Posts by: Ari Anderson

Have you ever been in a deadly serious situation that you looked back on later with humor? Perhaps you’re doing your normal activities and suddenly slip. Or, maybe an object ... Read more

September 16, 2021September 16, 2021

Acknowledging the Shadows of My Past and Focusing on a Hopeful Future

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

Have you ever looked back on the person you used to be and thought, “That was a lifetime ago!” When I think this way, I look at it from two ... Read more

August 19, 2021August 19, 2021

Learning to Be Thankful for What I Have Instead of Envious of Others

SMA News Today Columns

Have you ever looked at pictures of people on social media and wished that was you? The human race is made up of many different shades. At some point, though, ... Read more

July 29, 2021July 29, 2021

You Can Become an Honorary SMA Athlete, Too

SMA News Today Columns

The Olympic Games in Tokyo are happening right now, which makes me think about how those of us with SMA are athletes in our own special way. How do we ... Read more

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021

Building a Healthy Relationship With Your Body

SMA News Today Columns

So you’ve badly hurt another person’s feelings, and the guilt they’re making you feel is burning hot. You know how that goes, right? Once, a friend was so steaming mad ... Read more

June 24, 2021June 24, 2021

Asking for Help Takes You to New Highs, Not Lows

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

Sometimes people exclaim, “I never thought I would be doing this a year ago,” to negatively describe an experience. For example, asking for extra help to survive may cause some ... Read more

June 10, 2021June 10, 2021

Say Yes to Yourself and Your Ambitions

SMA News Today Columns

Over the years, I’ve thought, “I wish I didn’t have all of these responsibilities and could just have fun all of the time. Living with SMA provides enough pressure that ... Read more

May 13, 2021May 13, 2021

Opening the Borders of My Heart to Unique Friendships and New Strategies

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

Have you ever noticed that people are similar to countries, and vice versa? Everyone has their own exports (products or services we produce) and imports (products or services we buy, ... Read more

April 29, 2021April 29, 2021

Your Thoughts Are Powerful, and You Have the Ability to Change

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

One of the most extraordinary things about life is its ability to change the person we used to be into something completely new. We can’t always choose what befalls us ... Read more

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

The Importance of Finding People Who Recognize My Worth

SMA News Today Columns

We live in an age of rumors and widespread gossip. Many people seem to be mudslinging, and we’re all covered in it. Gossip didn’t start with the rise of social ... Read more

March 25, 2021March 25, 2021

How to Build and Maintain a Network of ‘Masked Advocates’

SMA News Today Columns

In my previous column, I shared how sometimes our advocates come from the unlikeliest of places. Yes, even politicians, who some believe are the embodiment of greed and corruption, can ... Read more

March 11, 2021March 11, 2021

Never Give Up Knocking on Doors and Searching for Your Advocates

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

It can be annoying when you receive devastating news, and someone naively says, “When one door closes, another one opens!” As someone who has received plenty of bad news, there ... Read more

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021

Rare Diseases and Flying Under the Radar to Pleasantly Surprise People

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

To those feeling too rare on Rare Disease Day (Feb. 28) let the following empower you. The saying “hidden in plain sight” can take on a new meaning when you ... Read more

February 18, 2021February 18, 2021

Searching for the Wisdom to See Challenges in New Ways

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could easily put into practice the lessons we learned growing up? We were taught to think about the effects of our decisions, but sometimes ... Read more

January 28, 2021January 28, 2021

Life Is an Adventure, So Let’s Be Pioneers

SMA News Today Columns

To make my sometimes hazardous life with SMA less scary and more exciting, I tend to think of myself as a pioneer. As my previous column noted, I carry a ... Read more