Let Me Lead: Trust, Time, and the Truth About Getting Things Done

Sometimes it feels like the world sees me as a permanent passenger in my own life.

Like I don’t know where I’m going, and someone else needs to steer the ship because I use a wheelchair or have speech issues.

Here’s a wild thought:

Maybe I know exactly what I need.

Maybe I just need people to actually listen.

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When Ability Is Mistaken for Authority

One of the most frustrating parts of navigating the world with a disability is how abled people often assume they know better.

They speak over me.

They question my decisions.

They "correct" me when they’re clearly misunderstanding the situation.

And sometimes they act like they're the director and I’m the project—like they get to make the calls and I just smile and nod.

But here’s the truth:

I’m the expert of my own life.

I live this body, this brain, this rhythm—every single day.

I don’t need a committee of helpers telling me what’s best. I need collaborators who know how to trust.

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The New Timeline: Delays, Hesitations, and “Let’s Wait and See”

Another reality I’m facing?

Everything takes longer now.

Not because I’m slower—but because the systems are slower.

Every person involved in helping or approving something seems hesitant—scared to make a move without someone else’s signature or permission.

It’s like a game of hot potato, except everyone’s afraid to touch the potato.

And meanwhile, I’m just trying to move forward.

Deadlines get stretched.

Plans get buried in red tape.

My life becomes a waiting room, and I'm stuck holding the clipboard.

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Too Many Voices, Not Enough Clarity

I get overwhelmed.

Not because I’m weak—but because when too many people are involved, it’s like trying to have a conversation in a thunderstorm.

Instructions clash. Opinions contradict.

And I’m the one left trying to make sense of it all while staying calm.

You know what helps?

Less people. More clarity.

I do best when things are simplified. When there's trust.

When people talk with me, not at me.

When decisions are made efficiently, respectfully, and with me at the center of the conversation—not pushed to the side.

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Trust Goes Both Ways

Yes, I need help sometimes.

Yes, I appreciate support.

But the best support?

It doesn’t take over.

It lifts me up.

It trusts me.

So here’s my reminder to the world:

If you’re working with someone who has a disability—

Let them lead.

RESPECT their timeline.

Simplify when possible.

And above all, listen without assuming.

Because you might have two working legs and a clipboard…

But that doesn’t mean you know the way better than I do.