advocacy

S2 E7 : " Honey It's Cold Outside"

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Empower | Encourage | Inspire

Today we’re reflecting on times when we have successfully advocated for ourselves. Do you have a moment that comes to mind? Maybe you confidently informed your waiter about your food allergies or were able to get the testing accommodations you needed at school. Perhaps you advocated for yourself at work (WFH, anyone?) or in front of your family members.

This moment does not have to be health-related — any time you successfully advocated for yourself works for us. Let’s take this opportunity to learn from (and cheer on!) each other in the comments.

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It’s very common for folks to be comfortable advocating for themselves in certain situations more than others. There are many factors that contribute to a person’s comfort level in an advocacy situation: physical environment, previous experiences self-advocating in a similar situation, level of confidence, familiarity going into the situation, etc.

What does your self-advocacy look like in different contexts? Do you find it challenging to advocate for yourself at work or school? What about in other situations? Why do you think that is?

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When it comes to standing up for what’s right, sometimes it feels more natural to stand up for others than for ourselves. Whether it’s due to self-esteem, confidence, the way we’re taught to communicate in our sociocultural contexts, or a whole host of other reasons, there can be a huge difference in how we advocate for others versus ourselves.

Do you suddenly find your voice when someone else is facing injustice? Or are you comfortable speaking up in all situations? Why do you think that is?

Share your experiences in the comments below. 👇

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As this community knows all too well, speaking up for yourself at the doctor’s office can range from intimidating to downright impossible. We also all know how necessary it can be. Do you feel confident advocating for yourself in medical settings? If so, how have you gotten to that point? If not, what, if anything, do you want to change about how you feel in medical settings?

If you could use some help with advocacy in the doctor’s office, check out Amelia Blackwater’s story about fighting for her right to have a support person at her medical appointments: themighty.com/topic/disability/support-medical-appointments-...

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Happy Monday, Mighties! This week we’re talking about self-advocacy, which is defined as “the action of representing oneself or one’s views or interests.” What would you add to this definition? How have your own experiences with self-advocacy changed the way you think about it?

Based on her personal experience, Mighty staffer Skye would adjust the definition by emphasizing the emotional stakes behind self-advocacy and how challenging it can be, especially in health care, familial, and academic contexts.

How would you define self-advocacy?

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The choice

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While in hospital for my mental health, I was taken off of certain medications to be put on new medication. And during this difficult time I started to write poetry. With ADHD I sometimes struggle to put thoughts together in a way that makes sense.. with creative writing I really learned to express how I feel about my situation.

So I wrote a poem about our inner self-created guardians, the inner children that we have inside us that still tries to protect us from harm even when we no longer need them. Whether we have this guardian because of abuse of any kind, I wrote this piece so that people could relate to having that inner voice that can sometimes be guilt creating, harmful and overwhelming.

So while off my meds this is how I strung my thoughts together in hopes that I might find someone who can relate.

The poem’s name is

Self-created Guardian:

Sometimes I'm overcome by a shadow and marked unsafe by feelings of madness,guilt,badness...sadness

That my own mind runs wild searching for peace, my
thoughts making me fight with a "ME" that I have
created out of necessity..

Now that very creation bothers me not only now and then but incessantly...

Trying to find a purpose for existing in a world it was not meant for...

Trying to hold onto the woman that doesn't need her anymore..

How does one create space in one's mind for a self-created guardian? And still exist as one's own protector? One that I have always been? And never even knew...

How then do I become truly "ME" without letting go of you? - a poem by Camron Botha

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