While I Walk Again?
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, I am often approached by strangers and asked if I will ever walk again? Or, I’m told I will walk again if I just work harder or pray. If we are just talking science here for a minute … I think it’s important to unpack what actually causes paralysis when an individual experiences a physically traumatic event damaging the spinal cord.
What Makes You Paralyzed?
TEDx Talk NOW LIVE (Big Impact with just 30 seconds)
I am so excited to share this with you — My TEDx talk: TURNING PARALYSIS INTO PURPOSE: USING ADVERSITY TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS
I put my heart, my soul, and what I truly believe in life — paying it forward — to help other human beings, into this incredible journey wrapped up into 16 minutes.
YOU ARE THE DIFFERENCE
If you watch my TEDx talk and leave a comment – it encourages the algorithm to share my TEDx with others around the world.
I would be incredibly honored and grateful if you would share with your networks and pay it forward by spreading a message, I truly believe in.
ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS?
No problem. Just launch the video and let it play in the background. Each one of you make a huge difference by simply clicking to play (and bonus if you leave a supportive comment)
MOVING FORWARD
As I continue to embark on this incredible speaking journey, I look forward to keeping everyone updated and I will be hosting a LIVE LAUNCH WATCH PARTY with a fellow TEDx Speaker of mine for 1 hour where there is no topic off limit and you can ask me absolutely anything!
Stay tuned for another announcement with the launch party date. If you are unable to attend, I will post the video on YouTube to watch later.
I would not be here today without hundreds of incredibly close mentors and supporters over the years. I feel incredible privileged to be able to hopefully use my message to pay it forward to others.
Changing Lives – (Healing through Scuba Diving)
I posted a few pictures a few weeks ago when I went Adapted Scuba Diving with Thresher Aquatics. Many of you have seen my shark diving video, but I want to assure you that those that don’t feel like diving with sharks – Thresher has incredible spots all around South Florida to see fish, reefs, racks, and so much more.
I’m always completely fascinated by the behind-the-scenes of how one in a wheelchair gets a wetsuit on, gets off the boat into the water, or gets into the water from the beach, etc. I like to know what I’m getting into and have a plan. So, I made a video (Teaser below) – full video above on YouTube channel.
For me, the water is one of the most healing places. For some it may be mountain biking or adaptive kayaking, choose your outdoor bliss as it may. For those interested in adaptive scuba diving, I couldn’t recommend Thresher Aquatics more highly. The team is professional, trained in diving with folks with disabilities, funny as heck, it really is a second family of mine now.
My mental health is so sacred and I worked incredibly long hours and sometimes seven days a week. I save up several times a year to go on wacky outdoor adventures because that is my happy place and I hold onto those moments when I don’t feel like the day will not end and I am in front of the screen for 12 hours straight (today will be one of those days). It keeps me motivated, continues to give me energetic fuel to push forward in my daily life & advocacy efforts.
I hope this inspires and motivates a few reading this to go out, and try something a with scuba diving is your jam or if you have a loved one who may be interested.
Breaking Boundaries – Intentional Shark dive as a C6 Complete quadriplegic
I had the distinct pleasure to work with the beautiful 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Thresher Aquatics, down in South Florida.
In particular, this Shark Dive, with Thresher Aquatics and Shark Junkie — I attempted something they have never attempted before. They took me, a complete C6 quadriplegic on a shark feed dive. As far as we are aware and we have checked the Guinness world book of records … I am the first to do this in the world.
I even applied for the Guinness world book of records and will wait to see if we can make this a reality.
There is no other feeling in the world like getting out of your wheelchair and feeling the weightlessness of the water. Then add scuba diving, then add sharks … My complete heaven.
So many of us work so hard to save up for retirement to then live our lives. I live in a different world. I live in a world where the astounding amount of secondary complications, such as a simple urinary tract infection, can kill me within 72 hours.
I refuse to wait to live my life. I work incredibly hard and I almost work even harder at making sure each moment/memory is an experience of a lifetime. I am living my story because I don’t want to find myself years down the road regretting chances I didn’t take.
I’ve been invited by Shark Junkie (@thesharkjunkie) and Thresher Aquatics (@thresheraquatics) to join them to a trip to Bimini in the Bahamas for a shark dive with Tiger sharks and hammerheads. I’m so excited.
Anyone who is in a wheelchair or has significant mobility impairment simply has to check them out because they are the most incredibly professional, fun, and life-changing team.
I found my new hobby and it invigorates me to work harder every day.
TEDx Speech Success – PROUDEST of Professional & Personal ACHIEVEMENTS!
As of May 20, 2024 — As I eagerly await my TEDx to come out globally I’ve been reflecting on this incredible experience over the last several months of my life.
Delivering a TEDx speech has hands down been one of the most incredible and profound experiences I’ve had with speaking professionally in my life to date.
Joining the TEDx family has been my distinct honor and privilege. I’m so blown away on the dozens of hours and over 200 times I practiced a 15-minute speech. So much respect for the thousands who have come before me.
