Journal Writing Tips

Free journal tips by Marama Warren

You can use your journal to

• clarify your thoughts and goals
• nourish your intuition and creativity
• relax and reduce stress
• express yourself freely
• help remember things
• find out what is true for you
• rehearse future behaviour
• organise and expand your time
• find creative solutions to problems
• record dreams
• tell stories
• record journeys, events and projects
• keep creative ideas and images for future use
• play!

Here are seven tips for starting and keeping a successful journal

1.   Intention

What is your intention in keeping a journal? Your journal can be whatever you want or need it to be. Make your own rules and feel free to change them from time to time. Remember you are embarking on a process not a product.

2.   Privacy

If you want your journal to be private, keep it in a box or bag and out of sight. Don’t leave it around inviting attention. If you are worried about prying eyes, write lists or draw your feelings. You can even invent your own code.

3.    Regularity

Write when you can. If you set yourself a goal of writing every day, it’s easy to feel disheartened if you don’t. Find your own rhythm or just write when you can and date each entry to give yourself a sense of progress.

4.   Play! 

Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Don’t worry about spelling and grammar. Smudges and crossings out are definitely OK! Experiment with crayons, paints, collage etc. If you’re not confident about making ‘art’ in your journal, practise on loose sheets of paper and paste in what you want to keep.

5.    Feeling stuck? 

First of all, take a few deep breaths. Write or draw with your ‘other’ (non dominant) hand. This is an excellent way to overcome blocks as it connects you to different parts of your brain. Using crayons is particularly effective.

6.   Make lists

… of things you love (or hate) to do; favourite places; the things you are grateful for; your earliest memories… Use any of all of the items on your lists as ideas for writing prompts.

 7.   Begin where you are now

Write about the present moment; the light around you; the way your body is feeling; what you had for breakfast. Once you start, you will find that your writing will lead you to where your awareness lies.

Marama Warren has been making and keeping journals for over 30 years. She runs workshops in journal making and journal keeping and is based in NSW, Australia.

 

marama@internode.on.net

Kitchen Table Wisdom – A Bag Of Gold

The following is an excerpt from a book I’m reading at the moment – Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal by Rachel Naomi Remen. It’s been around for a while (first published in 1996) but I have only just found it – and for me, it’s perfect timing – in fact, it’s a bag of gold.

My patient, a physician who has cancer, comes to his session enormously pleased with himself. Knowing my love of stories, he has found a perfect story and tells me the following parable:

Shiva and Shakti, the Divine Couple in Hinduism, are in their heavenly abode watching over the earth. They are touched by the challenges of human life, the complexity of human reactions, and the ever-present place of suffering in the human experience.

As they watch, Shakti spies a miserably poor man walking down a road. His clothes are shabby and his sandals are tied together with rope. Her heart is rung with compassion. Touched by his goodness and his struggle, Shakti turns to her divine husband and begs him to give this man some gold.

Shiva looks at the man for a long moment. “My Dearest Wife,'” he says, “I cannot do that.” Shakti is astounded. “Why, what do you mean, Husband? Your are the Lord of the Universe. Why can’t you do this simple thing?”

“I cannot give this to him because he is not yet ready to receive it,” Shiva replies. Shakti becomes angry. “Do you mean to say that you cannot drop a bag of gold in his path?”

“Surely I can,” Shiva replies, “but that is quite another thing.”

“Please, Husband,” says Shakti.

And so Shiva drops a bag of gold in the man’s path.

The man meanwhile walks along thinking to himself, “I wonder is I will ever find dinner tonight – or shall i go hungry again?” Turning a bend in the road, he sees something on the path in his way. “Aha,” he says. “Look there, a large rock. How fortunate that I have seen it. I might have torn these poor sandals of mine even further.” And carefully stepping over the bag of gold, he goes on his way.

It seems that Life drops many bags of gold in our path. Rarely do they look like what they are. I ask my patient if Life has ever dropped him a bag of gold that he has recognized and used to enrich his life. He smiles at me. “Cancer,” he says simply. “I thought you’d guess.”

