Terrible Palsy

Glenda Watson Hyatt is an amazing woman and someone I would like you to meet. She is presently on a virtual tour to promote her new book “I’ll do it myself“. In her book, she shares her experiences in living with cerebral palsy to motivate and inspire others to think about how they perceive their own situation and their own world around them.

Her virtual tour made a brief stop to the land down under where she answered 5 question for me:-

Tell us how you met your husband

I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in April 1995. By January I still hadn’t found a job; employers had unspoken qualms about hiring someone with a physical disability. So, I reluctantly began a pre-employment program for people with disabilities at the then Neil Squire Foundation .

We’ve been married nine years this August.

Your parents sound very supportive of you growing up. I know that I struggled sometimes with how to instill a sense of self worth in Moo, particularly when everyone he encounters seems to think that he is someone to be pitied. Do you have any suggestions?

That is definitely a good question. A few suggestions come to mind; of course, they depend upon Moo’s capabilities. The first is foster a sense of independence; for example, whether it is choosing what he wears or dressing himself as much as he can. Second, heap on the praise, not only for his capabilities and his efforts, but also for being himself. Finally, consider how you react to others’ pity because your behaviour will model for him how he should react. If you brush it off publicly, have some time to discuss it privately with Moo to get a sense if the pity hurts or annoys him – or if he even notices it. This might give you some insight into what you can do to further instill self-worth and confidence in him.

What was it like being the only daughter in a house full of boys?

The third time around I really wanted a baby sister. Dad claims that when he woke me up to tell me that I had another brother, I punched my pillow. But, I did develop a deadly left swing! And Mom and I had a special bond; one that we still have today.

Is there anything that you have always wanted to do that you haven’t yet achieved?

I still would like to do more traveling to see more of the world. And, I would like to adapt my autobiography I’ll Do It Myself into a movie so that I can reach a wider audience and, hopefully, help more people. Of course, I am still working on achieving that elusive financial independence.

Who has been your greatest inspiration in life and why?

Wow, that is a tough question! There have been so many people who have inspired me in different ways; it is difficult to narrow it down to one person. My Nanna, my Mom’s mom, had bone cancer and she would crawl up the basement from doing laundry. Her strength and determination has inspired me to keep going through rough times, particularly when I’m in pain. More recently, and particularly related to completing my book I’ll Do It Myself, I’ve been inspired by Oprah’s messages of live your life with passion and purpose, and live your best life. Dr. Robert Schuller from the Crystal Cathedral has inspired me with his possibility thinking and his “if you can dream it, you can achieve it” attitude. These messages were the impetus in turning my thirty-old-year dream into reality.

Glenda’s blog can be found here. I’ve ordered a copy of her book. I can’t wait to read it!