Motivating People -- One Step at a Time!

Sometimes, I just want to stay in bed all day with the covers over my head -- hiding from everything. I don't know what inspires me to actually get out of bed -- well besides the need for a pay check -- but somehow I do it.

I have a lot of stress in my life. Sometimes I think it is chronic because I don't necessarily cause the stress -- it seems to seek me out. Many of my stresses are temporary -- they just seem overwhelming at times and I feel as if I just can't handle them.

Then I read about someone inspiring, such as Karen Stewart, and I realize I am a wimp and need to put my petty little stresses into perspective.

You see, Karen has recurring relapsing MS. There are times when her brain and hands don't communicate all that well. She may want to pick up a pencil, she may even tell her hand to pick up that pencil, but it doesn't always work. There are days when she just cannot pick up even a pencil.

In a story that I found about Karen online, it says she has spent plenty of time in wheelchairs, with walkers and with canes and then one day decided to "embrace" her disease and make it her "friend." She was going to find a way to use her illness to make herself stronger.

She started walking a little bit at a time until she finally was inspired to walk a marathon. After finishing her first marathon, she was motivated to keep going, and going and going... Here is a quote from the news story about her that I loved: "Not everybody is motivated to do marathons, but everybody can do something. ... you never know if today my story will inspire someone else to get off their duff and do something."

This month Karen finished her 47th marathon in Savannah, GA! She hopes to complete her 50th in February 2012! (Shoot -- I've done only two full marathons.)

I find Karen to be extremely motivating! Here is a woman who has been stuck in a wheelchair and she was still able to walk 47 marathons! Wow! If she can deal with a horrible disease like MS, what can't she do? If she can do all of this, what excuse do I have not to try to overcome my burdens -- or even more importantly -- what excuse do I have not to at least try to face mine. (Yes, getting out of bed tomorrow will be easier for me.)

This is all of the information I was able to get from this interview by WSAV-TV (http://www2.wsav.com/news/2011/nov/03/one-step-time-ar-2651781/). There are so many questions I have that this story didn't answer.

I have never met Karen, but I can tell you right now I will. If not in person, I'm going to talk to her by phone. My goal is to interview her and include her story in a book I'm currently working on. If any of you have questions you want me to ask her, leave a comment.