On second thoughts, maybe I didn’t find this book, maybe it was dropped in my path.

the real baby book you need at 3am

Have you ever come across an item and thought ‘…gee, I wish I had that back when…’? Well, that’s exactly what I thought when I came across the real baby book you need at 3am.

Written by Sydney mother of 2, Karen Miles, the real baby book you need at 3am is one of the most thoughtful gift books I’ve come across. The book’s blurb sums things up nicely:

This book is for mums in the first year of motherhood.

When it’s late at night and you’re caring for your baby, someone needs to care for you. The perfect bedside book, keep your copy next to the night-light for support and inspiration when you need it the most. Being a mother can be tough, and we mostly do it alone. This book helps you with every mother’s concerns about:

                        * self-doubt          * overwhelm          * guilty feelings

The perfect gift for you – and every mother.

As I’ve mentioned previously I suffered from post natal depression (pnd) with each of my 3 children so the factors mentioned above – self-doubt, overwhelm and guilty feelings – were constant companions. I can imagine that if I had this book ‘back then’ it would be so dogged eared by now that I would have needed multiple copies. But having said that I don’t want to indicate that this book is only for mums with pnd. This book is for all mums – and not only first-time mums either. There is truth in the saying that you forget how hard being a mum is and even if you’ve had a baby before you’ll still find solace and comfort in  Karen’s book even if this is bub number 2, 3, 4 etc.

Here are a couple of extracts from the book:

it’s hard to think clearly when you’re sleep deprived. Don’t be hard on yourself. It’s a tough gig and you’re doing the best you can

When it gets too hard, phone someone. Don’t go it alone. There are people who care about you just a phone call away who can give you the perspective you need right now and the encouragement to get you through.

What I particularly like about the book is that it’s not exactly a self-help book – it’s a gift book with a gentle, encouraging feel. It presents small snippets of advice – not long drawn-out sections of text that when you’re sleep deprived are way too overwhelming to even contemplate.

So, if you need a thoughtful gift for a new mum then visit http://www.pamperboxes.com.au/index.php/inspirational-gifts to order your copy.

 

 

How Passion is Helping One Woman To Help Others

 

A little over a year ago I was a patient in a hospital. There I was sitting in a room with half a dozen other patients listening intently to a psychologist who we all dearly hoped would set each us on our own very personal road to recovery. As the session was winding up the psychologist happened to mention that she had an article about finding your passion in life. The reaction from the group was unanimous – could she read the article to us, could we each have a photocopy of the article, did she have any other similar articles she could share with us?

There was a sense of urgency in the room. It was as if we were all feeling within arm’s reach of ‘the answer’ to our problems. If we could just find our passion then there would be hope and a way forward.

I have always bemoaned the ‘fact’ that I didn’t have any grand passions in my life. I envied those who did seem to have such a passion. It was as if their life would be so much easier because they instinctively knew their path – they just had to follow their passion.

One person who is following her passion is Maureen Hunter. If you’ve read the previous posts you would have come across Maureen before. Maureen lost her dearly loved son in 2006. While she could easily have let such a great loss destroy her Maureen has instead chosen to use her own experiences to help others. She is following her passion – a passion to help others journey through grief.

Maureen has just written an ebook – Opening the Door to Hope: 6 key strategies for dealing with grief. The book is free and available from Maureen’s website – www.esdeer.com.au. I strongly recommend it. It is written from experience. It is written with love. It is written with passion.

Introducing Andrew Peace Wines

Just in time for Christmas gift buying and following on from the addition of Margun’s fantastic new romantic recipe gift book, Love Menu, PamperBoxes now offers a select range of Andrew Peace Wines. For those who are unaware, Margun teamed each of her romantic recipes with a suitable wine from the Andrew Peace collection.

Over time it is anticipated that the range on offer will be expanded but as a starting point we have made available a red, a white and a champagne.

 

The 2009 Andrew Peace Masterpeace Shiraz is full bodied, very smooth and brimming with juicy black and red berry fruit flavours with a hint of warm spice and vanilla.

