The Best Present - Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State

19 Dec The Best Present

Posted at 14:01h in Uncategorized by William DeVoe

It’s holiday time and I thought we should begin this month by addressing some of the most pressing issues that come up at this time of year. While there’s room for debate and everyone is entitled to their opinion, the correct answers to each of these critically important questions can be found at the end of this article.

Ready? Let’s begin:

What’s the best classic holiday song and movie?

What’s the best “modern” classic holiday song and movie?

Yep, that’s the kind of safe topics families across the country can focus on without creating their “Pigpen dust cloud” at their family gatherings. And that’s the point of this end-of-year article: we’re living in a time where it’s sometimes hard to remember the good in so many people, the common goals so many of us share and the best gift we can all give and receive is to reframe our narrative and work together to focus on the positive and get us back on track for our common goals.

There are many examples of those very gifts already in play at our Affiliates and I’m sure in disability organizations across the State. The leaders in these agencies have chosen to focus on the positive and look at what is in their control to manage and improve upon. All flowing from a reaffirmation of our collective mission to support people with disabilities and their families in living the lives of their choice. Mission and positive energy is a powerful combination. And together that combination help us counter the draining influence of the policies, payments, and procedures that present obstacles rather than support for our common goals.

Here’s a few examples of what’s happening in Affiliates to recognize the good they do and reinforce the positives:

• One agency has contracted with CQL, a group whose values aligned with the agency, to help them focus on what they do right. They found it to be “a refreshing and positive process so far as opposed to the constant beat down that comes from [the State]. Our staff have really appreciated the extra work because it feels meaningful and so much better than the norm.”

• Another Affiliate has embraced the message in The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, which includes tools for their team to build a positive culture that overcomes negativity and help them reach their organization’s highest potential.

• And we have multiple examples of Affiliates developing programs to improve the messaging with their communities about disability issues, including one agency providing training for police and other first responders about recognizing and supporting people with disabilities who may be in crisis and another Affiliate launching a mental health crisis and transition program with health providers to improve access to much needed services.

All have chosen to take steps to move forward, work with their internal and external communities to share the joy, the passion that has kept the disability movement in New York State moving forward for so many years. CP State’s “For the Win” initiative has been established to help us all celebrate and recognize the good – such as the millions of medications delivered without an incident, but which really doesn’t get recognized in a system established to find what’s wrong rather than embracing what’s right. We can all be proud to be part of a community that is flipping the narrative and choosing to see the half full rather than the half empty glass.

Let’s build upon this in 2025 and make this the year we not only change how we’re seen in the world, but also work to improve how we see our world. For all who are struggling under the weight of so many negative forces, that change in perspective truly is the best present we can give ourselves. Try it – I know you deserve it.

Thank you to all our Affiliates for the work you do all year, and may Santa be good to you and yours.

Wishing the entire CP family the best of holidays and a wonderful 2025!

Mike

Feel free to let me know what you think I got wrong/left off the list, but here are the correct answers to the pressing questions posed at the start of the article – and yes, I said CORRECT (this article may be me trying to be nice, but I can’t change being in an opinionated PITA):

Best Classic Holiday Song