The Ability to Begin Again | Vol. 1 No. 7
Happy New Year's, Friends!
As we step into January, we’re embracing our theme for the month: The Ability to Begin Again. A new year doesn’t erase what came before — it simply gives us permission to reset, to realign, and to take one small, meaningful step forward.
Whether you're starting fresh, starting over, or starting for the very first time, we’re right here with you.
Here’s to courage, new beginnings, and a year filled with possibility
Jen and Trish
The Ability to Begin Again — An Advocacy Perspective
A new year brings no magic wand — but it does bring an opportunity to demand better. For ourselves. For our community. For a world that still has a long way to go in understanding disability, accessibility, and caregiving.
The Ability to Begin Again is not a slogan.
It’s a declaration.
Beginning again means naming what isn’t working and refusing to accept systems that make life harder than it needs to be. It means recognizing that many people in our community don’t get the luxury of “new year, new me.” Instead, we get new forms to fill out. New waitlists. New hoops to jump through. New assumptions to challenge. New moments where we have to advocate — again — for access, respect, and dignity.
For people with disabilities and caregivers, “beginning again” often looks like:
Re-explaining your needs to yet another provider.
Navigating inaccessible spaces — physical, digital, and social.
Justifying the support you require, even when it’s obvious.
Starting from scratch because a system failed you, not because you failed.
These are not personal shortcomings. These are systemic barriers.
And yet, every time someone in our community begins again, it is an act of defiance. An act of resilience. An act of insisting: I deserve to be here, fully, without shrinking myself to fit a world that wasn’t built with me in mind.
This month, we invite you to begin again with us — not by pushing yourself to change, but by imagining what could be different if inclusion wasn’t treated as optional. If accessibility wasn’t an afterthought. If caregivers were recognized, compensated, and supported. If disabled people didn’t have to fight to be believed or fight to get a job they are quantify for.
Beginning again, in an advocacy lens, means:
Recommitting to calling out ableism when you see it — loud or quiet, intentional or unintentional.
Asking hard questions about who is left out and why.
Designing spaces, events, conversations, and services that include everyone from the start.
Honoring your own lived experience as expertise — not anecdote.
Recognizing that rest & boundaries, and saying no are also advocacy.
And most importantly:
Beginning again does not mean starting from zero.
It means starting with everything you’ve learned, everything you’ve survived, and every voice you’ve amplified along the way.
Our community has never lacked strength or creativity. What we’ve lacked is a society willing to value those strengths. This year, may we collectively push for the kind of beginnings that don’t rely on individual perseverance alone, but on systems, workplaces, policies, and communities that finally rise to meet us.
To everyone reading this: caregivers, disabled folks, allies, and those still finding their place — your voice matters. Your story matters. Your advocacy matters. And your beginning, whatever shape it takes, is powerful.
Here’s to starting the year not with resolutions, but with resolve.
Quote of the Month
“Every moment is a fresh beginning.”
This Month in The Ability Journals
There’s more where this newsletter came from — our blog is warming up with fresh ideas, bold perspectives, and all heart. Coming on:
January 2 - Start the Year With Self‑Love: Your First Look at Our Access to Love Drop
January 15 - The Ability to Begin Again: Every Time Life Asked Me To
January 21 - Your Accessibility Wake-Up Call: Start 2026 With an Ability Storytellings Keynote
January 30- Starting Fresh Without Burning Out: A Caregiver’s January Reset
Journal of the Month: Start the Year With Self‑Love: Your First Look at Our Access to Love Drop
We’re opening 2026 with a message we believe everyone deserves to hear: love is for all — and access to love should never be limited.
This Journal of the Month gives you a first look at our Access to Love Drop, featuring new shirt designs and three curated Love Bags created with intention, inclusivity, sensory comfort, and joy.Our two main designs are “Different Hearts, Same Love” and “LOVE” in sign language. To add kid‑friendly fun with the Love Bug Bag, we’ve included a special Love Bug T‑shirt available only in that bag. This drop celebrates self‑love, connection, and the everyday moments that make love meaningful.
Whether you’re gifting someone special, buying your child something different for Valentine’s Day, or nurturing yourself, our Access to Love collection is your invitation to begin the year with kindness, comfort, and heart.
Read more here.