 

For the ‘white’ we have chosen the 2008 Masterpeace Chardonnay. It is described as a great white! Crisp, elegant and bristling with tropical fruit flavours with subtle oak, the perfect Chardonnay.

 

And for the bubbly option we have the 2010 Andrew Peace Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot. This one is a very well made sparkler showing toasted yeasty notes and a creamy texture. A classic dry, fully matured, elegant sparkling wine with distinctive characters and a gentle, flowery bouquet.

So, for anyone looking for a special Christmas gift why not customise a PamperBox – maybe some champagne together with gourmet chilli macadamias and a few luxurious pamper items. That’s just a suggestion of course – the options are endless…

Love Menu – 45 Romantic Recipes

Love Menu is a new kind of gift – a cross between a recipe book and a gift book. It’s a great concept and after meeting with the book’s creator, Margun Carless, I’m pleased to be able to tell you more about the book and the story behind its conception.

First of all, the book contains 45 romantic recipes all professionally prepared and spectacularly photographed by Margun herself. Yes, she is one talented lady!

Here’s a bit of the book’s foreword:

Cooking with romantic ingredients such as champagne, flowers and rosewater to create a unique dining experience where love is on the menu for entrée, main and dessert.

And what’s even more romantic, all dishes have been paired up with a specific wine from Andrew Peace Wines.

In Margun’s own words, here’s the story behind the book:

In late January 2009, our family took a little trip to the beach. With the husband in the surf with his new board, I was on the beach, 8 months pregnant with three kids in tow.

My husband had started to drift to the right. This was not a problem initially, as he had gone out to the far left of us to avoid the rocks, and seemed to be slowly drifting back.

But I started to worry by the time he had drifted to in front of us, and he didn’t seem to be aware of what was going on. I was torn between jumping up and yelling out to him, and letting him enjoy himself as he was having a lot of fun and wasn’t in any danger.

He continued to drift and by the time I decided to get up and say something, he was swept about 10 metres to the right instantly and was out in deeper water and on the rocks not long after. The waves pounded him in succession and forced him under over and over again. I ran out to him, and fell over, then waded about waist deep into the water, calling out to him.  Then suddenly he just didn’t resurface. I thought I had just seen him drown.

After a short period, which seemed like forever, he managed to come up for air and climb onto a rock, with the waves pounding over that. He was not going to be able to stay on that rock for long, as with the waves so big he would soon be washed off.

Lucky for us there had been a couple wading with their child next to us who noticed what was going on. The man went out to help my husband, while his partner convinced me to get out of the water and come back to the beach. He brought my husband back to me, then simply packed up his family and wandered off.

For the following two months I didn’t stop crying, and then of course the baby was due.

With a lack of sleep that followed I became quite depressed, and found I needed to make some changes in my life.

I had always loved cooking and the benefit here for me was that was something that I could control. I had always said that I showed my love for my husband through my cooking, but felt that
I needed to do more, or take it a step further to show him just how much I loved him.

The cooking became such an intense cathartic release of love, that the book was born.

 

Now, to get your mouth watering here’s a list of the recipes you’ll find in Love Menu:

Entree:Roasted champagne oysters 8Rosette of fish 14Love all the thyme in Vienna with roasted garlic & fetta 20Fettish salad 30Sweet pepper lamb tart 36Zucchini cakes & flower salad 42Hommus sweet hommus 52Soup of pomme d’amour 58 Crouton heart with poached egg 64 Zucchini flowers with bacon & fetta 74 Lovers’ heart terrine 80 Avocado & a Roma Tomato 86 Lamb rosettes with date paste 98 Cupid’s arrow of sugar and spice beef 104 Rings of Butterfly pork 110

Main:Parcel of chicken & champagne 10Quail in a bed of roses 16In love with fish & chips 22Hearty chicken with potato rose 32Bow-tie pasta with amoroso tomato 38Duck a la rose 44Hearty pie 54Moussaka with pomme d’amour 60 Beef cutlet with red rose & wine jus 66 Chilli lovers’ chicken 76 Honeyglazed spatchcock 82 Heart & soul cakes 88 Date with Moroccan lamb 100 Lamb shank in cannelloni 106 Lamb married with sweet pepper 112

