What is a life coach? Well I’ve come to learn through my training that you can’t really give that term an exact definition. You might be asking yourself, “why would I need a life coach?” I really think a life coach is necessary for all of us. Whether you’re a struggling college student, at rock […]

I love vision. A vision for the future of how you want your life to unfold and having an idea of that final destination. I love clarity. Affirmations that what you are working for today is progressive and is leading towards that vision of the future. I love passion. I love knowing that what I […]

This is a reminder of life’s worth. Of my life. Of your life. For everyone. “Am I better off dead? Am I better off a quitter?” The lyrics of a song that stuck with me following my accident. I would ask myself that question and at the time I thought the answer was yes. I […]

1.) Family comes first. When I woke up in the ICU I was surrounded by my entire family. They drove is far as from North Carolina immediately when they heard the news to be there for me. I could not imagine what it would’ve been like if I woke up alone. The bond between my […]

It is never enough… Never has anything in my life made me content. I don’t know if that’s a curse or a blessing. As one monumental goal is accomplished right away I start thinking, “what’s next?” This way of thinking gets me to accomplish more, but at the same time I wish that I could […]

Edited and verified by his mother Vickie Sayles I talked a lot in the past about losing your mind versus losing your body. In my life I have successfully won the fight in regaining control of my mind on two different occasions. My fight was mostly won through medications. The other portion consisted of the […]

I remember during that first year going through a McDonald’s drive-through and wishing I could trade places with the cashier. I would have traded places with anyone. I saw my circumstances as unfavorable. I would have told anybody that was able-bodied, “at least you’re not me.” I had yet to adapt to my situation. Every […]

I dare to be different. I dare to be vulnerable. I’m not hiding. This is me and this is who I am and this is my story. I do not want to be invisible. You would think by sharing some mistakes that I’ve made that people would say shame on you, but it’s the opposite. […]

I’ve been through it all. The highs, the lows, the success, the failure, the ultimate college experience, the drugs, the insanity, experiencing death and new life, hope, hopelessness, contemplating suicide, finding my purpose, pursuing my dreams, and the redemption. The combination of these experiences has led me to realize who I am and what I […]

As I sit out on top of the rooftop of this old parking garage looking out over the city with the sun beating down on me I can’t help but think, “this is beautiful.” I came to this city almost 9 years ago and I still love it as much now as I did then. […]

1.) Coming in on top. Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future. I came to Ohio State after much success at my large high school in Stow. I was ready for a bigger stage and I wanted to make a name for myself. I was on a full ride scholarship which gave […]

In 2010 I jumped into it. I had this story and I knew that I needed to share it. So I started writing it and I really got into it. It was a new passion that I found and I found myself sitting in class writing rather than paying attention. I put my civil engineering […]

I’m sure you all remember that day. When you were 16 years old and you got to take your car out on the road by yourself the very first time. You finally had your freedom and independence. No longer did you have to rely on your parents for rides and now you could go pick […]

“Life can change directions even when you didn’t plan it it. All you can do is handle it. The worst thing you can do is panic. Use it to your advantage. Avoid insanity, manage to conquer every obstacle, make impossible possible. Even when winnings illogical, losing is still far from optional.” – T.I., No Matter […]

For over two years I’ve been pouring my heart out to everyone and making my life public. It’s the best thing I ever did and it honestly saved me. It started off dark but the support that I gained over time helped me to realize why I was still here. When I once was lost […]

On my 24th birthday I wrote this letter to myself. Little did I know that a month later my life would drastically change. 24 starts today… December 17th, 2010. I have a feeling about this year. It just takes ahold of me when I think about it. There is this sense of optimism that can […]

One might look at me and think that my focus is on everything that has been taken away from me but in fact it’s the opposite. I have been given so much and now I have so much to give, which is much more than has been taken away. This is now a purpose driven […]

The (614) Magazine article with all of the pictures and captions taken from the article without ads is now available. This is what you would see in the magazine. This is a much better way to read the article than reading it online. If you would like to read it or share it with a […]

The first guest post comes from Justin Martin. He’s a brilliant 17-year-old who has cerebral palsy. I heard him read this at a speech that he gave at the Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State. I told him that I would share this on my blog a while back so here it is. […]

I feel that it’s time to take away the focus from my story and to shine light on others. I will now be accepting guest posts to post to my blog. Everyone has their own obstacles and struggles that they have had to overcome. I want to hear about yours. Also, if you are currently […]

If you haven’t checked it out already, here is a link to the article that was recently published in (614) Magazine: http://614columbus.com/article/not-jesus-after-all-6052/ Thank you for the overwhelming amount of support! Enjoy!

