Tag: attitude

  • Turn Your Struggles, Dislikes, and Adversities Into Gifts

    karen back one foot

    I have size 9 double wide feet.

    For many years while growing up, I hated my feet. I dreaded going shoe shopping as nothing ever fit. I always had to “break in” shoes. This meant enduring a painful fit until the leather finally (hopefully!) loosened up. High heels were a nightmare because the wide fit usually meant my heels would swim in the back. I learned to shuffle along in heels–not a graceful site at formal events.

    When I first returned to barefooting, one of the World Champs took one look at my feet and said, “Those aren’t feet–those are flippers!”

    At first, the old feelings of embarrassment began to creep up, but then I thought, wait a minute, that’s an ASSET in this sport!

    The other World Champ later told me, “Your feet are good for backwards barefooting.”

    He was right. I’m much more comfortable barefooting backwards on one foot than going forwards. For many barefoot skiers, it’s the other way around.

    I’m sharing this to challenge you to reframe your struggles, dislikes, and adversities into gifts.

    How can you reframe something to see it in a positive way? Look for the blessing. Change your story. Create new thoughts around your challenges.

    Wayne Dyer said, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

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    Bless someone with a card from YOU: www.cardsanywhere.com

  • Karen Putz Barefooting on Growing Bolder TV

    Bill Shafer and cameraman, Jason Morrow from Growing Bolder TV did a great job capturing the story of how I met Judy Myers and Keith St. Onge at the World Barefoot Center.  You can see my very first, sort-of-official backward barefoot start (with no shoes!)– but don’t blink, or you’ll miss me keeling right over two seconds later.

    Find more inspiring video, audio, and images at Growing Bolder.

    Filming at the World Barefoot Center

    Karen Putz on Growing Bolder

  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing People at the Drive-Thru–Go Inside!

    I’ve been getting a rash of new comments on the Steak ‘n Shake incident at my old blog site.  All of the recent messages have the same comment:  Deaf and hard of hearing people are not welcomed at the drive-thru.  Go inside!
    Here are some of the messages that were left:

    Employee said…
    Karen,
    I do regret that this situation happened to you. There have been many misjudgements of character here in my branch of service also. I have encountered many unsuccessful people in the food industry. I personally apologize for anything that was done for you and hope that our company does everything that you hope to get from them. I hope that you will find heart and be able to visit Steak and Shake in the future. Maybe just avoid the one with the bad management?
    Anonymous said…
    I’m Hearing Impaired Too, but my
    take is a little different than yours.The last thing I want is special
    treatment, law or no law.
    I would park the car and walk in
    and give my order.
    Because you had no problem communicating at the window , he saw no reason why you couldn’t do
    it over the speaker and neither
    can I.
    Anonymous said…
    Karen,
    I feel for your situation and of course this could have and should have been handled more appropriately.I would like to point out that you spoke several times about the ADA and reasonable accomadation. You even threatened the associate with this.I have nothing against folks with disabilities and even agree that certain accomadations need to be made but consider this.Would it have not been reasonable for you to just go inside to order? There is nothing wrong with trying to meet these challenges of communication half away but for some reason you make it sound as if going inside to place the order was unreasonable and out of the question.The whole thing sounds silly for both sides. I wish you the best!
    Anonymous said…
    GET OUT OF THE CAR AND GO INSIDE
    Anonymous said…  

    next time just go in and order.

    Have we gone back to the days of separate water fountains, where certain people were allowed to drink out of THOSE water fountains and other people were regulated to another one?  Those comments reveal the same attitudes, that drive-thrus are reserved for a special class of people.  If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, you get your little fanny out of the car and walk inside.  No drive-thru service for you.
    Not only do we have to fight for physical access at the drive-thru, we have to deal with attitude barriers as well.

    And by the way, Anonymous, it’s not called “special” treatment.  It’s called equal treatment.