Dessert:Champagne & flowers sorbet 12Poached pears in champagne 18Golden syrup love dumplings 24Fruit of passion meringue 34Melted heart chocolate pudding 40Champagne & white chocolate mousse 46Sweetie pie 56Lovers’ chocolate fondue for two 62Chantilly kisses for a king 68 Sweet heart cheese cake 78 French kissed raspberries 84 Tia Maria & dark chocolate icecream 90 Date pudding 102 Red velvet cake 108 White wedding cake 114

Love Menu is a book for romantics. It also makes a great and unique gift idea for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

RRP $34.95

Love Menu is hot off the presses (to be launched on October 1^st 2010) and is now available for purchase from the PamperBoxes website: http://www.pamperboxes.com.au/index.php/love-menu-recipe-gift-book

Love Menu – romantic by name, romantic by nature.

The Amazing Healing Power of Nature – Rainbow Farm Photogaphy

Coralie Plozza is a talented photographer (and lovely woman) from Western Australia who successfully harnesses the amazing healing power of nature through her stunning photography. She has graciously agreed to showcase some of her work together with her own thoughts, insights and ideas surrounding the images she has captured so skillfully. It’s over to you, Coralie…

We have all felt like nothing will stop the endless rain and dark and stormy skies rolling in to what is our life.  Whether it be from illness or just that overwhelming feeling that chokes you in the middle of the night.

How can we escape the weather?  That feeling of pressure ? 

Nature in all its glory gives us everything we need to live – to sustain our lives we just have to reach out and grab it with both hands.

When was the last time you slowed down and looked out at the day and your surroundings?  

When was the last time you noticed that amongst the concrete jungle there is some green and colour.

When you slow down and notice nature you will find its healing power will uplift you without you even thinking about it.  

Those grey clouds that were above and around you now show the slight glimpse of a rainbow appearing.  

Taking in the joy of nature, breathing it in deeply can refresh the brain cells and let the sun shine through the clouds.

Bringing nature into your life in any way you can will help your well being.

The above image is actually helping to heal the sick who can’t make it out into nature through a program by the Foundation for Photo/Art in hospitals: 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Foundation-for-PhotoArt-in-Hospitals/139862948933?ref=ts 

This image is hanging in a Croatian spinal rehabilition centre giving joy and healing power with its rays.

If you are unable to reach nature because you are stuck in the office all day and then in the house for the night hours try putting a poster on your wall, or getting a book on landscapes or a travel book and dream yourself away to a beautiful place where you can sit on a beach and watch the sunset. 

Just thinking and letting yourself drift away in the beauty of an image can relieve the stresses of the day. I am blessed living in the country with the best of many worlds. Busselton in Western Australia has beautiful beaches and amazing farm land as well as the best town with all that you could need including parks and the colours of nature everywhere.

On the next trip you take, don’t go into auto pilot in the car. Look up at the sky and see the clouds and the blue sky. Look around at your surroundings. Use your time wisely to refresh your batteries as you drive.  How many creatures of nature can you see on your trip? The world is full of nature. We would not survive without it.  Enjoy it, celebrate it and share it.  

Give the gift of the healing power of nature today. Share your experiences and uplift someone that isn’t feeling so good. Send a beautiful card with a sunrise on it.

Have you really listened when you wake in the morning?  Are there birds calling and alerting you to the sunrise?

Even the annoying bark of a dog can bring healing power if you have the right mindset!  Just sit and listen to the noise. Imagine if it is a big dog or a small dog. Have some fun and imagine the pip squeak bark of a small dog coming from a huge great dane as it bounces around its back yard. 

If you are thinking ‘… there is no way I can do that, I can’t imagine nature. I have to see it and experience it. Anyway there is no time for it.’

Then take my nature. I will share it with you. Just visit my facebook page Rainbow Farm Photography  http://www.facebook.com/RainbowFarmPhotography where I share the sunrise every morning. Let me bring the healing power of nature into your world. Enjoy it, breathe it in and most of all be healed and uplifted by it.