Euphoria has always been a state of mind that I should take caution with. It was that state of mind that led me to do a irrational things that eventually led to those two psychotic breaks. Mostly I found it through my accomplishments which led to celebration. I found euphoria through drugs and buying expensive […]

Bitterness, anger, frustration, hopelessness, isolated, trapped, shattered dreams, and lost are words to describe that first year. I felt like I was wandering through the woods without a map and a broken compass and there was no where to go. I wanted to give up right there. I had no idea what was in store […]

This was the pursuit of happiness and now I can’t even remember the last bad day I’ve had. I have found joy through helping others and by helping others it has helped myself. That is the greatest gift that we can all give. We all have had our own unique life experiences that have shaped […]

I’m just out here chasing my dreams. A dream made possible by something tragic. A story created through success and failure. Lessons learned through having to rise up from rock bottom. Finding a way to persevere when thinking all of the odds were against me. Finding happiness through living the wildest nightmare I could never […]

Hello World, Did you miss me? I’m sorry I’ve been gone for a while, but now the show goes on. It’s time to put these words down and say something that hasn’t already been said. My life has been moving along smoothly with no steps back and just steps forward. Well I guess that is […]

When I got out of the psych ward in 2008 I was sent to a partial rehabilitation program. For the past 2 1/2 weeks I had believed that I was the second coming of Jesus Christ. I had lost my mind and now I was in this program to learn how to keep a sound […]

A few days ago I received some letters in the mail from a friend of mine who teaches high school in Arizona. He read my blog to his students and asked if some of them could write me letters. Reading through these letters was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had since the day […]

“Follow your own path.” I have that posted in my living room and it reminds me every day of this journey. I want to do something extraordinary with my life. Never once in my life did I want to be working towards someone else’s dream. Never did I dream of climbing that corporate ladder in […]

I put it simply in my book that if life was a poker game then in my first 24 years I had a royal flush. But I wasn’t playing my cards quite right. I was ready physically for anything. I had strength, balance, stamina, agility, and speed. But mentally I was damaging my mind through […]

I’m not ashamed of it. I don’t care that people stare. Children especially stare more than anyone. I’ve always liked to stand out and this is no different. I don’t care that my wheelchair draws attention to myself. I like the curiosity that it brings to people when they see me. It’s an easy way […]

I wake up every morning with one thing in mind. I’m still alive. So I treat every day as a gift. I understand how incredibly lucky I am. My name is more than just a cross in a field off the highway in the middle of Indiana. Every time I see one of those crosses […]

I was broken. Physically, mentally, and emotionally I was broken. I was at the very bottom. Life was perfect the day before. Then in one night, in one instant everything changed. How could this happen so fast? One bad decision turned my life upside down. Now I had to fight to get back to that […]

Never separate yourself from what you love. Push your limits and try new things and set your fears aside. I separated myself from what I love for almost 3 years. That love is water and waterskiing. If you would’ve asked me last week I would’ve said, “water and waterskiing were what I loved not what […]

I was challenged to pick out the best quotes I could find from my blog. I am to use them to send out as motivational cards for people that donate to my Kickstarter campaign. Let me know which ones you think are best. Thank you! The more you believe in something the closer you will […]

Welcome back Adam! Open your eyes. You’re still here. Ignore the breathing tube shoved down your throat. Soon enough you’ll be breathing on your own. Ignore that metal thing sticking out of your arm. It’s healing right now. Ignore the tubes sticking into your lungs. They will be healed soon. Ignore the brace around your […]

This is what I wish. I wish the best for my friends, family, and even my enemies. I hope you all find your path. I hope you have dreams and aspirations for the future. I hope that you have a goal and that you are not content until you check that goal off your list. […]

