Last Updated on February 4, 2022 by Editorial Team
Sensory processing dysfunctions (SPD) can have a variety of symptoms in both children and adults. The central nervous system of individuals with SPD is inefficient in processing information, which may arise further difficulty in their daily functioning. These individuals may appear clumsy and withdrawn in certain situations however in most conditions they may still appear normal, and in some cases may display signs of superior intelligence. It could get confusing.
Not just parents and teachers, even mental health professionals sometimes have difficulty recognizing the early signs of SPD. The early signs could range from low self-esteem to hyperactivity to learning disability to emotional problems. Unless people in the circle are appropriately educated about SPD, individuals with poorly functioning nervous systems may feel difficult to cope with.
Understanding SPD from a more inclusive perspective seems to be the key to allowing yourself to understand sensory challenges. One of the most crucial components while taking care of an individual with signs or symptoms of SPD is encouragement. Someone who is struggling with his sensory dysfunctions should be regularly motivated to try new sensory activities.
In this article, we are compiling a thoughtful set of inspiring quotes that you may use with someone who is struggling with their sensory skills. We should understand that it is crucial to expose individuals with SPD to different perspectives. Unless they believe in themselves, it is difficult to expect any improvement.
We advocate for the importance of encouragement. At the time of looking for encouraging work for people struggling with SPDs, we found the work of Elaine N. Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, and Carol Kranowitz, author of The Out-of-Sync Child. Any teacher, parent, or occupational therapist who needs to encourage individuals with SPDs must read those two books.
We hope that the following encouraging statements find people with SPD at the time of need. Here are 10 quotes to remind us that sensory dysfunctions are not the end. That with enough encouragement we all could live a purposeful life.
List of Top 10 Inspiring Quotes on Sensory Skills
1. “You can be, should be, and need to be involved in the world. It truly needs you.” ― Elaine N. Aron
We limit ourselves. However, the more aware we become of our weaknesses the more we can overcome them. Here, Aron is pointing out how we truly get involved in the world. She says if we don’t limit ourselves in any way, we could become something that this world truly needs. We need to break our mental shackles. We need to become aware of all the lies that we tell ourselves. The lesson we can learn from Aron’s quote is that the world needs us and the meaning in life lies in pursuing it.
2. “Here is my charge to you: If you have concerns about your own or another child, no matter how vague they seem or how inarticulate you feel verbalizing them, pursue them. A child can have less pronounced problems than mine and still need help. And in your pursuit, continue until you find hope. In doing so, you may free other wonderful, enjoyable, little people held hostage by sensory processing problems. They are too small and frightened to free themselves.” -Carol Kranowitz
Often we might neglect our children’s needs, especially when we are busy handling our own. Life may seem unfair. What we need to acknowledge here however is that kids are too small and frightened to tackle their problems. This applies more if they are struggling with sensory dysfunctions. Kranowitz, through this quote, shows us the path on how to help children with sensory challenges. She says as long as we don’t give up in our pursuit to help our kids, we would find hope. And in that quest, several other beautiful things would unfold.
3. “There are many things we don’t understand, and many ways to unlock the brain and maximize function. Don’t ever let anybody tell you it can’t be done.” ― Sally Fryer Dietz
This quote by Dietz is truly motivational. Especially for people with sensory dysfunctions. With difficult challenges in life, we often develop an inferiority complex. And this is what Dietz is warning us against. She is encouraging us to find our true potential. Rising higher than our surroundings, no matter how mediocre condition we have been raised in, she suggests that we still can achieve greatness, no matter what people around may tell us. We are stronger than what we otherwise may feel and we need to believe that we are meant for great things and pursue them.
4. “Some of you may be struggling with discovering your vocation and feeling a little frustrated that your intuition is not helping you more. Alas, intuition can also stand in your way because it makes you aware of too many inner voices speaking for too many different possibilities.” ― Elaine N. Aron
All of us regularly face problems at home and work. As per Aron, these problems shouldn’t be something to complain about. We all go through our share of problems in our ways. These problems are the opportunities to explore the path of life. The trials and tribulations of life are what make us stronger to face the success and failures of life. Sometimes, it may feel that your current capabilities are not enough. That you want more. Aron is pointing out here that our limitations could also give us a picture of our possibilities.
5. “And while a difficult past may seem at first to hamper our living our life’s purpose, sometimes it serves the purpose, too. Or it is the purpose—to fully experience and understand a certain kind of human problem.” ― Elaine N. Aron
A difficult past could lead us to different places depending on how we react to it. At first, we might feel that we are not capable enough to get over certain obstacles. However, it’s only in our attempts to get over certain difficulties that we may find our true purpose. Aron is pointing out that the meaning of life maybe is a version of our attempts of trying to understand the difficulties of life.
6. “I believe the only real limits in life, are the ones we put on ourselves and/or others….so I say forget the limits and “go for it.” You may be surprised at what is really possible!”― Sally Fryer Dietz
The secret of success is persistence. We could take the example of mountains which stay in their course for millions of years. It teaches us how if we stay true to our paths, we could sustain ourselves through the most difficult of situations. Deitz states that the only limit we have is the one we put on ourselves. Once we start believing in ourselves and challenging ourselves, we will be surprised by what could come out of our honest attempts.
7. “Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it. “_ Charles R. Swindoll
Life is difficult. However, life could become more unpleasant when we negatively react to the difficulties. The better approach would be to face the difficulties with a brave face and try to overcome them. The idea is to never adopt a defeatist attitude, no matter how many setbacks knock you down. Whenever a difficulty arrives, brush yourself up and get back on track. Never giving up seems to be the answer to all the setbacks.
8. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”― George Bernard Shaw
Through this quote by Shaw, we are redefining the narrative of what’s already given to us in life to what we can perhaps become in the final analysis. Our struggles may exhaust our bodies and mind. We might end up believing that our hard work is not worth it and let it go. We, as an individual, should try to outrun ourselves in the race of life. The distraction that the world has been feeding us that we will be happy once we find ourselves seems to be wrong. As per shaw, we have the liberty and if we dare enough, our life story should be about creating ourselves.
9. “Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.” ― J.K. Rowling
We can’t have a list of encouraging quotes for children and not include Rowling. This quote redefines our perspective on understanding and acceptance. The true sense of connection arrives when we come face to face with an epiphany on life. That’s when we begin to understand the intricacies of how life works. Once the world opens itself up for us, it’s the power of our acceptance that could begin to turn our understanding into recovery.
10. “Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.”― Moliere
If there is one lesson we could learn on patience, it would be what Moliere has articulated so well in the given statement. The real beauty of life arrives when we patiently work for it. We get truer and truer to ourselves the more we grow with our experiences. Like wine, it’s only with time we get more potent. Trees demonstrate this truth. As we could see that the trees that take more time with bearing fruits are the ones that give the best harvest.
Conclusion
We all have complex life. As parents and teachers, we could encourage people with sensory dysfunctions and expose them to a positive outlook on life. It’s best to have a few encouraging lines. Because there is no quick fix. Building an encouraging environment with a sensory-rich environment could be helpful.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,