Main focus is remain focused
Leave it better than you found it
“Your rights end where another’s begin.”
A nicely summarized mantra to push back on the paradox of tolerance. Many people use free speech, free market, etc, as an excuse to impede others, and this is my response to that.
I like this phrase in the context of competing access needs when it comes to disabilities. Sometimes, multiple disabled people may struggle to find a solution that works for everyone, and it’s never easy. Everyone may have a right to exist in a space, but if what you need to make that happen would prevent someone else from being able to, then it sort of stops being a right in that moment, and becomes a discussion.
As someone with multiple disabilities and many disabled friends, it’s something I’ve seen quite often. Examples include:
- A person with an assistance dog and a person with a severe allergy to dogs
- One autistic person whose safe food has a strong smell that is a sensory trigger for another autistic person in the same space
There’s a version of that one I like which goes something like, “your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins.”
“It’s better to fart into the toilet than to shit into your pants.”
One of my own making after a particularly bad gut bug.
“Anything for a weird life.”
Said by Zaphod Beeblebrox in the original radio version of The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in response to being led by another character into the zany peril of the moment.
Expect it to get worse. Either I’m wrong and pleasantly surprised or I get to be right as a consolation prize. Also encourages me to plan ahead so when things go bad, I don’t spend as much time mid-crisis figuring out what to do.
While I mostly adhered to this for decades it made me depressed and I missed the point of fighting for my needs. So while I am still open to all developments I aim for my well being more.
“Don’t be a cunt”
Don’t count your drugs over the toilet.
Motivation is not required
As a disabled person who’s spent most of her life in abusive relationships if I waited for motivation to get things done I’d be long since dead
If you encounter a problem once fix it. If you encounter it twice fix it but note it might be recurring. If you encounter it thrice consider a permanent solution.
Be the change you want to see in the world.
“Ever Tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” - Samuel Beckett
Dont do anything that you would be afraid to explain to the paramedics.
Only commit one crime at a time.
I’ve got better things to do than survive.
(Just in case anyone gets this wrong: Survival alone is usually quite little to keep you happy, so it’s about going for the stuff you want and taking the risks you need to get there. Anytime I worry about making myself vulnerable, I tell myself this.)
“Sense and honor your intuition; it always has your best interest at heart.” ~ Unknown
