Jenna Udenberg, Guest of the Minute Mastery Podcast Episode 032How Resilience, Rest, and Disability Advocacy Can Redefine Productivity
How resilience, rest, and disability advocacy can redefine productivity. Jenna Udenberg, disability advocate and author, shares her inspiring journey from childhood arthritis to empowerment. Discover how resilience, rest, and self-worth redefine productivity on this powerful episode of the Minute Mastery Podcast.
We often talk about time management and productivity as if they only belong to the hustle, the able-bodied, and the always-on. But what happens when life forces you to slow down? When chronic illness or disability steps in and rewrites the script you thought you’d follow?
In this deeply moving episode of the Minute Mastery Podcast, I sat down with Jenna Udenberg—a disability advocate, accessibility educator, and author of Within My Spokes—to discuss what it really means to thrive when the world isn’t designed with you in mind.
The Day Everything Changed
Jenna’s story begins at age seven with a diagnosis of juvenile arthritis. By age eight, she was using a wheelchair. While the world expected her to shrink, she did the opposite. She grew. Not in spite of her disability, but with it. Jenna shared how her diagnosis date—February 25, 1988—was once a source of pain, but has since become a celebration of her journey and strength.
For her, there’s no such thing as “overcoming” a disability. That mindset, she explains, is rooted in ableism. Instead, she teaches us to live with, embrace, and even celebrate our differences. Because disability isn’t all of who she is—but it is a powerful part of her.
Disability Is Not a Bad Word
One of the most eye-opening moments in our conversation was when Jenna talked about language. How society still treats "disability" like it's a curse word. How phrases like “handicapped” carry the weight of outdated and harmful perceptions.
She encourages us to shift the narrative—to talk about accessible parking instead of “handicap spots,” to use disabled people with pride in certain communities, and people with disabilities when appropriate in more formal settings. Language, after all, is a mirror of our mindset.
Learned Helplessness and the Spoon Theory
Jenna opened up about learned helplessness, a pattern she has witnessed in many people with disabilities. Repeated barriers can make you feel like nothing will ever change. But what she emphasizes is community—the power of surrounding yourself with people who believe in your ability even when you don’t.
She introduced us to the Spoon Theory, a metaphor often used in the disability community to explain energy limitation. Imagine starting your day with just 8 spoons (units of energy), while others get 24. Every task—getting dressed, making breakfast, navigating stairs—costs a spoon. So yes, rest isn’t a luxury; it’s a requirement. For all of us.
Facing Imposter Syndrome and Finding Your Voice
Like many of us—whether you're an author, entrepreneur, or parent—Jenna battles imposter syndrome. But her strategy is powerful and practical: ask your people. When she was feeling depleted, she asked her closest friends to write five adjectives that describe her on sticky notes.
The result? A reminder of who she really is—through the eyes of people who truly know her. “Let your people remind you who you are,” she said. It’s not pride. It’s community care.
Rest Is Not Earned—It’s Essential
We both agreed: rest is not a reward. You don’t have to earn it by doing more. You need it because you're human. Whether you’re living with a disability or simply navigating a hard season, rest restores the version of you that can do your best work. As Jenna beautifully put it, “Have you rested enough to do your very best?”
That hit home. Because how often do we delay rest until burnout hits?Redefining Productivity
Redefining Productivity
What I loved most about this conversation was how Jenna redefined productivity. In disability culture, your value isn’t measured by degrees, income, or how fast you can work. It’s measured by what you bring to the table as a whole human.
That’s a standard we can all adopt—disabled or not.
Final Thoughts
Want to dive deeper into Jenna’s story? Grab her memoir Within My Spokes on Amazon and follow her work at aboveandbeyondwithyou.org.
And if this episode moved you, please share it with someone who could use a reminder that they, too, are more than their challenges.
Until next time, keep showing up for yourself and others.
And if you are new here, thanks for stopping by. I help busy authors and entrepreneurs create time for what truly matters. I strongly recommend time-blocking. To get you started with time blocking, grab your guide below:https://timeblockingmasterytakecontrolofyourtimeandgetmoredone-mc0.plannerpack.co
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