How do I keep this positive attitude despite my circumstances? How do I keep a smile on my face every day? I’m sure some of you wonder if it’s real. You wonder if I’m truly happy or if I’m just saying that. The truth is that I am happy. I’m happier than I’ve ever been […]

I never would’ve thought that I would’ve made it this far in such a short amount of time. I thought life was over but really it had just begun. The things that I’ve done since my accident have brought more joy, happiness, and purpose to my life than ever before. I once thought that it […]

I look down at my legs and no matter how hard I think and try to move them nothing happens. I stare at my left hand and try to curl my fingers but nothing happens. Then I look at the one physical thing that I have left which is my right hand. It does what […]

This is the letter I wrote to my Mom for Mother’s Day today. I would not be where I am at without her. To the most beautiful mother in the world, After last year’s letter you would think there would not be much more for me to say about you. But I could write a […]

My mind. Had it, lost it, got it back, lost it again, and finally it’s back again. What’s it like to lose your mind? Honestly I was happy, euphoric, and higher than any drug could ever get you. The only thing that frustrated me was that no one believed that I was Jesus Christ. But […]

I remember back to when I was a kid. I was the shyest kid in the class. Possibly the shyest kid in the entire school. I was afraid of getting in trouble. I was afraid of breaking the rules. I vividly remember in the first grade my teacher had a card system where your card […]

Life is not over. I once was in your position and I believed that all of my hopes and dreams were crushed. That everything I worked for no longer mattered. All I could focus on was the past. I so desperately wanted the life that I used to have. How can I be happy without […]

I’ve been through hell. But my faith is stronger than ever. I’ve had everything I loved to do taken away from me. But I’m still here with a smile on my face. I’ve had to overcome both physical and mental obstacles that set up a roadblock that I thought I would never pass. But I […]

Dear God, Are you proud of me? Was I worth saving? Have I proven to you why I was worth saving? Was this the path you chose for me? Because it just seems so clear to me. Thank you for paving it for me. I’ve never been so focused or have seem so clear in […]

I had two choices on how to live my life after I left the hospital. The first was to live in self-pity and to focus on what I can’t do and not what I can do. To live in the past and to forget about the future. The second was to move on and to […]

So this is my story…and you probably think you know how the story ends. But you’d be wrong. This moment, right here, is where the story begins. Because what you thought was the end was only the beginning. One of my caretakers will often tell my story to her family and friends. She can’t stand […]

I 100% believe in myself and think I can make the impossible, possible. I will make it. I sit. I think. I dream. I act. I will not let this life pass me by. I have always been a dreamer and I never wished to live a mediocre life. I told you my goals and […]

Never ever give up. Chase your dreams and do not let anything stand in your way. There are so many times where I could have given up or wanted to give up but I kept pushing myself. I had a mental breakdown and lost my mind and that did not stop me. That experience only […]

So what can I say that hasn’t already been said? I’ve been paralyzed coming up on 2 years on Tuesday. Which is hard for me to believe. I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to walk. Of course they have me walking in therapy but it’s artificial. I still stare sometimes at people’s feet as they […]

This post is from my book that I am working on titled ‘Well… I Guess I’m Not Jesus.’ This is the 1st time I have shared anything from my book with you. In 2008 I was admitted into the psych ward and eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I was suffering from a manic episode and […]

When I applied to the Sphinx Senior Class Honorary I was asked to write my epitaph at the end of the application. An epitaph is what you would like to be inscribed on your tombstone. Here is what I came up with: “Here lies a man who truly found happiness. He tried what he thought […]

Thank you for visiting my blog! If this is your first time visiting please start from the beginning by going to July in the archives and then read from the bottom up. The beginning entries are from over a year ago and I was in a completely different state of mind. You will see how […]

Still can’t walk. Still can’t get myself into bed at night. Still can’t run. Still can’t jump. Still can’t ski. I’ve only slept through the night once in the last two years. But all that matters is I’m happy. This has all been as much a mental battle as it has been physical and mentally […]

Roll outside. Put my headphones in. Press play. Recline back. Turn the volume up. Sit and watch the people walk by and think what I’m going to write about today. I listen closely to the lyrics of every song and hear the same message over and over again. All these artists that I look up […]