Post Natal Depression – My Top Five Tips for Sufferers

Having suffered from post natal depression (PND) with each of my three children I feel as though I have some worthwhile experiences to draw upon which might help others currently facing this illness – gee, there has to be something positive to come from it all!!

So I’ve put together a list of personal tips for sufferers of PND. Please bear in mind though that these tips are based on my own personal experience and I’m not a medical expert – so, if you or someone you know is struggling with post natal depression – please seek expert assistance – there is excellent help available. Which leads me straight into Tip Number 1.

1.    Ask for help

If you’re like me you don’t like to ask for help. I know I have an unrealistic expectation of myself – that I should be able to cope with anything and everything. But, you know, we’re all human and as such we all have times in our lives when we simply can’t cope alone with what life has thrown our way. Now please notice I did say we can’t cope alone – we can cope though – we just need to put our hand up and tell someone that we need a bit of assistance. Which leads me onto the next step.

2.   Accept help

From partners, parents, siblings, friends, neighbours, doctors, psychologists, baby health practitioners, telephone counselling services etc etc etc. People do want to help others who are struggling or suffering – it’s part of what makes us human. And when you take a minute to think about it logically (and not through the emotional haze of PND) when you’re well yourself you like to help people – don’t you? So right now is your time to accept the help that others offer you.

 3.   Accept that PND is an illness

For some people (like me) this one can be a toughie! Psychological illness still has stigma attached to it – I know others might disagree but from both personal and professional experience I know this to be true. Part of the stigma relates to the (totally inaccurate) viewpoint that PND sufferers are just feeling sorry for themselves and that they should ‘pull up their socks’ and just get on with things. Don’t for a minute accept this viewpoint. PND is an illness just like diabetes is an illness. You have not brought this on yourself.  So say goodbye to any guilt and concentrate instead on the things that will, in the long run, help you to get better. Which brings me to the next tip.

4.   Be kind to yourself

My first bout of PND occurred over 18 years ago but I still remember being told at the time by a baby health social worker to be kind to myself. That was a strange concept to me back then – I remember thinking, ‘Why be kind to myself when I have failed so miserably as a mother?’  And of course that kind of thinking (generated and perpetuated by the PND) was a big part of the problem. But the concept did stay with me and gradually I accepted the wisdom behind that simple statement. I started to ‘give myself a break’ in terms of accepting all of the above tips – knowing that asking for help is o.k., accepting help and accepting PND as an illness. It was a massive turning point for me and can be for you too!

5.   Be patient – you will recover

Another hard one but also true. If you take one day at a time (or even an hour at a time) and nurture yourself you will gradually start to see some light in your life again. Of course when you’re in the pit of depression it’s hard to believe that. But do try and notice even a temporary shift in your emotions – and that’s all it will be initially – you might notice yourself smiling (a strange sensation after months of depression) or you might look at your baby and finally feel a little glimmer of the overwhelming sense of love you expected you would always and automatically feel as a mother. Grab and hold onto those fleeting emotions as your lifeline – trust me, there will be more and more of them in the future.

Finally, I want to leave you with a link to a great resource for women with post natal depression, their partners, friends and family – http://www.panda.org.au/

Photo Source: Goh Siok hian | Dreamstime.com

Maureen Hunter’s Personal Journey with Grief

Maureen Hunter, from Dunsborough, Western Australia, has endured every parent’s worst nightmare – the death of a child. This week she bravely and honestly shares with us her devastating yet inspiring personal journey. 

 

Maureen, can you tell us briefly about the circumstances surrounding the loss of your son?

Nearly 4 years ago when I was in my late 40s, the police knocked at my door in the middle of the night to tell me my youngest son, who was 18 at the time, had been critically injured in a car accident. Five days later we made the decision to turn off his life support. It was the most devastating experience of my life.

Could you tell us how this huge loss has affected your life?

My son’s death affected my life totally. In the early days following his death, I couldn’t drive, I couldn’t work, I couldn’t cook a meal, I couldn’t go shopping, I couldn’t concentrate on anything, I couldn’t face the world. I was in total and utter shock and tears just fell all the time, I was totally bereft. At the time I was living on my own which was extremely difficult in many ways, but my family were wonderful and I was blessed with a couple of special friends who were able to be there for me, and didn’t run away from my raw emotion and pain. Slowly, slowly I managed to face the world again, and returned to work part time. But everything had changed for me, life would never be the same, could never be the same again.

