What the Mind Teaches the Body

Jonathan Licht is a third-year student at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is 21 years old and grew up in New York City. He loves starting his day off by going to the gym and he loves spending time with his family and friends. Jonathan lives with muscular dystrophy, a genetic condition that weakens the muscles progressively. Jonathan spoke about his perception of disability, which you can read below.

BTL: Do you consider your muscular dystrophy a disability? If not, how do you define its role in your life?

J: On a regular day-to-day basis, I consider myself to not have a disability, but I recognize that there are some things I cannot do. I cannot run and find it very hard to walk up the stairs. I wake up very tight in the morning and have to stretch in order to move well. I experience muscle weakness throughout the day.

BTL: Okay, so in that case, what does accessibility look like or feel like to you?

J: What makes things feel accessible to me is not the impact of the physical accessibility, but it’s more my friends and family being very understanding and happily helping me. Even something like helping me up the stairs without a railing and having supportive friends and family makes each day feel accessible. 

BTL: Having mentioned that people helping you up the stairs is useful to your perception of accessibility, what else do you find most useful to you? Is there anything you wish more people knew about you and the way you lived?

J: I do not wish that anymore knew more. I do not think that much about my disability or ever, honestly. If I had to brag about something, it would be how I have certain tactics in the gym that others don’t. 

BTL: So when your accessibility needs are met, do you still consider yourself disabled?

J: No, I do not. When I can do things I do not feel disabled. 

BTL: Are there any adaptive activities you participate in that go against the barriers or norms associated with your disability?

J: Going to the gym and doing cardio. I do 3 to 4 miles a day. 

BTL: Wow! Is there anything else you’d like to share with me about how your life is shaped by your disability or anything you’d want people to know about living with muscular dystrophy?

J: Well, everyone has something. Having a positive mindset is honestly the most important thing and that attitude allows you to attack everyday and be positive. Positivity helps you succeed more than people who don’t have that positivity. Manifesting that everything will be good and remain good allows you to put in the work and try to improve. I’ve been able to improve with this mindset. 

BTL: If you didn’t have this mindset, how would that impact you?

J: If I didn’t have this positive mindset, I’d constantly be thinking, “Why do I have this and other people don’t?” and you could spend so much time comparing yourself but there are things that people are better at than others and it’s important to recognize that everything will work out.