Ignorance and Society

To each person words can have different meanings depending on how much they know about it and the context it is used in. For example, in the media I see commercials about the prejudice word “retard” or known as the “r” word. When being pointed out I know that as a person I would like to be pointed out like one. A way not to do so would be pointing out my disability or trying to define me as a person in that way.I am not that “handicapped person” or “disabled guy”, I am Mason. Or if you don’t know my name I am also a man. For me having a disability has some insecurities. It doesn’t help to have complete strangers or anyone else describing us in that matter.

Changes

This year is slowly becoming more about making big changes in my life. Changes that will have an effect on my future. One of the major changes that I’m trying to complete is my career. My goal is to find something that will allow me to support my independence and make use of a savings account. This year I have made it a goal to read more. To try to absorb more knowledge. Another change that I would like to see this year would be going back to school. To further my skills and build onto my future career.

Its The End of the Year Already?

It’s almost the end of probably the most productive years of my life and it’s only up from here. I’m happy to say that I’m hard at work more than ever. Working to earn has given me more incentive to actually try to do something with my life. Looking back on the year makes me hopeful for the next one to come.

For my job, I have accomplished a lot this year. I have gained fourteen customer service awards in two positions so far.I have proved to everyone (including myself) that I can do what I set my mind to and more. Hopefully, with this increase in minimum wage for Ontario I might be able to put something away for my future.

Another thing that I have started doing this year has been going to the gym. I feel a lot better than last year. That I can move around more and be less tired. That I’m able to work longer and harder time after time. With both work and the gym I have pushed my boundaries and become more social and interactive with others.

I look forward to what's in store for me next year. Merry Christmas!

Making Assumptions About Others Without Knowledge

Everyone does it. Before formally meeting someone thoughts do cross our mind. It’s not what we think but how we voice our opinion. I think that it’s wrong to assume something about someone before actually knowing so. For myself, it’s usually physical things like moving stuff around or operating a certain type of technology. I would understand if there was a lot of risks involved but to judged purely based on what the person’s condition is. A big issue that I have found out myself is that it’s incredibly difficult to work with a disability. I feel that employers see “extra training” when I walk in to apply. People deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Without those two the world could spiral out of control and into darkness. Stop judging and biasing people on looks and look at them for who they really are. Human.

What I've Found Out During Four Months of Working

First little bit of information that I have found right away would be that it is not easy at the start. There are numerous things to remember in a short period also known as training. Everything has a certain method for completion. Learning everything during the first couple of days can seem overwhelming to say the least but if you pull through that it’s smooth sailing onwards.  

Another area to be looked at is motivation. It appears to be lacking in some areas. Which I find strange due to the fact that this is the only source of income for some people. Not enough people care about their jobs in my opinion. In order to get ahead and progress through your job is to work harder than everyone else. It's not hard if you apply effort and common sense.

Lastly, I have found out that you need some tough skin to work in this business. People can be inpatient or downright rude. Dealing with this can become a daily occurrence and can happen more than once. I find that after dealing with various amounts of people that I can handle more situations with other people than before.

My overall experience in the world of retail is that all jobs no matter how small are important and can be stressful at times but pulling through them becomes easier the more you are exposed to it. Work hard and it all comes easily to you.

Working with a Disability 2017

For those that have been active readers or new, I apologize for my long absence. My new job has taken up almost all of my time. Finally, after six years of not working, I am doing something to get ahead further in life. So far my accommodations at my new workplace have been more than adequate as well as my fellow co-workers and employers are extremely helpful if I were to require assistance. 

Since started working I have figured out a few things about people. The work is easy once you get the hang of it. The surprising part, however, was the realization that a lot of people seem to have little to no work ethic. Some make the mistake of treating their job like a chore. The only difference is that for most people this is their main source of income. People need to be more serious about their careers.

Some of the drawbacks I had found were mostly physical. The added time on my feet has been noticed, to say the least. Although, the thought of earning my own income is a huge incentive to move forward and expand my career into more knowledge and opportunities.

Misconceptions about Disabilities

There are many areas of a disability that is missed by most people. For example, I have ADD, which is short for Attention Deficit Disorder. For me, the classroom was never really a place for me to learn. There were so many distractions and it made it difficult to focus on one thing at a time. At one point of my early school life I would have to periodically leave class for a few minutes just to have different scenery. I get stir-crazy staying in one spot for too long at a time. If I were to be in a classroom for an extended amount of time I would quickly lose focus. This wouldn’t be purposely done but a struggle it still was to regain attention. At the time a lot of my teachers didn’t understand why I wasn’t doing well in class. People of all types have different learning patterns. Why school didn’t go well for me is that I did not learn the same way as most of the kids. So instead of being taught differently I was treated as if I couldn’t learn. And it made me feel as if I couldn’t for the longest time. Misconceptions happen like this all the time. Some people assume people with disabilities are not as or more than capable. Once we get past the barrier that separates people with disabilities and people with none we can have a better and more in depth understanding of each other.

Update 2017

Recently, I had gotten back into the world of work. So far I have been taking a course for job training to be accepted into the workforce. After this I have a job starting in retail. Its been a while since I have worked so it may take some adjusting but I think I’ll be fine. The course I’m taking is a little different than other courses that I have taken. Students get paid hourly at minimum wage to learn how to obtain and keep a job. Also, with the future job offer I might actually be able to finally live on my own! This has been a goal of mine for the longest time.

Stress - The Silent Killer

Stress has always been a large factor in my life. It’s something that seems to follow me wherever I go. And it’s not just in one aspect either. Stress can be everywhere and anything. Finances can cause an underestimated amount of stress on a person. Even so that it is connected to a lot of life's necessities like food and shelter. Not only can stress affect someone financially but physically and mentally as well. Moods can change. Food can become tasteless and sometimes seemingly unnecessary. Another cause of stress would be “over thinking”. Constantly thinking about a problem over and over again can make the situation unbearable and cause emotional an physical pain.

One of the things that I do to try and combat stress would be trying to think positively. Like the saying “mind over matter” its all about perception. Keeping a positive outlook on like has been helpful to more than just me. It can improve moods and behavior. Also, how you interact with other people and vice-versa. Try to think about a stressful situation and put your own positive spin on it. DO IT NOW!

Update 2016

Sorry I haven't been writing much this year. Theres been quite a bit going on over here. I may have actually found a job. So fingers crossed that this goes through. Another thing that has changed in my life is that I have added a new goal. That is to purchase my own house. My plan is to one day own a bunch of rental properties as well as other businesses. Wish me luck!