From Personal Journey to Published Author
At Abbots Care, we love celebrating the achievements of the people we support, and this month we’re delighted to shine a spotlight on one of our clients, Rebecca, whose first book, Finding Yourself Within Disability: How to Look After Your Disabled Self, is being published this month.
Writing a book is an incredible accomplishment, requiring dedication, creativity, and perseverance. We are immensely proud of Rebecca for sharing her experiences and insights in a way that aims to support and empower others.
When we spoke to Rebecca about her journey, she explained that the inspiration for the book came from her own experiences of disability and the misconceptions that often surround it.
“There are so many misconceptions about disability that, as a disabled person, it can impact the way you view your disability too. I used to hide from the word ‘disability’ and thought I needed to prove myself in some way, which I now largely don’t feel the need to do. Since learning from a plethora of disabled voices, I started to change how I felt about disability. I wanted to share what I learned, and am still learning, in a book.”
What Inspired the Book?
Finding Yourself Within Disability explores the importance of self-care, self-advocacy and self-acceptance. Through personal experiences and practical reflections, Rebecca encourages readers to think differently about how they relate to their disability and to recognise the importance of being kind to themselves.
“I share my own experience as a disabled person and ways that we can be kinder to our disabled selves.”
As a first-time author, Rebecca found the writing process both rewarding and challenging. She wanted to ensure the book was as inclusive and accessible as possible for readers with a wide range of disabilities.
“The term disability is so broad, with potential readers having an array of different disabilities. I wanted to be as inclusive as possible in order for suggestions on self-care to be helpful and accessible for readers.”
Of course, there were challenges along the way too.
“The actual writing part challenged my time management, which I am not very good at, but I learnt to take regular tea breaks, something very relevant in the book!”
A Powerful Message of Self-Acceptance
At the heart of Rebecca’s book is a powerful message about acceptance, understanding and ensuring nobody feels alone in their experiences.
“I want people to grow a sense of neutrality around the word disabled or disability. I would also love those who identify as disabled or living with a disability to feel comfortable with it, or at least be able to acknowledge it. Ultimately, I want people to feel less alone in their disabled experience.
Everyone at Abbots Care would like to congratulate Rebecca on this fantastic achievement. We are incredibly proud to see her hard work come to fruition and are honoured to be able to share her story.
Rebecca’s book, Finding Yourself Within Disability: How to Look After Your Disabled Self, will be published this month, and we wish her every success with the launch.
Click here to pre-order your book!
