Meet Krystal. This writer has overcome a challenging childhood and has learned writing helps her express her feelings. She’s learning that by helping people solve problems she’s making a difference in her own way. She also shares some great organizational tips with us. We’re so fortune to have her as a member of the Network!

What's your story?  Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Krystal shares with us that she had a difficult upbringing, but she has cut toxic people out of her life in order to change who she once was and become the best version she could be.

She explains that writing has helped me through all my experiences. She has some brain damage around the areas of my brain for expression, in addition to trauma. When she is unable to express my words verbally, she is able to pick up a pen and write what she means. “When I'm unable to communicate, my anxiety increases, and I develop a panic attack. I've learned early on that if I brought a notebook and pen with me wherever I went, my anxiety decreased. I learned early on how important every word was and became sensitive to the pain others felt,” she says.

How are you involved with self-determination? Why did you join the SD Network?

Krystal tells us that she’s new to the SD network, so she hasn’t been much involved yet. She hopes to become an active member once she learns more about advocacy and how things are run.

She shares with us that her psychologist actually encouraged her to look at ways to share her knowledge and experiences. “I've been helping people on Facebook, Instagram, Quora, and other places with some problems they were forced to endure. How I saw it was making the difference in my own way. My psychologist helped me see this could reach more people and help people connect with resources they need, that my experiences were just as valuable as anyone else's," ’she explains to us. 

Tell us some good news - what's the most exciting thing happening for you (or in Wisconsin) in terms of self-determination?

Krystal is excited about a couple of things. She’s glad there has been more awareness for childhood intellectual and developmental disabilities. She didn't even know she had a developmental disability until she began intense therapy when she was 24. “This helped me understand why I felt a disconnection when I spoke versus when I wrote. While I can't have gotten my diagnosis sooner, I hope we all can continue to advocate to improve the future for the younger generations,” she explains.

She also is excited about being able to connect with senators and give input on upcoming bills. She intends on talking to her senator about the upcoming bills about mailing votes and medical assistance programs.

She also wanted to mention that she’s happy that NAMI (an organization that supports mental health)is now in Manitowoc. This will help the community heal.

What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to be more self-determined?

Krystal shares lots of tips on how to keep organized:

• Make a chores list for every room in the household (weekly). Laminate it and you can reuse it to keep track of what needs to be cleaned each week.
• Get into a routine. Set alarms and stick to them, even though you don't want to. This helps create structure and an understanding of how your body functions.
• Make a checklist of what you need to get done each day. Don't overdo it. Be mindful of how much stress you can handle and make room for in case of emergencies, sick days, etc. She shares that she was taught goals need to be realistic, something you can manage to do, starting right now. Build yourself up slowly from there. If you become too stressed, go back down and build yourself up until you're ready to handle it.
• Color-code information or things associated with each other. This helps reinforce your memory. She finds it easier to remember the color of a folder where I put my bills versus what file number they're in.
• Label everything and make sure it's easy to read. This way you know where something goes and takes stress off your mind.
• Exercise 3-4 times weekly. She highly recommends yoga—it teaches you about learning patience, calming the mind, and how to be present at the moment. 
• Eat whole wheat, fresh fruits, and lots of green veggies. Drink plenty of water. Having a healthy body keeps you energized so you can endure more and heal faster.
• Make time for yourself every day. Set up a certain amount of time doing something to learn about yourself. 

What are some of your hobbies?

Krystal enjoys learning about any topic and will research topics she’s unfamiliar with. She enjoys reading a good story and doesn’t have a preference in the genre.  Her biggest passion is writing. 

She also enjoys doing activities such as listening to music (lately getting into operas, orchestras, and piano), learning how to paint and draw from a variety of artists online (they offer free classes at Michaels, which got her started), and volunteering at Painting Pathways a few times a month. She tells us that one of their upcoming projects will be painting inspiring quotes on stones to place around Manitowoc County.

***We love hearing the views and opinions of Network members. We need to mention that the views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the person who is sharing them. They do not necessarily reflect InControl Wisconsin or any of our supporters and funders.