Be Determined

How would you describe someone who is ambitious? 

In our culture, it often means a person who is willing to do whatever it takes to get to the top, and it’s not necessarily a compliment. But ambition …

Creativity and disability go hand-in-hand.

Navigating a world that was not built for you requires creative thinking every single day to overcome obstacles, from opening a jar to taking notes in class …

Everyone experiences anger. 

It’s an important human emotion that can serve a purpose in our lives. But people with disabilities can experience anger in different ways than their able-bodied peers. We…

When parents learn that their child has a disability, it sets them on a road less traveled. Raising that child will be different than what they might have expected, and it’s normal to feel shock and …

For people with disabilities, it can be hard to get support that encourages you to use your strengths and reach for your goals. Too often, people with disabilities have their big dreams curtailed by …

Achieving a big goal or completing a big project doesn’t happen overnight. (Who knew?) 

It’s easy to feel discouraged or overwhelmed when you’re not making the progress you think you should be making,…

Going after big goals takes time, effort, and inevitably comes with at least a few setbacks along the way. So how do we stay motivated?

By celebrating the little victories.

Cherishing those wins and mo…

We will all come up against situations in our lives where we simply cannot do something we really want to do.

I grew up not being able to play Mary Poppins with my siblings, or ride a bike, or do need…

What is to be disabled?

Every day, I’m confronted with the reality that society thinks people with disabilities don’t matter and can’t contribute. People with disabilities live with being constantly j…

As I’ve shared some of my backstory, what I’ve accomplished, the goals I’ve yet to achieve, and how I became the person I am today, I’ve mentioned a number of supportive people from my life.

I’ve been…

How do you balance being optimistic with being realistic?

A lot of people make resolutions for the new year with unqualified optimism and wind up feeling like they’re failing when they don’t meet thei…

Who hasn’t made a New Year’s resolution that they abandoned almost immediately?

Whatever stalled your progress–whether it was overly ambitious, a goal you didn’t feel that connected to, or maybe it me…

The holidays can be hectic. 

And it’s a time of year when many of us feel called to reflect and be grateful for what we have and what we’ve achieved in the last year, and to turn towards the future wi…

How do you find your place in the world?

Many people find it challenging to make connections that give us a sense of meaning and that we’re fulfilling our purpose. People with disabilities often face …

All of us encounter change in our lives. And we all have to find ways to cope and adjust so that we can thrive.

I’ve experienced many changes in my life that required me to alter my course and chart a…

I have always wanted to make an impact in the world through my life and work. 

Facing and overcoming adversity is necessary for any leader to build resilience, but there are additional challenges that…

Life is full of challenges—some we choose, and others we don’t. But it’s through facing these challenges that we uncover our resilience, strength, and purpose.

In this episode, we dive into the experi…

Self-determination is the principle of a person using their abilities to make their own decisions about their life based on their preferences, values, and interests.

This principle has empowered me to…

People with disabilities often live in a world that isn’t built for us. But we are still determined to find ways to thrive. 

I’m Molly Kennedy, your host on Be Determined, and I’m excited to share how…