Living a Happy and Satisfied Life With Limited Mobility

The World Health Organization reports that 37.5% of the world’s population lives with some type of disability. Within this percentage, more than 19 million people cannot walk a quarter of a mile at all or have difficulties when doing it.

We usually observe limited mobility like a merely physical problem, but it goes way beyond that and has a significant impact on mental health as well.

Problems with mobility affect every aspect of a person’s life. Since it complicates social participation and makes certain activities less enjoyable, limited mobility can impact your self-esteem and happiness in general.

However, while living with restricted mobility brings significant changes and challenges, it doesn’t mean you cannot live life to the fullest. In this article, we’ll discuss ways of reaching stronger mental ability despite the physical limitation.

Maintain a level of independence that suits you

The feeling of losing control over your time, chores, and life in general, is one of the worst things about decreased mobility. Naturally, this affects your feelings of self-worth and overall satisfaction. Fortunately, there are special tools that can help with getting dressed, grabbing physically distant items, and performing common tasks. You can also rely on various apps to help you with things like ordering groceries or controlling home appliances and electronics.

But don’t shy away from asking for help

While independence makes a strong foundation for happy living, it’s also important to admit that, in some cases, you will need help. We all do, regardless of our degree of mobility. It would be good to have a safety network consisting of friends and family who can help you when you need them the most.

Get to know the world around you

Discovering new places and cultures through travel is one of the most exciting things human beings can do. The majority of common means of transport have commodities for persons with limited mobility, so seeing the world is not an unreachable dream. The variety of quality folding power wheelchairs available enables you to get the best one for your needs, and most airlines don’t charge for taking them with you.

Develop new skills and knowledge

Learning new things can help improve mental health. Acquiring new knowledge even in your adult life is linked to a decreased risk of dementia, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. It results in more optimism and better life satisfaction. The area where you want to improve your knowledge depends solely on you. It can be anything from learning a new language or coding to painting and wine tasting.

Stay physically active

Restricted mobility doesn’t mean you cannot be physically active. Exercising is imperative for mental health and, as such, you should not ignore it. If you decide to start working out, make sure you include cardio training, flexibility exercises, and strength workouts. A physical therapist is best equipped to prescribe you a workout routine you can follow. Remember that it is natural that your issues with mobility make you feel self-conscious – but don’t let the emotional barriers prevent you from experiencing all the benefits you can get.

Be social

People with limited mobility often have a habit of retreating into themselves. This is never a good thing. Sure, everyone needs to enjoy some alone time regularly, but staying in touch and maintaining open communication with our loved ones helps us draw strength and optimism even in the toughest moments.

On top of that, don’t shy away from getting to know new people. You would be surprised at how many wonderful souls there are.

Provide help

Providing support to others can significantly decrease stress and anxiety levels. It activates a region in the brain linked to parental behavior and boosts wellbeing. It also speaks that you have something to offer.

Depending on your preferences and degree of mobility, you can volunteer in a disability camp, mentor students online, read to nursing home residents, or simply share your experience to bring courage and hope to others. This will also help you break free from a life of limitations and realize that there’s so much you can achieve.

Embrace yourself

Finally, the most important person you need to accept and embrace is yourself. All of the tips above should help you achieve that, but everything needs to come from you. You need to know that you shouldn’t live up to other’s expectations and measure yourself against anything or anyone else. Deep down, you know your capabilities, and you know which dreams you can and should make true. So go for them.

In the end, there’s not much more to say but: listen to your inner voice. After all, you know best how you feel and what you can achieve.