Tag: Confidence

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Directing Your Show: Where Fashion & Disability Meet

Directing Your Show: Where Fashion & Disability Meet

“How we are perceived is determined by how we present ourselves. We direct our own show.” 

~George Rector, Popping Wheelies

Introduction: Today I’m thrilled to present to you a friend and fellow warrior, George Rector of Popping Wheelies. Like many of you I’ve befriended, I met George through blogging and found we have some shared interests. One of these interests is our passion for inclusion in the world of fashion for those of us living with disabilities. ~Steph

Disability, Fashion, Style & Confidence

Image 1 photo description is in the body of the post
Image 1

The elephants in my room are paraplegia and the ever-present wheelchair. The disability in my life is Multiple Sclerosis. The important things in my life are my family and friends.

When I first had to use a wheelchair, a nurse told me that she was confident I’d quickly learn how to make it enhance my life. As a Peer Counselor/Peer Support Volunteer, I have talked about embracing whatever piece of technology works for us. “If it makes your life better, don’t be afraid to use it.”

How we are perceived is determined by how we present ourselves. We direct our own show. What are we going to show to the public? Of course, they are going to look at our white canes, our wheelchairs, our crutches, but then they are going to look at us.

This is where disability meets fashion. Where disability meets style. Fashion makes the first impression; style makes the lasting one. It is style that determines how we perceive ourselves, and it determines how we are received in public. They are vital to the person who has a disability.

Your Life, Your Production

Directing Your Show Featured Image description is in the body of the post
Image 2

I am interested in both men’s and women’s fashion. And style. Lots of designers are men. My personal style is simple, basic design with classic colors. If we pick a style that fits our personality and then stick to it, things get easier to manage. What works with your skin and hair color? What works with your daily activities? I am learning to stick with combinations of blue, green, and white. They fit my personality and with my light skin, blue eyes, and blond hair.

My advice is to think about our interests, think about ourselves, and stick with it. I’m getting better at it. I gave away half of the things in my closet and still have twice what I need.

And if you are wondering where I fit into the Bold Blind Beauty Community, I am a “retired” eye doc due to MS. Vision is my training and experience, but I am also a patient. Vision and MS are closely related. I am extremely light sensitive and have a tint for every need. I select a tint based on what I am doing and not by what I am wearing. While my distance vision is good, I have difficulty reading. For that, I have specific reading glasses, enlarge the print on my Kindle, and change its illumination.

Fashion, style, confidence. You can direct your show about how you feel and how others feel about you. And remember that the best fashion accessory is a genuine smile.

Directing Your Show Featured Image Description:

George is sitting on a wooden bench with his left leg propped atop his wheelchair which is next to the bench. He is wearing a green tee paired with khaki shorts and flip-flops. A camera is around his neck and he’s sporting sunglasses. In the background are lush green tropical plants.

Additional Images:

  • Image 1: George is sitting on a wooden bench at Flagler Beach. He is smiling for the camera wearing a yellow tee, dark sunglasses, and minimal jewelry. In the background, waves are washing up against the beach and a pier is jutting out into the ocean.
  • Image 2: In this photo, George is looking stylish in a short-sleeved black dress shirt and black pants. He is sitting on the arm of a sofa and his gold necklace and bracelet are nice accents.

Connecting with George:

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Confidence & Self-Respect | Abby’s Reflections 17

Confidence quoted text and image description are in the body of the post.

Confidence & Self-Respect | Abby’s Reflections 17

“Like most things in our lives, confidence ebbs and flows. Some days you may feel more confident than others. However, even on the days when you lack confidence, unless you’re saving lives, it’s not fatal.”

For me, confidence is an ongoing battle of accepting my quirks, flaws, and insecurities. During the moments when I don’t feel confident I remind myself of my value and this helps me to refocus. When I feel confident, I feel beautiful.

