Don't Let Others Put Limitations on You!

When Eli was a puppy, I started to believe that he was deaf.  Despite my best efforts, it just didn't feel like he was able to hear me.  I didn't want him to be disadvantaged so I started teaching him sign language so that he wouldn't lose out on a good life.  He's a smart dog and picked everything up very quickly.  After a few month of this, I learned that he wasn't hard of hearing, just ignoring me (he is a male dog so I suppose that helps :-). 

I learned a pretty valuable lesson through the experience with Eli.  Although I thought he was hard of hearing and I wanted him to have an advantage, I'll be the first to admit, I thought he was going to have some limitations.  I'm not sure if you've experienced this but I have on a couple of occasions. 

When I was young, I needed braces on my legs because I walked pretty pigeon toed.  I'll be honest, I don't really remember wearing the braces but I do have one very vivid memory at the doctors office.  I remember this day so well because I called the doctor Mister instead of doctor and he chuckled at me. 

He asked me to run down the hallway and I must have ran with my toes turned in.  I remember him telling my mom that I would never run very well because I would always be pigeon toed. 

I'm not really sure if what he said didn't register with me, or if quite honestly I didn't really care...whatever the reason, it just didn't sink in.  Not only did I run, it turns out, I was always one of the faster people on my team.  I became a pretty decent athlete, going to Peru, South America twice to play in an international basketball tournament, was an All-American Honorable Mention Volleyball player, and more.  I tell you all of this because whatever limitations that doctor placed on me, I moved beyond them. 

All of us have people who place limitations on us.  People we love, people we hate, people we don't know, even us.   But you need to know that you have the power to move beyond those limitations.  To be great at whatever you choose to be.  It's just a matter of pushing forward, believing in you, and surrounding yourself with others that can lift you up. 

We'll definitely cover this subject more in depth and I hope to hear your stories of overcoming limitations!