Jim Stevens is a poster child of sorts for resilience. An artist in Wheat Ridge, Colo., Stevens discovered a surefire way of bouncing back from adversity by reaching out for support from others. Stevens was shot in the head by an enemy fighter while serving in the Vietnam War. Because his doctors were unable to successfully remove the entire bullet, Stevens suffered from severe, recurring migraines for the next 20 years.
In 1994, after experiencing a particularly painful migraine, Stevens suffered a stroke which made him lose 98% of his vision. This made him angry. One day, while in a fit of rage, Stevens destroyed many of his unfinished art pieces and notes. But with time, Stevens learned how to open up to his daughter about what he was feeling. In return, his daughter was able to convince him that he was still needed. This show of affection broke Stevens’s heart and finally caught his attention.
Many psychologists champion self disclosure as a practice that enables healing. This is because when you talk about your problems, you involve yourself in open-heart therapy. During this important heart to heart, Stevens’ daughter suggested to him that he should take up karate as a way of enabling him to regain his self-control. That’s when he set a new life mission for himself: to become a martial artist.
Thereafter, Stevens got back on track with his life. He began to once again look forward to things, instead of looking behind him at the past. Stevens earned a black belt after 4 years. Today, Jim Stevens is the only legally blind man to win the men’s fighting competition in the Martial Arts Tournament of Champions. And when he did, Stevens says that the spectators were not even aware that he was legally blind.
After 2 years of studying karate, Stevens’ karate instructor suggested that he try getting back to work on his art once again. He tried but failed twice. On one of his bad days, his youngest daughter reminded him of his promise not to quit. So Stevens dusted himself off and tried again. The next time around, he experimented with various types of visual lenses to aid him in his art. Slowly but surely, Stevens was able to once again begin making quality art by employing his sense of touch and using lenses. In 2009, he was honored by the Kennedy Center for his achievements in art.
Stevens’ setback involved a life-altering change which required flexibility to handle it well. Stevens did not allow his setback to bench him. Instead by taking up karate, he was able to engage in physical activity which enabled him to handle the stress and uncertainty he was facing, as well as giving a boost to his mood. By exercising himself during karate, Stevens was able to increase the production of his feel good endorphin hormones.
Stevens has demonstrated a surefire way of “getting back to happy” and bouncing back after taking a tumble. His foray into martial arts enabled him to spend less time worrying about his challenges, and instead become happy. Stevens has proved that setbacks don’t have to set you back for long as you can learn how to better handle events and transition faster to happy from harrowed.
Years ago, while deeply frustrated by his situation, Stevens could easily have quit. But he didn’t. Instead, he took control of the situation, his seeming powerlessness and mastered his anger. With a simple can-do spirit, Stevens was led down the path of effective action. Jim Stevens is today an inspiration for aspiring martial arts fighters, as well as many individuals who suffer from setbacks.