Dislocating my kneecaps twice in two years should have been the worst experience of my life, but it has actually made me a more positive person. The first time I dislocated my kneecap, I had a very negative view on the world. But the second time it happened, I was able to make the best of a bad situation.

During this issues brainstorming, I brought up the idea of how injuries can actually be a positive experiences. My fellow staff member, junior Sam Lopez, who broke his leg over the summer, disagreed saying it was the worst experience of his life because of everything it took away from him. While I agree that being injured does take a lot away from you, focusing on the positive can help make the worst not so bad. 

While injured, life does pass you by. There are things that you miss out on. However, it teaches you to appreciate things you can’t do any more.

Doing simple activities such as going up and down stairs, sitting and walking become incredibly hard. You really learn how to appreciate the little things. Now, when I do normal tasks I have a sense of accomplishment and feel lucky to do something so easy as running, which is something I would never thought I would say.

Instead of fixating on what I couldn’t do, I focused on what I could do. It’s impossible to not think about everything you can’t do, but thinking about the things that you can do is a way to bring happiness to a frustrating life. Something I couldn’t do was learn the dances for the musical. So I threw myself at student directing, because it was something I could do. It made the time that I couldn’t dance go exponentially faster.

Before my injury, I considered myself a pessimist when it came to negative situations, but now I can say I am an optimist. Being able to find the good during an injury, which is one of the worst things that can happen to a person, has taught me to find good in any situation.

I understand that the a glass is half empty outlook after an injury. That is how I was after I dislocated my kneecap the first time and I thought my life was over. Having a positive outlook is not something everyone can have, it takes a lot of work, but it makes a monumental difference. Being optimistic during my rehabilitation, I truly believe, led to my knee healing faster. I was highly motivated to regain the strength in my knee with a strength I never thought I could have.

My injury has really been a “glass is half full” experience. After two months of healing I have a new found optimism in my life.