The 3 Lessons We Can Learn from Kids with Challenges
Updated: Sep 30
Imagine a teen, Ruthie, battling cancer, facing a half marathon. Her body is weak, but her spirit is strong. When she had to slow down, I suggested she take a break. But she had something else in mind. Moments like this, which I witness from my nonprofit, show the power of resilience.
As a licensed psychotherapist, I work with individuals facing various life challenges. These hardships can hit us out of nowhere like a ton of bricks. But the biggest question is: how do we overcome these challenges? What tools do we need to push through difficult times?
For me, the blueprint came from working with an incredible group of young athletes—kids and teens with physical disabilities—through my nonprofit, Ji4Life. Our organization takes kids with seizures, vision impairments, cancer, rare illnesses, and some who use wheelchairs through extreme sports like Spartan Races, Ninja courses, and marathons. There is weekly training for these heroes and the rest of us who help them accomplish these incredible feats.
Image by DisobeyArt / Adobestock
Watching a child who was never expected to walk finally climb a 10-foot wall or a teen battling cancer push through three grueling miles to complete a half marathon — is awe-inspiring. These children not only tackle these extreme races, they do it with the biggest smiles on their faces. There is a certain grace to their every movement.
For them, pain, fear, and worry don’t define their experience. They see challenges as part of life, a daily norm. Hospital visits and medical treatments are routine, but despite it all, they find joy in the world. They’ve taught me some of the most valuable lessons about overcoming obstacles that can help all of us get through the toughest times in life.
Image by Rapeepat / Adobestock
Here are the three key principles these athletes have mastered, which we can all use to conquer our own challenges:
1. Perseverance: Never Give Up, Adapt, and Keep Moving Forward
When I suggested to Ruthie, the teen battling cancer, to take a break during the half marathon, she had another idea. Her response was unforgettable: “If I stop now, I’ll never finish.”
So, instead of giving up, she adapted. She started power walking, took her teammate’s arm, closed her eyes, and said, “Guide me to the end.” And she did just that.
She showed us that pain and discomfort are real, but it doesn’t have to stop us in our tracks. Sometimes, we can’t fight through pain directly; instead, we must accept it, make adjustments, and keep moving.Ruthie showed me that life’s challenges won’t always be something we can run through. Sometimes, we must adapt and wait for the hard part to pass. What matters is that we never stop moving forward.
2. Teamwork: Surround Yourself with the Right People
Every great accomplishment requires a strong team. At Ji4Life, our athletes participate in vigorous sports like Spartan Races, where they have to scale 10- foot walls. It takes a coordinated effort from everyone involved to make it happen.
Meet Ari, one of our athletes. When it’s time for him to climb the wall, we need seven to ten people working together to get him up and over. It’s a carefully orchestrated effort, and every person has a critical role. No one is left out, and no one can slack.
In life, just like in these races, we all face “10-foot walls.” To overcome them, we need a support system —teammates committed to helping you succeed. Find your helpers.
3. Perspective: Believe You Can, and You Will
Perspective is everything when it comes to tackling life’s challenges. How we perceive our struggles often determines whether we overcome them. And one of the most important shifts in perspective comes from believing in yourself.
I saw this with Colby, an athlete who has seizures. The day before one of our weekly training sessions, he had a major seizure, and his dad told him he couldn’t attend. But Colby insisted, “I’m going.” Colby came to me and said, “I want to do it by myself.” I hesitated and asked, “Can you?” He confidently looked at me and said, “Why can’t I?” That moment was a revelation. Colby believed he could do it, and that belief changed everything. I watched, astonished, as he made it across the monkey bars by himself for the first time in five years.
Colby’s story is a reminder that when we believe in our abilities, we shift from “I can’t” to “Why can’t I?” That change in perspective opens up possibilities we might never have considered. When we start from a place of self-belief, we begin to see challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles.
Building Your Toolbox for Life’s Challenges
When life’s challenges arise, you need a toolbox ready to help you push through. Inside that toolbox should be three powerful tools: the will to never give up, the strength to lean on a team, and the belief in yourself that shifts your perspective from doubt to possibility.
So, when your next challenge comes, remember: “I’m not stopping, I’ll gather my team, I know I can do this.”
~ Written by Michael Neuman, LCSW, Founder of Ji4Life
Michael Neuman
Michael Neuman is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and psychotherapist based in Miami Beach and Hollywood, FL. He is the founder of Ji4Life, a nonprofit that helps kids and teens with physical challenges compete in extreme sports and races. Ji4Life trains weekly at the Jewish Leadership Academy (JLA) gym in North Miami Beach.
He lives in Hollywood with his wife, Jennifer. You can reach him at michaelsneuman@gmail.com or visit his website: neumanpsychotherapy.com