Serendipity: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way (Dictionary.com).

At the age of 2, I was diagnosed with profound bilateral hearing loss. At the ages of 19 and 20, I had extensive blood clots, a life-saving, interventional surgery and was diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome. At the age of 26, I had to have lenses implanted into both of my eyes.

Many people reading this series of events might be inclined to call them “unfortunate”, rather than “happy” or “advantageous”. But calling these events “unfortunate” in today’s socio-political environment would be an instinctual, ableist response to what has made several disabled individuals into who they are today, thus, attempting to erase our experiences and sense of disability-pride.

The process of the ideation of this blog was born during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic and international quarantine, and after the first of two permanent, pandemic-related job layoffs. Instead of wallowing in a place of darkness and leaning into depression, my experiences with my disabilities gave me the strength and resilience I needed to lean more towards the things that make me feel happy, purposeful, connected and creatively fulfilled. One of those things was my discovery of the online Disability Community.

My approach to a successful life with disabilities is a holistic approach because I believe that to be successful means to not only be proud of ALL that you are and to honor your experiences, but to also have a healthy mind and spirit, whatever that may mean to you. Having come from the opposite end of that spectrum, I aim to lead by living; living an authentic life that embraces the small moments of the day-to-day and the extraordinary, learning to embrace the unpredictable flow of life. I hope that my victories and stumbles can help you spread awareness and advocacy, and to draw insight and rebellion in the form of delicious and nourishing recipes, wellness and lifestyle tips, education and positivity.