Recently I connected with the amazing, award winning author and motivational speaker, 25 year old Shirley Cheng. She epitomizes one who is being unlimited through tremendous struggles. Be uplifted as you gain wisdom from her unique experiences and passion for life. Then apply to your own life as you continue to be unlimited. Included is a brief and amazing background on Shirley and the compelling full interview. At the end, please comment on how you will put this information into action to be unlimited in your own life.
Shirley was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis as a baby. She spent years in constant pain, wheel chair bound, and in-and-out of hospitals. She grew up in a single-parent Chinese family with no formal education. At 11 she attended an elementary special education class. Shirley knew little English and had little knowledge, but mastered her grade level in all areas within 180 days. This moved her to a regular 6th grade class. Her craving for books led her to read about 600 pages a day (about 3 books). She excelled and was recognized for achievements often as a student, writer, and in artwork. In 10th grade her eyesight deteriorated. She went blind and could only listen in class. Yet she found the means to maintain excellent grades. Due to severe arthritis she was unable to use Braille but maintained a 3.9 GPA while writing and balancing long chemistry formulas and equations without vision or Braille. At age 20 she authored 3 books in a year typing 60 words/ minute with 2 index fingers. She has authored 7 books, and contributed to 10. Shirley aspires to attend Harvard. I have no doubt she will get there. I had the chance to ask Shirley a few questions:
THE INTERVIEW
Beth: What went through your mind as you encountered each hurdle?
Shirley: Whenever I run into a challenge or obstacle, I always think to myself that this is not the end of my life. I still have a long road ahead of me that I need to travel. It is completely up to me to make a difference in my life, and I want to make the best of what I have, make the most of my situation, so I have chosen to move forward with a smile. I am so honored and delighted to be living, that God has chosen me to have a life, so I want to show Him how much I am grateful to be alive. Why have a little negativity stop me? Yes, you may think agonizing physical pain and blindness is not little, but compared to the entire wondrous universe--all the beautiful things it contains--it is tiny.
Beth: What drove you to excel in school?
Shirley: I absolutely love to learn since I am so madly in love with life--I want to learn as much as I possibly can about something I love--so that passion is the fuel that allows me to achieve what I have achieved in and out of school. How could I not want to know more about the place I call home (Earth)?
Beth: As you lost your eye site you learned through only listening which takes a tremendous ability to focus. What helped you be able to focus so fully?
Shirley: I believe God gave me the ability to focus well. Ever since I was a baby, I have been a very alert individual who cherishes the "small" things in life--nothing in life is ever too small. God also gave me artistic talents, so I am able to picture things well in my head, so that was how I was able to do math and chemistry in my head without Braille and how I was able to solely depend on listening to my teachers as they taught. But I must admit, it was hard in math and chemistry, because when you have never seen a specific formula and you only hear the teacher talk about it, it does get confusing! But I managed! But unfortunately, I never finished math that year when I lost my eyesight. The tutor the school sent me (I stopped going to school then) did not know how to describe the equations/formulas to me--I don't blame her!
Beth: Did you ever ask 'why me'?
Shirley: Of course, but never in a negative way. I believe that every person has a purpose in life, and everything happens for a reason. God works under mysterious plans, and I am often curious about His plans for me.
Beth: What explains your strong drive to achieve followed with action?
Shirley: My strong drive to achieve has to do with my passion for life, for doing my best to live my best. I believe that to love and accept life is to love and accept God; I love life because I love God, and I am so grateful to Him for my life. Why ruin His gift of life by not achieving and doing my best? When you buy an expensive set of furniture (or anything you love), would you not take good care of it? Would you not love your children with all your heart, soul, and might?
Beth: Shirley, do you have any wisdom for my readers?
Shirley:
~Overcoming negativity is not necessarily about making a physical difference. Many times, we cannot physically change the situation we are in. I lost my eyesight, and I can't make myself see again (sure, I can have an eye surgery, but I, alone, cannot make myself see). Conquering negativity is about making a psychological difference for your spirit. By being happy when I am blind, I am successfully conquering negativity.
~Let us face it, everyone has limitations. But the thing is that we can live in a way that do not let our limitations have the most effects on our lives. We need to live in a way that is most beneficial, with the least hindrance, and that is by limiting your limitations.For example, if you are good in math but not good as a cook, focus on your talent in math, instead of focusing on your inability to cook well. So focus on your strong points, not on your weak points. Concentrate on what you are able to do, not what you are unable to do. If you lose your left hand, you will not try to use your left hand to do everything. You will instead use your right hand and train it how to do the things your left hand could do. I am blind; that is a fact. That is a limitation I have, and I will not deny it. But what I do is to limit my limitation by focusing my attention on what things I am still able to do and enjoy doing without my eyesight. When you are good at something, then do it and do your very best with it.
~ Be your own true best friend and you will become a true best friend of the world.
~ If you do not let obstacles disable you, they will not disable you. Only you have the power to disable yourself or enable yourself. I have chosen to be ultra-abled. Yes, I'm not disabled--I'm ultra-abled!
~ Find the positive side to a negative situation. I know it can be quite difficult to always be able to find the good side of something bad; you will have to look at your situation from every angle. While at times, the good thing does not come out of the bad until some time has passed. After I lost my eyesight, I became an author and motivational speaker; that was the good that came from the bad. This way, I am able to touch others in ways I could not have if I had not lost my eyesight; at least, it would not have been so soon or exactly in this way. Another example is that I have periods of severe insomnia, and it is during my insomnia that many of my great writing ideas come to me, so that is the positive side of insomnia. In life, there are always something good and something bad happening at the same time, and there is always a positive side to the negative, and even a negative side to the positive. And there are times where the bad actually becomes the good and vice versa. So in actuality, it can be too hard at times for us to judge what is truly good or bad. What we can do is always try to look on the bright side and do our best to live our best, and put all faith in God--that is the secret that gets me going; everything else is just strategy!
Beth: Any final words, Shirley?
Shirley: Remember, God has given you the most precious gift--your life--so live it and love it with all your humanly might! Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope haul you high!
And thank you, Beth, for giving me this opportunity to share a bit of inspiration with your newsletter subscribers. After all, I've made it one of my life's missions to touch as many people as I possibly can to bring humor, hope, and healing; and I am grateful to you for helping me achieve this goal!
Remember to comment on how you will put this information into action today... as we continue to be unlimited in work and play!
