Growing Up in Bravery
For Etai Nahary, growing up was often rough and scary. He was the firstborn male in a culture that places a lot of significance on being the firstborn male. And he had Cerebral Palsy. Sadly, most doctors deemed Etai a “lost cause” due to his CP. One going so far as to encourage his parents to leave him at the hospital to die! His parents moved him to the United States, instead, in hopes of finding the best care and treatment possible.
Etai works to control his mindset because he understands that his disability is not always in his control. Unfortunately, his mind is not always easily controlled either. Somedays his thoughts are a sea of critics that he can’t shut out. His anxieties and his fears can seem overwhelming at times.
Even in these dark moments, however, he finds it in himself to face these voices. He quotes past guest Katherine North’s book, Holy Heathen, with a smile in his voice, “fear is just practice being brave.” Even when he can’t turn his thoughts into affirmations, simply acknowledging them allows him to reach a place of mental growth. (Listen to Katherine's episode here.)
Creating A Life of Understanding
Etai was born in Israel. Having a grandfather who was not only a Holocaust survivor but also choose to go back to Germany after the war, Etai was inspired to get his Masters in Holocaust Literature. After deep-diving into Judaism, the Holocaust, and feelings of belonging in the world, he applied to become a Rabbi.
Fairly quickly, Etai realized that working in organized religion wasn’t for him. Although it was through this endeavor that he found his true passion (and his wife!). Etai is now a life coach with a major in psychology. His coaching company, Etai’s Corner, is a practice that works towards helping people while pioneering accessibility in society for those with disabilities.
Through his long and winding road, Etai has consistently found his “life calling” in helping those around him. His empathy aids him well, as does his love of learning and understanding. Speaking 8-10 different languages allows him to connect to others in their native language. He calls it “reaching their heart” when he talks to someone in their mother tongue.
Working from His “Happy Place”
Despite his discomfort and unsteady speech, Etai has a lot to say and the world needs to hear it! He recently became a professional speaker talking about a variety of different topics relating to his mass of life experiences. These include disability awareness, languages and culture, and even positive mindset.
Connect With Etai Etai is a life coach with an impressive resume. Connect with him on Facebook at Etai's Corner if you’re interested in his work. You can also contact him through his email if you are interested in him speaking at your organization or training. His Youtube is full of more content, along with his twitter.
