- July 23, 2024
- Posted by: Verona Jacobs-Sams
- Category: Blog
Hello and thank you for joining us today!
Encountering a (dis)ability touches every aspect of our lives, as we learn to do things a different way, reimagined. The Ticket to Work Program – MEO Style is an opportunity to stand up financially, emotionally, mentally, professionally, relationally, etc. These are things that often become impacted on the other side of our (dis)ability, when we don’t have that ‘thing’…that ‘purpose’…that inspires us to get up, after we wake up, in the morning.
There is always something that we can reimagine ourselves doing and with the right support and determination, we look forward to some form of it becoming reality. Initially, I could reimagine myself working, but couldn’t imagine how I could possibly get back to doing something that gives me purpose and that brings me as much joy as counseling others through the same process that has taken me from existing to living.
We all have a purpose…that doesn’t go away when we have a (dis)ability. For some of us, that’s when we find ours. Our purpose, at MEO, is to help our clients who receive SSDI or SSI continue living with purpose or assist with the journey of those trying to find theirs. We may not always be able to do what we used to do, the way we used to do it. But as we embark on a journey to find that job that works best for us, it always seems easier finding something when you have someone searching with you. That’s what MEO does. We partner with you to find a job that’s a good fit and when you’re ready to grow into something else, we continue to assist and guide you.
Getting to the point where we accept that we need to do things a different way, can be a challenge. When we are in the midst of figuring it all out, we need someone who can be honest with us in a caring and supportive way. There is a team of people, here at MEO, committed to being that for all whom we serve; from the first person you speak with when you enter the virtual doors of MEO…to those who work hard behind the scenes, building and upgrading our MEO structure…to the Employment Counselors and Certified Benefits Specialist. We are communicators, you talk to us directly through phone calls, emails and texting.
I have found that on this side of my (dis)ability, I’ve had to learn to pivot. Making that pivot is so much easier when you have support giving you instructions on how to pivot, so that you don’t fall. MEO has been that for me, which is why I am sharing my story with you. I want everyone who has a (dis)ability to know that having a (dis)ability may be a game-changer, but it certainly isn’t the end of the game. We may have to play a different position and maybe even a different sport…we may have to coach it, instead of playing it…write about it, instead of doing it…but there is something out there in the working world that needs our gifts and talents, to make a difference.
There are many things that we must organize and prioritize in order to position ourselves to be able to work again. We will cover that part of the journey in more detail in upcoming blogs. You really do have to be strategic in taking care of yourself, so that you feel like working. It demands commitment to self-care at a higher level. I remind myself, regularly, that because I want to work, I have to keep myself as healthy as possible. It’s also important for us to learn all we possibly can about our (dis)ability so that we know what to and what not to do, in order to minimize any negative effects or episodes, as much as possible.
As we are honest with ourselves about our behavioral patterns when we aren’t feeling well, it helps to have an ‘if this…then that’ mentality. There were times that I didn’t feel like working when I first entered the Ticket to Work Program. I convinced myself to try, a day at a time. When I felt like I couldn’t, my employment counselor had faith that I could and because of that, I tried a little harder. Don’t underestimate the motivational power of an employment counselor. 😊 But at the end of the day, I had to be willing to listen and willing to try…willing to try got me in the door…determination not to give up, kept me there.
Well, that’s it for today! Thanks for your time and please join us again next time as we continue our journey of reimagining ourselves back into the workforce and how having no expectations turned into great expectations…
**If this is your first visit to our blog site, please feel free to visit previous blogs. If you’re interested in more information regarding applying for the MEO Ticket to Work Program…click here: https://myemploymentoptions.com/apply-now/