Molly's Zone

  Criticism is a part of existence that virtually everyone has to deal with on a day to day basis; unfortunately, society seems to always have an opinion about what is going on in our world today. I think most people would agree with me that the world gets a little overwhelming at times. Am I right? Dealing with my disability has caused me to become someone who is extremely hypersensitive to words that are said around me if I feel that they are the least bit critical; I am not afraid to say that I am very emotional and that I also still struggle with obsessing over others’ opinions of me . I’ve grown up with that mindset, and I’m not sure that part of me will ever fully disappear. Today, I want to share three ways that I try to deal with it, and I also want to explain the difference between self criticism and constructive criticism. Knowing the difference will change so many parts of your life for the better, and I felt compelled to write on this subject today, because this po...

While searching for possible blog topics for the week, I found a quote that inspired me to write one of my most candid, yet encouraging posts. Life with cerebral palsy has caused me to struggle so much, both physically and emotionally. I wrote this because every human faces obstacles, disability or no disability and to me, the quote is such a huge help and it reminds me that success and continued hope are within reach. The quote reads, "Strength doesn't come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't". I am not a perfect example of strength, and today I wanted to share the top four things that I struggle with the most as someone who has a disability; along with my struggles I hope to share some positivity as well and I hope my readers enjoy today's post.  1)  Having Enough Faith In God : Faith has always been one of my biggest challenges throughout life; as a Christian, I am not afraid to be truthful and admit th...

Hey, everyone! My apologies for not keeping you all updated on what has been going on with me lately. Life has been crazy busy and I'm super excited. I am writing just what is on my heart today. My blog posts are usually posted every Tuesday, and I was planning on waiting until this Tuesday to come back to "Molly's Zone, but I couldn't wait. I'm so happy to be back, why should I wait? I have a lot of cool things going on right now. I feel bad that I didn't formally announce my break; I just kind of left everyone hanging. I have spent these past couple weeks working on a great opportunity with WV SILC (Statewide Independent Living Council). I am working with a partner to put together a college success workshop proposal and it's a dream. College kids and that environment are two things that I am most passionate about other than my writing and blogging, of course. The workshop would be held August 27-28th at Marshall University as part of the Young WV Con...

I   am too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful, and too determined to be defeated. I think that is the perfect quote to sum up life at this moment. Isn't it weird but awesome how God guides your life in His own way and in His own time? Every part of life serves a purpose; none of it is pointless. This fact is something that I have come to know very well. I have lived in doubt before, when I was feeling down and overwhelmed with my struggle; I think that was simply because I was no where near the path God had planned for my life. I did what I wanted to do. I can remember going through times when the only thought on my mind was "What is going on?", because nothing seemed to go right. The most wonderful part about surrendering and finally giving in to God's plans is that it makes all the "dots" connect. I have had the weirdest realization that without my struggle, I would not be where I am today. My past experiences are somehow vital to th...

Disabilities often hold a presence amongst the world that is associated with sentiments of pity or negativity. Society conditions people to think that because we may do every day tasks quite the same as others, we are somehow “damaged” or incapable of leading a normal, fruitful life. I’d like to think that living life a bit differently has made me more aware of the world that surrounds me. I know there are people out there like me who feel “stuck”, and I feel that my purpose on this planet is to help people and get them away from the wrongly imposed assumption that they can’t do anything because of their disability; that they can’t achieve their dreams. Sure, a disability is not ideal and it most certainly does come with negative setbacks. However, I would like to bring attention to three major ways I feel that having a disability has positively influenced my life.  Number One: Instills Determination—First of all, I would say that dealing with cerebral palsy has instilled a lot ...

I’m back! I feel as if I’ve been away from the blog for the longest time when in reality it has only been one week. Pharyngitis was no fun at all! My week of down time was still buzzing with excitement. I can now say that I am an official published writer; just a small personal piece I wrote, but nonetheless a huge accomplishment! Two weeks ago, I submitted a “teenage letter” that I had written to myself to an online magazine called “The Mighty”; they are centered around empowering those who face illnesses and disabilities. I waited anxiously for several days before I received the “yes, we want to publish you” email. I was so excited; I had found this website on Facebook and had decided to write for them just to see if I could get published or not; I was NOT expecting them to accept my piece at all, especially on the first try, but I did it! I write because I love it; I have such a  passion for writing and I feel it in my bones every day. I’m always thinking of what I ...