Steering to safety

Positivity is key!

As a member of the Limbs 4 Life peer support program http://www.limbs4life.org.au I see people on a regular basis who are faced with extreme life situations/events. An area of extreme importance I focus on during these visits is POSITIVITY!!!

It's not always easy to remain positive during extreme hardship, however, I recently met a young man who's life had changed forever. It was clear he had a long, hard road ahead of him but what struck me about him was his attitude. He was extremely positive....and it was unwavering...

He spoke about the future and about what he wanted to achieve. He spoke about his hunger to fight back and also about the importance of staying strong for his family.

He was focused on what he had the power to control, rather than what he could not. He had specific goals, small goals as well as larger goals, that he was working towards.

I remember walking out of the hospital feeling inspired, feeling upbeat! What an amazing attitude he possessed and it was wonderful to witness that level of positivity!

It reinforced to me that 'positivity is key' in overcoming the various challenges life throws at us, as well as the importance of mental focus and forward thinking!

                                Mike Rolls - Enabling through perspective
                                                Speaker - Survivor

1 in 100,000

Navigating through a crisis

Recent statistics on meningococcal in Australia suggest that there is around a 1 in a 100,000 chance of contracting the disease each year, and of that number only around 12% of sufferers will become seriously ill or die. So I was one of the very few people that fell into that 12% bracket and somehow, miraculously survived!

Often people ask me if i feel unlucky, angry, bitter, unfortunate... about getting sick and the answer is, and always will be "no"

I have a different take on it. Being faced with the prospect of living life as a double amputee is most certainly a nightmare! But rather than ask "why me" I asked "why not me?" Those statistics suggest that people do contract the disease, albeit a minute number of people... I just happened to be one of them.

Initially the magnitude of my situation was a lot to take in, it took time to fathom exactly what had happened. Right from the very early stages I tried to focus on any positives - I was alive! I have an amazing family! I was strong enough to overcome this! I still had my hands! I wanted to live! Anything that would keep me focused, and keep my mind in a positive space.

I learnt very early on that dwelling or focusing on the negatives will derail our productivity and seriously inhibit our ability to overcome life's hurdles.

Keys I used to overcome adversity:

* Assess the situation in it's entirety - Know your situation intimately and any issues you may face, it will prevent any unwanted surprises down the line, be aware!

* Focus on the positives - Find something to focus on that gives you hope and drive. In my case, getting back on the golf course was just one focus I had - I read about amputee golf, prosthetics and the latest technologies and set a date for my first game!

* Work hard - Now that you know where you need to be, you're not going to get there by standing still. Work hard to reach your goals, it's the only way!

It's inevitable that we will all face some form of crisis in our lives, it's a part of life. I hope these keys help!

                           Mike Rolls - Enabling through perspective
                                            Speaker - Survivor

Start the day the RIGHT way!

5 ways to start each day on a positive note!

Sometimes I battle to get moving each morning, but I have 

discovered that these 5 simple things have helped me to start each day well and increase my productivity!

1 - Get into a routine - Get up at a consistent time, I have found that if you get into a routine with your sleeping patterns, your body knows when it’s time to “get up and go” and I wake up feeling rested and refreshed.

2 - Fuel Up! - Your body won’t function at an optimal level on an empty stomach or ‘just coffee’. Try to fill up your kitchen with nutritious foods, after all, breakfast is widely regarded as the most important meal of the day.

3 - Exercise - We are all incredibly busy these days, but new research suggests regular exercise increases energy levels even among people who suffer from chronic medical conditions. I find that I get a ‘second wind’ each day if I exercise in the morning!

So get that heart pumping!

4 - Daily Goal - Set yourself a goal for each day! It might be finishing a project, learning about something new or even writing a blog! This will help you to stay focused on a particular task and provide direction for your day.

5. - Brush those teeth - You’ll be doing a lot of smiling, so it’s important to brush your teeth! Smiling is a brilliant way to make yourself happier, but it can also make others smile, as well as open the door to conversations with people you’ve never met!

Mike Rolls - Enabling through perspective

Speaker - Survivor