To be seen on my own terms, by Lex Gillette
Meditative Story
WaitWhat
4.6 • 3.2K Ratings
🗓️ 1 September 2022
⏱️ 37 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Lex Gillette is a 5-time medalist at the Paralympic Games, and a world record holder in the long jump, but he’s more than that too. As he learns to navigate the world after losing his sight, he’s worried about being left out and overlooked — or, just as bad, being seen only in terms of his disability and his athletic gifts. Lex shares the story of how he began to forge his identity on his own terms, creating a spotlight that he steps into with his entire being.
Listen to Cal Ripken Jr.’s episode of Meditative Story, "Showing up is never an end in itself": http://listen.meditativestory.com/CalRipkenJrWW
Learn more about Lex: https://www.lexgillette.com
Follow him on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lexgillette
Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexgillette/
Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story: meditativestory.com
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, it's Rohan. When I'm feeling my best, my loved one's notice, I'm able to be more patient, |
| 0:06.3 | more present, to participate energetically in everything around me, and the reverse is also true. |
| 0:13.2 | When I'm burned out, or my own well-being is suffering, the people around me can feel that shift too. |
| 0:19.6 | Yoga is one of my go-to's when I feel these patterns arise, by focusing on breathing and working |
| 0:25.4 | with poses to release tension in my muscles and joints. I'm able to bring a heightened sense of |
| 0:30.5 | awareness to both my body and my mind. It's actually really interesting, the way practices |
| 0:35.0 | like mindfulness and yoga play together, in tandem, both reinforce and strengthen our overall |
| 0:40.8 | well-being. To understand this intersection, and the ways in which our physical, mental, and |
| 0:46.3 | social well-being are all interconnected, we got in touch with Lulu Lemon. Through their center |
| 0:52.6 | for social impact, Lulu Lemon has supported over 750 non-profit partners in expanding access |
| 0:59.7 | to practices that support holistic well-being, and their programs are remarkable. For example, |
| 1:05.7 | in one of their partnerships with the United Nations Foundation, they've co-created a |
| 1:10.1 | Festive It's Kind program that brings mindfulness training to UN humanitarian and development workers. |
| 1:16.6 | And when I share more about this later in the episode, I think you'd understand just how far |
| 1:20.8 | reaching the applications of mindfulness can go. The potential of Lulu Lemon's programs and |
| 1:25.7 | partnerships here is so exciting. |
| 1:36.7 | There's a runway, 114 feet, and I hear a verbal cue from my God. |
| 1:53.0 | I know the number of steps I take before leaping from the take-off board. |
| 1:57.5 | I leap fearlessly as far as I can into the sand pit. The pit doesn't care where I'm from, |
| 2:07.5 | it doesn't care what color I am, or my beliefs, or my disability, it just wants me to fly. |
| 2:27.6 | When Lex Gillette loses his sight at eight years old, his world grows smaller. |
| 2:33.8 | It's harder to play with his friends. He's afraid of being overlooked, or being seen primarily |
... |
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