The key to life is to keep moving and striving regardless of whether you’ve succeeded or failed – that’s what I’ve realized.
It’s 8: 48 AM on day 2312 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray and read Psalm 40:3 (today i’m going to start working on small campaigns for two South African organizations [i’m going to go about it semi-quietly because it will be hard for people outside of South Africa to participate]).
This morning I realized that the key to life is to keep moving and striving regardless of whether you’ve succeeded or failed (if you feel like you’ve succeeded it’s your responsibility to build on that success and if you feel like you’ve failed try, try and try again until you succeed… no matter what just keep moving).
Striving to outdo yourself brings with it a lot of pressure but it’s better than not striving all ― that’s what mornings after my campaigns have taught me.
It’s 9: 45 AM on day 2311 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray and read Psalm 100: 1 ( maybe i’m going to take a break today and start working on my 2017 goals tomorrow).
This morning like all the other mornings after a campaign I feel a little lost even though I have big goals for the year a tiny part of me (that I’m trying to surpass) is always afraid that whatever I do next won’t be as big as all the things I did previously although I guess there’s no rule that I have to do outdo myself it’s just what I always strive to do.
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” – Seneca
It’s 10: 45 AM on day 2310 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, read Proverbs 16 : 9 and end my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday aunty and uncle donated $62 and Samantha And Kev donated $250 which helped end the campaign on a high note with $10 317.04 [enough for 41 smiles] (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign ).
With the platforms we have come trust and responsibility ― that’s what I have realized
It’s 11: 03 AM on day 2309 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, spend time with family, read Isaiah 2:22 and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign –raised $10 005.04 only $2 494.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ) (my family members gave me $61 in cash for the campaign i’ll donate it on their behalf as soon as my dad returns from work this afternoon).
This morning I realized that with the platforms we have come trust and responsibility (people just hand me their money [for me to donate in their behalf to my campaigns] it scares me to death how much people trust me I know I would never misuse any money people give me for charitable purposes I value my character too much to do that but still sometimes I wish people didn’t trust me so blindly it’s so much pressure for someone my age).
“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” ― Mark Twain
It’s 1: 02 PM on day 2307 of my journey towards independence and I managed to -pray, read Matthew 2: 11-12 and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday Jacqui Cooks donated $15 and today Stacey Chassoulas donated $25 (thanks guys 🙂 ) which brings the total raised to $10.005.04 only $2 494.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).
Today I was thinking about all the books I want to read this year and as per usual I made a list (I love lists). Take a look:
2017 Reading List
Smartcuts by Shane Snow (I started reading it but got distracted by life and the book I’m currently reading The Book of Joy by 14th Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams)
“I am a rare species, not a stereotype.” ― Ivan E. Coyote
It’s 11 : 28 AM on day 2306 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday my family donated $300 which brings the total raised to $9 965.04 only $2 534.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).
Yesterday my family found my Grade 2 report and I discovered that I, in fact, have Cerebral Palsy Quadriplegia with spasticity in all four limbs I had always thought I had Cerebral Palsy Paraplegia it’s not a big deal I know they’re just words it’s just I always had an image of what quadriplegics were and I don’t match that image (maybe my parent did me a huge favour by not putting too much emphasis on my labels if I had known the extent of my physical limitations I probably wouldn’t have tried half the things I’ve tried).
I’m unstoppable
I’m a Porsche with no brakes
I’m invincible
Yeah, I win every single game
I’m so powerful
I don’t need batteries to play
I’m so confident, yeah, I’m unstoppable today
Unstoppable today, unstoppable today
Unstoppable today, I’m unstoppable today
It’s 10 : 20 AM on day 2305 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, watch Child Genius – the kids in that show are so smart they make me feel stupid LOL 🙂 – read Lamentations 3:22-23, have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday a $10 donation was made which brings the total raised to $9 665.04 only $2 834.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).
A few days ago I heard “Unstoppable” by Sia it’s such a great song – the new theme song of my life. Listen to “Unstoppable” by Sia below:
Learn to live in a vain world without feeling the need to change yourself – that’s my message to the world.
It’s 11: 04 AM on day 2304 of my journey towards independence and I managed to -pray, read Colossians 3:9-10 and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – Ashwell Gleason donated $5 (thanks Aswell 🙂 ) which brings the total raised to $9 655.04 only $2 844.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).
Recently I went to an event and this lovely woman approaches us (me and my family) looks at me and asks my mom what’s wrong with her face (I have a few moles and blackheads) I was shocked by the bluntness of the question but I won’t suddenly start wearing make-up to look flawless because some people have a problem with the way I actually look I’m human and imperfect I refuse to put a mask on for the world I’d rather have a flawless heart, a flawless spirit and a flawless soul than a flawless face. Take me or leave me but world I refuse to let you change me.
Heroism is also in the small acts – that’s what I’d like the world to know.
It’s 9: 50 AM on day 2302 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Isaiah 65: 17 and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign –raised $9 625.04 only $2 875.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).
This morning I realized heroism is also in the small acts it’s letting someone else have the last piece of cake, it’s giving someone right of way in traffic, it’s letting someone go ahead of you in line at the grocery store… it’s putting other people’s needs and wants before your own.
“Your goals are the road maps that guide you and show you what is possible for your life.” – Les Brown
It’s 12: 05 PM on day 2301 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Revelation 21:5 and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign –raised $9 625.04 only $2 875.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).
Today is the first day of the year and as per usual I’ve written down my 2017 Goals which I am sharing because I know that once I tell people I plan to do something I generally follow through. Take a look:
2017 Goals
Continue to be kind, honest and generous [i’m trying]
Raise at least $250 more for my 25 Smiles Campaign before it ends 9 days from today (January 10, 2017) [final total raised $10 317.04]
Publish my book Defying the odds: Where there’s a wheel, there’s a way [editing is almost done]
Keep in touch with my aunties, uncles and grandmother [I did this month (June) – spoke to my gran]
Call at least one person a month just to hi or thank you [I did this month (June) – called two people
Read 10 + books [read 4 book so far]
Donate to or raise money for Miss Earth South Africa – it’s a leadership programme that empowers young South African women to combat climate change (they put in food gardens in schools and communities, organize beach clean-ups, do talks in schools and collect stationary for school kids….. truly phenomenal work)
Donate to or raise money for Jumping Kids – a South African NPO that provides prosthetics to disadvantaged kids across the country
Donate to or raise money for the Sunshine Children’s Home – a children’s home in my town doing phenomenal work (I went there last year and I was so touched to see how well taken care of the kids were – the adults there are family to those kids they do everything possible to make sure the kids have everything they need)
Donate to the Panda Crew – the Panda Crew are basically a group of friends who go around doing good in their spare time (love my Panda brothers they are everything that’s good and right about our world)
Go paragliding in Cape Town (people are going to think I’m crazy but I’ve ziplined (if I can get my parents, my physiotherapist and a paragliding company to go along with it) I know I can paraglide (in tandem with a skilled pilot)) (NOBODY can tell me I can’t do something I KNOW I can do I BELIEVE in my own unlimited human potential) [Update : We made the booking to go paragliding on April 8, 2017 -health and weather permitting on the day I will paraglIde with Fly Cape Town Paragliding on April 8, 2017]