15+ Strong People Who Paved Their Own Way to Happiness

Physical and mental limitations can be turned into the biggest strengths if one faces them with resilience. Then it becomes possible to pilot a plane with no arms, climb the highest mountains with no legs, or beat depression and finally get outside.

Bright Side became amazed by the inner power of these 16 people and now wants to tell you their stories. We hope that it will give you the boost of motivation you need to reach your goals as well!

1. Jessica Cox was born without arms but it didn’t stop her from becoming the world’s first armless pilot.

2. “Legless not lifeless!”

3. Michael Coyne has autism, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. Nobody wanted to hire him, so he opened his own cafe!

4. “I’m a double above-knee amputee and keen mountaineer. This is me climbing Mont Blanc and the Jung-La-Pass.”

5. “I beat anorexia!”

6. “This dog is confused about where I’m hiding my left leg. (Spoiler: I don’t have one.)”

7. “I overcame my depression and went for a hike! It’s the little things.”

8. “First time with chopsticks after having my middle finger amputated with little help from my son’s assisted T-Rex sticks!”

9. “My new life”

10. “I did a thing! First Olympic-ish Triathlon. 1k swim, 42k bike, 10k run.”

11. “I recently received a bionic arm, and today I held the children’s book that I wrote with my right hand for the first time!”

12. “A year ago, I started a breakthrough treatment. Last night, I sat upright, unassisted, for the first time in 15+ years.”

13. “After 2 years of depression, I got my first tree as a single person.”

14. “Usually I’d say decorating graduation caps is silly, but...”

15. “When I was born the doctors said I wouldn’t live past the first year due to a heart condition. Today I turned 27!”

16. “Having a prosthetic for 27 of my 29 years, I finally decided to be a one-legged pirate. It was a hit.”

Do you have stories of your achievements that made you feel proud? Let’s share them in the comment section!