So I was looking up at the stars tonight and it made me wonder. What would it be like if I was looking down on all of you now? If I had died in that crash. Would there’ve been some sort of legacy that I left behind? What would people remember me for? Did I […]

A dream is what drives me. Without dreams we would have nothing to live for. I do not want to be mediocre. I want to be remembered for doing something great. I want to leave a legacy behind. So long after I’m gone there are still things to remember me by. I want to affect […]

This is the pursuit of happiness. Happiness is something that I always had but now it is something that I have to fight for each day. If you would’ve talked to me 2 years ago I would’ve said that there is nothing missing in my life. I knew what made me happy and I would […]

It’s Friday night and there is only one place I want to be. A couple of my best friends and former roommates are going out tonight and I just want to be right there with them. I want to catch up on old times and simply just be there. I wish things were how they […]

A year ago I felt like my life was falling apart. I would cry every single day to my mom. I felt like my dreams were shattered and everything that I ever worked for was now over. I had never been so depressed in my entire life. Sure I definitely had reason to be this […]

So my life didn’t work out as planned. I never saw this coming. I mean who did? Never one point in my life did I think, “well, maybe I’ll be paralyzed one day.” I thought about it when my dad talked to me about how he was paralyzed from his spinal cord injury. I thought […]

This is a letter that I wrote to my mom a few days before entering the psych ward on October 22, 2008. This is only about a fourth of the letter. I include this to show you how excessive drug use was part of my manic episode. A few days earlier I wrote a letter […]

Before going into my own crazy story about my struggles with bipolar disorder I want you to understand what can happen during a manic episode. I experienced pretty much all of these symptoms and I want to go through and share with you my personal experience with each symptom which tells a pretty crazy story. […]

I will never give up on my dream. I have gone through too much and have come too far to give up. I will not let my condition hold me back from reaching my dream. My injury was all a part of the process of creating my dream. Because now I have a more powerful […]

This was written by Kristy Wetzel who battled cancer for many years and recently passed away. Her words are very inspirational and are words to live by. Please check this out!   Choose to live your life with a young and open mind, a young heart, and a young soul. Choose to enjoy each step of […]

by Adam Helbling on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 3:23pm ·  What would you do if you were given a second chance at life? At what expense would you give to have that second chance? Would you give an arm or a leg? Would you give your sight or your hearing? I was given this second chance […]

Interested in hearing the whole story? I’m available for public speaking to any audience and I can speak on a variety of topics. I can speak on the effects of drugs and alcohol, mental health issues such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression. I can also talk about reckless driving and just how fragile we […]

2011 RECAP by Adam Helbling on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 7:33pm ·   When the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2011 I found myself alone working on New Year’s Eve. I spent the night working as a valet and was stuck working until 2 AM. This was the first time in my life […]

I love having the privilege of having a 2nd chance at life and being able to share my story with all of you. I’m also happy that the story got to continue because this story is far from over. So far I’ve been able to reach out to people in countries such as Japan, Italy, […]

Just got my 1,800th hit on day 6! Thank you for continuing to follow my story! Please share my website on Facebook or Twitter with your friends and family. If this is your 1st time reading make sure you start at the bottom and then go up to the top.   I’ve made several mistakes […]

Buying a video camera tonight! Look forward to videos that will give you a first-hand look into my life and to see exactly what I have to deal with on a daily basis. Hoping to start a reality TV show one day called ‘The Wheel World.’ I can’t take credit for the name though. It […]

Thank you for coming back to follow my story! So far 641 people have viewed the blog in the 1st 3 days which I am very excited about. Please tell others about my blog! I thank you all for the continued support!  As I’ve said before, the 1st year of adjusting to a spinal cord […]

Since my accident back in January of 2011 I’ve gone through a series of ups and downs until I’ve reached the mindset that I am in now. Before my accident even happened I was already in the process of writing a book. I had 150 pages of material already written. But the mindset was completely […]

Thank you for visiting my site and welcome to my blog! I am in the process of writing a book which I hope to have published by the end of this year. The purpose of this blog is to introduce you to myself and to feed you bits and pieces of my story. The goal […]