When life hands you challenges

A few months ago, I watched this amazing video on a little girl named, Ana, and I happened to run across the video again, this morning. She blew my mind for numerous reasons, but the main one was because of the confidence she exuded.

The first thing you’ll notice about her is her infectious smile. The second, her profound intelligence. She’s articulate and creative. A deep thinker. As her mother says, “She’s a thirty-eight-year-old in an eight-year-old’s body.” Yes, she’s a Mensa member. However, as the camera angle changes, you’ll see that she’s also physically challenged and suffers from the disease, arthrogryposis, also called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), a term used to describe a variety of conditions involving multiple joint contractures (or stiffness). A contracture is a condition where the range of motion of a joint is limited. It may be unable to fully or partially extend or bend.

Even though there is no cure, Ana swears that she wouldn’t change anything about herself. She emphasizes that we should embrace our differences and be proud of them. She’s exuberant, positive, creative, and wants to be an astrophysicist when she grows up. I think she could pass the test right now.

So, if you need a fix of positivity, I think you’ve come to the right place. Watching Ana will give you the boost you needed to get you through your day.