core understanding of one another because of our compassion. The SMA community is a beautiful group of people who can be this support system for you.

We have an underlying understanding of what it means to be diagnosed with SMA or live life with a disability. Each of us is trying to live life to the fullest, and these friends can push you to do just that.

How do I know what to look for?

Choosing the people you let become you at your core are the people who will influence you the most. They inadvertently challenge you to become the best person you can be.

They will be happy when you win and will be there to help pick you back up when you fail. They will not be jealous of your good qualities, but champion and help foster them. They will see your negative attributes, and stick around because they love you in spite of them.

Some of the greatest friends I have ever made never made a friendship because of my disability but they also never ignored it. My disability is a beautiful part of me and a friend should think the same.

I’ve had to walk friends through understanding the depths of my disability but a true friend stuck around through it all asked questions but never made me feel like it was too much.

The key takeaway from this is that we cannot underscore the importance of having true, meaningful relationships. Especially in the day of social media, realness feels like a rarity. But once you find it, hold onto it!