Learning that you will have to utilize a wheelchair for your daily mobility may seem dreadful or hard to grasp. In the beginning, it is not an easy life changing event to adjust to. With time and patience, you will learn how to change your perspective and adapt to your surroundings with a wheelchair.
Adjusting
When you are a new wheelchair user, the first thing you would do is figure out how to use it in your daily life. You will spend time getting to know the foreign object and learn how to adjust your lifestyle based on your limitations. It will take some time and definitely some time to get use to the new changes. However, once you become familiar with your new living situations, you are one step closer to coping with the lack of mobility.
Acceptance
The idea of using an wheelchair may seen as loosing your freedom from independently navigating yourself through life. It may also cloud your judgment about who you are and feeling unsure about yourself. Feeling sad, frustration, and anger are natural emotions. However, instead of keeping it to yourself, share your feelings by writing them down in a journal or expressing verbally to a friend or family member. Even though it will not improve your physical state, it will give you the validation that you need to be able to accept the changes that are happening.
Expectations
Expectations are perspectives of how we see the world. If we see it from a perspective, it is not as bad as it seems. When people faced with new transition in their life, they tend to see it from a negative perspective because of the changes that they would have to face. Find the appropriate balance. Expect new challenges. Face mistakes and failures. This will not only help you adjust to your new lifestyle but also become a stronger individual. Relearning activities with a wheelchair is trial and error that allows you to find the best way for you. Not everything will be smooth in the beginning but once you overcome the obstacle, things will fall into place to become a comfortable situation.