I’m frequently asked what it takes to be a speaker with respect to preparation and back-end business processes?
read more…The Next Phase in HEALTHCARE EQUITY Legislation
(Partnering with the North Carolina Medical Society & Legislators)
It was such an honor to be invited back to speak with the top doctors, legislators, advocates, and folks advancing healthcare equity in the state of North Carolina. The North Carolina Medical Society is one of the oldest professional organizations in the state dating back to 1855. I spoke with them last year on health insurance advocacy from the patient perspective.
Last week I spoke to these top leaders on understanding the process of prior authorization, navigating the health insurance appeals system, and sharing many of my personal stories & different healthcare equity initiatives I worked on over the years.
We are working with the state this year to amend the prior authorization laws as they are just needlessly complex and do not have any patient’s best interests in mind (not to mention even doctors are confused/removed by and from the process).
We are pushing for systemic change while simultaneously trying to navigate within a broken system. This is a team collaborative effort where we will need multiple stakeholders across many different industries to weigh-in, work together, and share insights.
Here’s to the start of a beautiful partnership and collaboration! Much work ahead. We are ready!
Here’s a fantastic interview I did with the amazing part of Randy Aldridge is the communications and marketing. Randy is marvelously funny while still talking about very serious issues!
MY BODY IMAGE EVOLUTION AS A QUADRIPLEGIC
I don’t meet many people who love their bodies. It could be their thighs, their boobs are too small, and their belly is too big. We all have our insecurities. This life. This also has nothing to do with the onset of social media, although it’s made insecurities for millions worse, but what constitutes beauty has been dictated by different societies for thousands of years.
In the 1920s, it was beautiful to be voluptuous … In the mid-90s being an anorexic stick figure was apparently attractive. Who dictated these trends? Well, another topic for another time.
I decided to do a little experiment with my caregiver the other day with a tasteful sexy photo shoot in my bed. Who did I make this photo shoot for? ME (I also didn’t feel like spending $500 on a boudoir photo shoot, although that might be fun one day as a present myself)
going beyond your limits: (in-person) podcast
I’m excited to share an episode of Hustle + Gather, “Going Beyond Your Limits.”
I had the distinct pleasure to be a host on Courtney and Dana’s podcast live where we get raw and real about life. We chat about the good, the bad, and the ugly — more than that we talk about the opportunity presented in life when we all go through Challenging times.
Podcast Description:
“Get ready to be inspired and entertained as Ali Ingersoll takes you on an unforgettable roller coaster ride of resilience and redemption! Join Courtney and Dana as they dive deep into Ali’s whirlwind life journey, from globe-trotting adventures to jaw-dropping escapades that’ll leave you on the edge of your seat. Ali shares her epic tale of overcoming obstacles, breaking bones, and breaking barriers—proving that laughter truly is the best medicine, even in the face of life’s craziest curve-balls. So grab your popcorn and buckle up for a wild ride of laughter, inspiration, and a whole lot of heart!”
LISTEN:
CLICK HERE to Choose your listening platform; Or choose below
SELECTED as a TEDx SPEAKER
BEST 41ST Birthday Present EVER!
On my birthday, March 1, I received the most exciting news! I was selected to be 1 of 10 TEDx speakers at University of North Carolina (UNC) in Pembroke out of hundreds of applicants. Since I started speaking years ago this is been a dream of mine. A big one.
With the help of so many supportive people in my life I applied in February. One of my 2024 goals for the year! I will be speaking on April 20. For those who are not speakers, it’s quite incredible the dozens and dozens of hours speakers put into 1 hour of speaking – the prep, research, practicing, iterating, etc. It’s exhaustive, but incredibly exhilarating for so many of us with just the thought of being able to hopefully help one other person with whatever you may be speaking on.
TEDx speeches range between a strict 15 – 20 minute time frame. One of the hardest things for speakers to do actually. We love to talk. Trying to get our life stories and messages across in 15 minutes … Not an easy feat!
This is my purpose. To help other human beings overcome incredibly adverse challenges in their life or in their professions through the use of psychology and neuroscience.
The title for my discussion is: “KEEP MOVING FORWARD: Embracing Adversity to Make You Stronger”
This is not just about my personal story, it’s going to be centered around how we move forward in life, practically speaking, when things don’t always go our way.
TEDx Talk Description:
Ali Ingersoll is living proof that we all have the power to keep moving forward despite the circumstances surrounding us. Becoming paralyzed after a tragic accident at just 27 years old, she would endure years of painful hospital treatments and diagnoses that would nearly end her life. However, she would eventually discover how to embrace her physical paralysis differently and transform her new physical reality to uncover hidden and extraordinary opportunities.
In Ali’s TEDx talk, she’ll share her story and reveal her idea worth spreading which serves as a testament to the power of resilience and boundless potential that lies within each of us. As long as we take 100% responsibility to persevere, our next chapter in life will reveal itself as it should even if it may not be immediately obvious in the moment. Ali’s message will inspire us that whatever obstacles or adversity we may be faced with each day, there is always opportunity to KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
Biography for TEDx talk:
read more…