Behind the Scenes
We’ve been busy — in the best way. While you're reading this, we’re laying the groundwork for some exciting next steps behind the scenes.
Chamber Membership: We’re exploring joining our local Chamber of Commerce to grow our presence, strengthen partnerships, and open doors to new community opportunities..
Indigenous & First Nations Partnerships: We’re working to build meaningful relationships with Indigenous and First Nations communities, with hopes of creating respectful collaborations for future speaking engagements and shared storytelling.
Spring Product Line: Our Spring line is officially in development — fresh designs, seasonal themes, and accessibility‑focused ideas are starting to take shape.
Expanded Keynotes & Workshops: We’re adding new keynote topics and workshop offerings to reflect the growing needs of our disability and caregiving communities.
Bags for Every Line: We’re creating “bags” for each product line — The Ability Company’s version of curated baskets — to offer more accessible, bundled options for our customers.
Word of the Month: Renew
(verb): At The Ability Company, “renew” means giving ourselves permission to begin again — gently, intentionally, and without apology. It is the act of restoring our energy, our hope, and our belief in what’s possible. Renewing is not about starting over from scratch; it’s about carrying forward what we’ve learned, honouring our lived experiences, and choosing to move ahead in ways that are accessible, authentic, and aligned with who we are. It’s the quiet courage to reset, the openness to try again, and the recognition that every day offers a new chance to grow.
Important Dates to Remember
Mark your calendars — here are some key dates coming up that you won’t want to miss!
January 2 - Free Accessibility Reflection Tool available on website
January 5 - Access to Love Drop Launch Day
Service Spotlight: Ability Storytellings
Ability Storytellings is our dynamic speaking and workshop service designed to spark change, build empathy, and raise awareness about disability, accessibility, and caregiving. Rooted in real lived experience, our sessions blend powerful personal narratives with practical insights to help audiences rethink inclusion and understand the everyday realities facing disabled people and caregivers. Through compelling storytelling, we challenge assumptions, shift perspectives, and create space for conversations that matter.
Our talks and workshops are crafted to inspire, educate, and empower, offering audiences the opportunity to connect with stories that are often left out of mainstream conversations. From conference keynotes to community gatherings, Ability Storytellings invites people to imagine — and help build — a more accessible world. Read more about it here.
And now, we’re excited to share that we’ve added a brand‑new, limited time, resource to this service:
Our Free Accessibility Reflection Tool
This tool helps individuals, workplaces, and organizations begin assessing their own accessibility practices with honesty and clarity. It’s a gentle, practical starting point for anyone committed to creating more inclusive environments.
For a limited time you can access it here.
Product Spotlight: Access to Love Drop
Our first spotlight of 2026 shines on the Access to Love Drop — a collection created to make love feel reachable, inclusive, and beautifully personal. This drop isn’t about a holiday or a season; it’s about offering meaningful ways to connect, care, and celebrate the people who anchor our lives.
Each item in the collection was designed through a disability‑informed lens, blending comfort, representation, and intention. Whether you’re nurturing self‑love, strengthening family bonds, or sharing appreciation with someone special, the Access to Love Drop offers pieces that encourage reflection, connection, and everyday joy.
Thoughtful, sensory‑aware, and rooted in lived experience, this spotlight collection invites you to begin the year with gentleness and love — in all the ways it can be expressed.
Grab yours in the shop.
YouTube Spotlight: More to Come in 2026
We know… it’s been a little quiet over on our YouTube channel these last couple of months. Between life, work, holidays, and everything in between, we didn’t hit the schedule we hoped for — and that’s okay.
As we head into 2026, we’re aiming to show up with more consistency, creativity, and heart. Our goal is to bring you monthly videos that reflect real life, real stories, and real inclusion. But we also want to be honest: we’re human. Life happens. And sometimes, the most accessible thing we can do is honour our energy and adapt.
Thank you for sticking with us, supporting us, and understanding us. We can’t wait to share more with you in the year ahead — one authentic video at a time.
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Disclaimer - The Ability Company
The opinions shared in our blogs reflect personal experiences and viewpoints. They’re not meant to represent every journey or replace professional advice.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional advice. The Ability Company makes no guarantees about accuracy or completeness and is not liable for decisions made based on this content. Use at your own discretion.
