Discussion Topics: Overcoming Obstacles

Idols, role models, heroes: These are the people that we all look up to. As Christopher Reeve, who played the role of Superman in various movies, once said, “a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Throughout my life I have had multiple heroes, for a multitude of reasons. Helen Keller, for her ability to persevere despite the fact that she was both blind and deaf and yet was able to positively impact others. Amelia Earhart, for her bravery as the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Heidi Berry Krahn, for her incredible strength in times of hardship and her dedication and sacrifice as the founder and executive director of the Center for Animal Research and Education. People look up to their heroes, look up to their many attributes and accomplishments, and aspire to be like them. I have one hero that stands above all the rest, one that does all of the things my other

People can overcome anything, even someone such as Wilma Rudolph. Facing Scarlet Fever, and Double Pneumonia, and at the age of 4 contracted polio, and eventually became a 3x gold medalist wiinner. She showed you can overcome any challenge. She also proved that anything you put your mind to you can achieve.

Louie Zamperini, an Olympic track star, B-24 bomber, and a prisoner of war. Few people have all those titles. From trying to beat the four minute mark on the mile, to holding the heavy wooden beam above his head in front of the bird, Louie drive and determination never changed. Louie would never break no matter how bad the situation was and that is what makes him such an inspiring hero. People around the world come across problems every day, some worse than others. Louie teaches the people that no matter how hard the situation is, we must drive to get through it, we must be unbreakable, and in the end good things will come.

There are many people who went through challenges like these three people who have been through a lot like Ernesto Galarza, Farah Ahmedi, and Annie Johnson. These three people have been through a lot of challenges. The challenge that Ernesto had faced was that had gone to a new school and had to learn english and Farah Ahmedi had to cross the Pakistan border then Annie Johnson had to raise her own children by herself. However, all three shared an ability to accomplish to overcome their challenges to accomplish their goals.

Initially, when I think of someone who handled a great deal of difficulty, yet overcame them and succeeded, I picture Abraham Lincoln. Abe had many struggles that not many people know of. When he was young, Lincoln moved several times

The patience, compassion and encouragement of one person improved my family’s last years with its patriarch in countless ways. It was this improvement that inspired me to pursue a career as an

My inspiration comes from a little girl named Kendall. For the first year of her life, Kendall Quinn Atkinson experienced heart defects, hypertension, chronic pneumonia, and every nightmare a parent could have. Around her first birthday, doctors had a tentative diagnosis: Methylmalonic Acidemia with a secondary mitochondrial dysfunction. This essentially means that Kendall was destined to a life of periodic hospital visits and near death experiences. Doctors didn't think she would live to see her fifth birthday, a few months ago she saw her eighth. But Kendall isn't inspiring because she's been so close to death, rather because she's unbelievably full of life.

Too often in life, we are so preoccupied with the destination that we forget to simply admire the journey. When I first read the story of James Rhio O’Connor, I was truly inspired. I am completely in awe that a person can be told that they only have a year to live, then they can turn around and prove all of the doctors and scientists wrong and outlive his prognosis by more than six years. He showed with lots of determination, you can prove that you're strong enough to survive anything.

However, it was not just his story that inspired me. It was the smile that he carried on his face that amazed me. I asked myself, “How could someone who had endured through so many hardships throughout his life still

Looking at Christopher McCandless, who a guy who found the way outside of life. As he met nature face to face. This story on how he made his way to the wild. That made me inspire him on his trip to Alaska. How he got a job when people from his home state and the police were looking for him, and also getting through high school and college as he gets a master. Shocking he never used any of these skills in the real world that he ran away from. His parents try to give him a new used car, but he pushed everything away and later on vanished from everything.

Martin Pistorius. A boy who was diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis and put into a coma-like state. Unable to speak, move, or make eye-contact. Alone with himself and his thoughts. I truly have to say that his perseverance was just straightforward amazing. Despite the hardships he went through during those years, he pulled through the dark thoughts. Put yourself in his shoes. All alone, trapped in his head, simply helpless along with your mother hoping you’d just die. Would you be able to keep yourself together?Would anyone? Or would you let the dark thoughts slowly consume you, deeper into the dark side? This definitely inspired me to think more about my mindset and willpower because it can do so much for me. Especially during the dark

The second example is Florence Nightingale, who actively participated in the Crimean campaign of 1854, working in field hospitals as a nurse. Together with 38 assistants, she implemented the principles of sanitation and care for the wounded, so that in less than six months the death rate in infirmaries fell from 42 to 2.2%. This case inspired me for leadership and not being afraid to take important decisions in my nursing practice.

I was given the opportunity, in the last month, to job shadow at a local physical therapy. It was shocking, in a sad way, yet informing to see the outcomes of people who survived strokes and even cancer. A key point in the day was meeting this older gentleman who survived a stroke, but was forced to be in a wheel chair for the rest of his life. He was a strong and brave man because he wouldn't take being in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. I believe he'd been going to physical therapy for about a month prior to when I was there. I could ramble on telling you about this courageous, nice, and brave man for hours but I'm just going to get to the best part of the story. Before this gentleman showed up for his appointment, the physical therapist I was shadowing told me that this man just recently learned how to walk. That man proved to his doctor, who said his chances of walking again were slim, wrong. That was a memory that I will never

Those who overcome tough situations know when to do the right thing. Three different people in my life have shown bravery and strength. My 11th grade English teacher fought her way through sickness in order to do her job as a teacher. My aunt who knew when to do the right thing for her daughter. Kristie, my mother, faced

5. Talk about a person in your life who has inspired you. Describe the person and explain why you found him/her inspirational.