I decided I needed to get away, all I wanted to do was just rest I was so so tired. Coping with everyday life and the shallowness that often went with it was too exhausting, I needed time to think, to heal. At that time I was living in Albany in Western Australia and wanted a bit of winter warmth. I bought a secondhand Toyota Coaster bus and with my faithful dog Jessie, off we went ‘up north’ to the sun. My family and friends were horrified and very worried but it was the best thing I ever did. My bus was totally self contained (solar power, water tanks etc) and so I was able to stay in the most fantastic beachside spots for many weeks at a time. I felt totally safe. During those solitary periods I slept and slept, I walked, I swam, I cried. I began a journey of soul searching. Why did this happen? Where was my son now? Where to from here? Was I still the same person? What was death? What is life?  After 3 months on my own I returned home, changed forever. I now had clarity, I knew what I wanted in life and I had some changes to make.

I resigned from my job

I sold my house

I moved closer to my daughter and grandaughter in Perth

I began establishing an online sympathy gifts business

I joined and volunteered for The Compassionate Friends (a support group for bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents)

I found ways to connect with my son

I made a new life for myself and found love again

How would you describe your current mental attitude toward losing Stuart?

Probably about 3 months after Stuart’s death I made a conscious decision, that his death and the subsequent pain was not the only thing that would define my life. I would cope with this, I would get on with life, and I wouldn’t curl up and die myself. I didn’t want to become a victim of circumstance; I wanted to use my experience to somehow help others. In that way his death would not have been for nothing.

I do feel much more acceptance now about his death but then I have moments where I don’t accept at all. Grieving is a journey and unfortunately there is no way around it, you must go through it and feel the gamut of emotions that comes with it if you are to adjust and reintegrate with life. I believe you never ‘get over it’, I will never get over Stuart’s death but I have learnt to adapt to it. As time goes on, the intensity of grief changes and mellows but the pain is always in my heart for my boy.

I find now I have to look after myself but especially my mental health.  Some years before Stuart’s accident I was diagnosed with clinical depression. My treatment is successful, but I know my emotional health is my vulnerability. I start to sense when I am on shaky ground and my emotional health wobbles, my resilience is not what it used to be. Not many are aware of this, but I am. I have learned that I am important and I pace my life accordingly.

Could you say there are there any positives that have resulted from the loss of your son?

There are so many positives that have happened to me as a result of my son’s death, some of them mentioned already.  I was catapulted out of my existing life and the inertia that went with it into a new one. I just wish I didn’t have to lose him to discover what I have.

My values have changed. I am a much more compassionate and altruistic person now as a result. I want to help others.

I don’t worry about the little things, what does it matter if you get plastic cheese on your burger instead of real cheese…Ok its not what you wanted, but its not the end of the world. Death is. My mind has been liberated to a large degree from the minutiae of life that affects a large percentage of the population.

I know that life can be whisked away in a second, and take every opportunity to tell my loved ones how much they matter to me, there might not be a tomorrow

I look after myself more; no one will take care of me, only I can do that

I appreciate what I have in life, the big things and the little things. I am grateful for all I have. Yes I have lost more than a lot of people but I have so much more.

I am a more complete person and have accomplished greatness.  I have endured great loss, I am still here, I have survived.

Do you have any advice you can offer others who may be facing a similar situation ?

My advice to anyone who has lost a loved one is to express and feel your emotions.  As much as it hurts, suppressing how you feel is like putting a lid on a pressure cooker and turning off the steam valve, eventually it will blow.

Support is really important, you may not have any idea of what you need, but just accepting help is a beginning. Also joining a grief support group can be of tremendous value, either online or in person. Someone who has been through what you have is more likely to understand in many ways that others cannot.

