When I was three years old I got into an accident that caused me to lose half of my right arm. Of course this automatically would make me different than most people and set me apart. Unlike most, I wasn't going to be one of the many that would shut down and be scared to be a stand out or scared to try and live like everyone else. I may be one of the few though that has this mindset, so I want to share my story and encourage people to live their life to the fullest and not be afraid to embrace their differences.

Are you noticeably different in some way more than most? Scared to try things because of it? Scared to be noticed more than what you have to be? You don't have to be! I am clearly different than the majority of people that I meet on a daily basis, after all, I am missing an arm. Do I let this stop me from living life? No. In all honesty, this "difference" that I have pushes me every day. It is a part of me and it makes me who I am. At this point in my life I have no shame about it, no regrets, and I don't wish I had my arm back. God allowed this to happen to me and he made something beautiful out of it. I like the challenges it presents to me and I even like people to notice me because of it. It has helped me have a strong work ethic, a great confidence, and boldness I may have never had.

I know that we all worry about what will happen when we "put ourselves out there." We worry about people staring, what they will think, and even what they will say. The truth is, yes, people may stare and people may question you, but that goes with anything in life. Differences always stand out to us and catch our eye. It is normal for people to wonder, and it is normal to get a little paranoid, but you can't let that stop you from reaching your potential and living your life.

I have been in public school my whole life, been very outgoing, and worked in very public settings. All my life I have had people ask me what happened to my arm, even still to this day. Does it bother me? It doesn't bother me because people are curious and I don't mind sharing my story. Sure, people may pity me sometimes but that is when I show them I don't need their pity. Many recognize me when I am in town because I am the "one-armed basketball player." Does that bother me? No, it doesn't because they always tell me how amazing I am and how much they loved watching me play. You never know who else you might push to step out of their comfort zone while you're in the midst of stepping out of yours.

You may think your difference is too difficult to overcome. Let me help change your mind. No difference is too difficult to overcome. When I turned 5 (two years after I lost my arm) where could you find me? Easy answer, I was on the ball field and I was in a public school system. I know of people that didn't even want to go to a public school. I wasn't going to let my difference hinder my growth and sure wasn't going to hideout from the world. Our differences help others learn from us and when we embrace those differences we inspire people. You never know what you're going to be good at or accomplish if you're too scared to try. I actually became very good at soccer, basketball, and softball. I even decided I wanted to hunt and fish too. All of these things with one arm? You bet! That doesn't mean that any of these things were easy, each one was a challenge and there were many days where I got frustrated with myself, but with hard work and persistence there is almost always a way around things. We have to remember that the success becomes so much sweeter if we have to work hard for it.

Back to my story, of course I get stares in public, the sense that people are talking about me, and I get asked what happened all the time. These things are just a part of life, people are curious and there is nothing wrong with that. Don't be scared to share your story either. When I was playing sports throughout school I would have so many people think I was amazing and an inspiration. I was confident in everything I did, and I believe when you make confidence a part of you, that's what people will notice and appreciate the most. We all worry about the negative things people may think or say, but if they see us being confident in ourselves and what we do, it really rubs off on them for the better. When we push through our differences and face our challenges and people notice us and admire us, we notice that, and it makes us feel good.

None of this can happen if you don't embrace your differences. It doesn't matter what it may be, you have to make the best of it. Like I said previously, there is almost always a way to overcome things, but you have to be willing to try. I know it may be hard or you may feel like nobody can relate or understand, but if you have close friends you should communicate your issues with them. They may not be like you but they can be a good support system and support and motivation is everything. I know my faith in God has been a major reason I do so well in life and have such confidence in myself and my abilities. There may be days that you will get very down with yourself or the challenges may be overwhelming, but just think about how joyous the things will be when you overcome those challenges.

You may say that I make it look and sound too easy. It hasn't always been easy. The hardest part is deciding you're not going to be scared and deciding to take action. This is your life we are talking about here, you only have one, so why not make the best of it? You are in charge of what you do with your life, so make a promise to yourself to live your life to the fullest.