How does one become confident? Begin with self-respect. When you respect yourself, you are empowered to choose who and what you allow into your life. Your confidence will continue to grow when you have a mutual and healthy respect for yourself and others,

Take some time if you need to, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and then when you feel the moment is right, carry on. Be kind to yourself; be kind to others, and remember confidence requires constant maintenance. ~Abby

Abby’s Reflections Description: 

A white, teal, and gray boldblindbeauty.com template utilizing the ‘Abby’s Corner’ image of Abby sitting cross-legged in her PJs (gray bottoms & white top with a gray collar) with a teal Abby logo laptop on her lap. Sporting her signature explosive hairstyle, she is wearing a headset with microphone and her white cane is propped up next to her.

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Waning Confidence? Rest, Rebuild, Recover

Waning Confidence Featured Image Description is in the body of the post.

Waning Confidence? Rest, Rebuild, Recover

“Like everything else in our lives, confidence ebbs and flows. Confidence requires constant maintenance. It’s also important to remember even on those days when confidence is lacking it’s not fatal. Take some time, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and when you feel the moment is right, carry on.”

Photo of me sitting on my bar stool with my white cane in hand wearing the outfit described in the post.After being sick for the past few weeks, this week is the first I’ve felt truly rejuvenated in some time. When I can’t work my to-do list my confidence slips, and I fall into the cycle of depression and anxiety.

Living in a time when social media has changed the way we interact with one another is stressful. Being away from it for a day can seem like weeks, any longer can seem like a lifetime. If you are a writer, blogger, entrepreneur or anyone who relies on the internet to connect with your audience you understand the importance of the frequency and consistency of posting content.

What to do when waning confidence gets in the way of your passion

  1. Make the most of the present when you’re feeling your best. When inspiration hits use it to create content in advance.
  2. Organize – An excel spreadsheet is a great tool for managing content data.
    • A weekly posting schedule broken out by day, time, type of content, and social media platform will allow you to see at a glance how your content schedule will flow.
    • The content schedule will contain more detailed content information for each day of the month. For example title, status, due date, publish date, time, type of content, author, distribution channels, meta tags, and notes.
  3. Schedule – Social media management tools such as HootSuite, save time since you can post to multiple platforms at the same time.
    • Using the publishing tool to schedule posts in advance allows you to set it and forget it.
  4. Let it go. The world will continue to go on even if you cannot so when you’re down, allow yourself to rest, rebuild your strength and recover, you won’t regret it.

I felt so fabulous this week I took the opportunity to show my goofy side and went for it in the photo in today’s post.

Waning Confidence? Featured Image Description:

Bathroom mirror selfie. My head is tilted to the side as I make a semi-duck lip look. I’m wearing my black faux-shearling & faux-suede knit-trim jacket or sweater. What I like most about this sweater, aside from keeping me warm, are the multi textures. It’s a heavy knit with soft fur and velvety smooth suede panels on the front. I wore a simple black tee under the jacket/sweater and paired them with blue jeans and black suede wedge mules.

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Delight In Your Feminity

Description is on body of post.Pictures are great but they don’t always tell the whole story. For many of us on social media our pictures tell the story we want to convey which can be in stark contrast to our reality.

As an advocate working to change perceptions on blindness and sight loss, my pictures attempt to show confidence from a blind perspective. What they don’t show is my insecurity but that’s okay because I know who I am and I don’t want to come across as someone I am not.

I’m not perfect, far from it. I laugh at my foibles, quirks, and even the changes in my body I cannot control. I love the uplifting feeling that takes place when I throw on some hair, do nakeup, and get dressed to face the world but make no mistake I am the same person before and after. I love being feminine and encourage others who want to feel the same way to do so despite what life throws your way.

Delight in your femininity. Love you. Validate you. Trust you. As you begin each day remind yourself that you are enough. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and reject the notion that you have to fit in. Be courageous, be authentic, know your worth. ~Steph

Image: Tri collage of me posing in front of my counter wearing black leggings, three-quarter dolman sleeve top looks sort of gray, orange pointed toe slingback flats, black obi belt, black leather short necklace with a silver pendant, and silver drop earrings.

Have a great Monday!!

#whitecane #confidence #independence #blindness #blindnessawarenss