The experience of grief and loss is extremely personal and different for everyone. So, do what feels right for you. There can be so much pressure from others, who often mean very well, for you to behave in a certain way, to do this or do that. Listen to your heart, and do what feels right for you at that time, even if it goes against family wishes or convention. Take your time, you will get through this. You are so much stronger than you think.

 Maureen’s sympathy gift website is http://www.esdeer.com.au

Susan Seipel’s Inspiring Journey

This week I’d like to bring you another interview in a series which focuses on people who have been faced with pretty big challenges in their lives. Susan Seipel is a 24 year old from Brisbane, Queensland and I think you’ll agree after reading a little about her life and her take on life that she is an inspiring young woman.

Susan, can you please tell us about your disability.

I was born with Arthrogryposis, a rare disorder characterised by fusion of joints and absent muscle formation in my legs. I had my first operation when I was 4 weeks old, and was admitted to hospital 13 times during the first 15 years of my life.

How your disability has affected your life?

 It affects my mobility so I spend most of my time in a wheelchair, or using crutches and splints to walk. I have always managed to overcome the obstacles I have faced due to my limited mobility. I just have found ways to adapt or do things differently. I have been helped along the way from my wonderful friends and family, who are always so supportive and whom are the most important people in my life.

I attended regular schools which were supportive but didn’t give me any special treatment. I had the help of disabilities services throughout my time at university. And I studied mostly externally, and only had to attend the campus every few months for lectures or exams. I had no problems studying from my home as I am a very self-motivated person.   

Can you describe your current mental attitude toward your disability?  

I don’t even see myself as having a disability. I’m just who I am, and the people in my life don’t see my disability either or treat me differently because of it. On the most part public perceptions of people with disabilities have changed for the better over the past few years. But there is still a long way to go!

I’m lucky to be living in the city, as I have access to more services if I need them, but in country areas and certainly other countries there is stigma regarding the worth of people with disabilities. I believe every person has something rare and powerful to offer, and that difference is valid and important to society.

What would you say are the positives that have resulted from your disability? 

I think the biggest positive in my life has come from my involvement in sport – something that I may never have been involved in if I didn’t have a disability. I started riding at The McIntyre Pony Riding for the Disabled Centre for the therapeutic benefits of horse riding when I was seven years old.  

Seventeen years later I have been picked on National Squads, travelled around Australia competing and represented Australia overseas at international competitions. I believe that sport for people with disabilities has helped change public perceptions, and is beginning to produce a particular culture that not only provides inspiration for all people, it is proof that determination to overcome adversity, and achieve beyond medical diagnosis is truly amazing and inspiring!

Do you have any tips or advice you can offer others who may be facing similar challenges due to disability?

It is easy to get down on yourself, whether you have a disability or not. We all have bad days. Focus on what you can do, your abilities, and what you like doing. And don’t let other people’s perceptions damage your own self worth. Be happy in yourself, and work towards being your own ‘best friend’. It is okay to be different. In fact, the human ability to adapt to change is our greatest asset and is what makes us human.

SUSAN’S ACHIEVEMENTS 

Susan is selected to represent Australia in the Para Dressage individual competition at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA this year. She has been riding for 17 years and competing in open dressage for 12 years. She learnt to ride at The McIntyre Pony Riding for the Disabled Centre and is now a proud ambassador for the Centre, which promotes the emotional and physical benefits of horse riding for adults and children with disabilities.

Susan won the RDA National Dressage Championships in 2006 on her talented paint gelding Morab, that she trained herself, “Menora Wildfire”, and in 2008 on a borrowed Andalusian gelding named “Mellizo”. They also achieved the highest score of the competition with 73.73%. In 2006 Susan was selected to represent Australia at the Pacific Rim Para-Equestrian Dressage International Competition, held at Milner Downs Equestrian Centre in Langley, Canada. Riding a borrowed horse named “Conclusive Talent,” they won a bronze medal.

Susan has a diploma in Applied Science, and is currently studying Sports Nutrition. When she is not riding she enjoys keeping active with other sports, and has competed at state level in adaptive rowing, swimming, and wheelchair tennis.  

To keep a track of Susan’s continuing journey visit her website at www.susanseipel.com