Tag: grit

Keys to Success

Keys to Success

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Do You Have These Two Ingredients?

 

My people, My “Why”

Chicago Family: My roots and the people who believe in me

 

You need People and you need a positive mindset!

It’s that simple…

OK, maybe it’s not simple but the solution to getting the most out of life usually comes from these two things and you can make the changes for yourself, not having to rely on anyone or anything outside of yourself. Start NOW!

I have always stated that every journey is uniques in this life.

I also tell you that what works for one person doesn’t mean. it’ll work for you.

I also have stated MANY times that there is no “normal” in the amputee journey, just like life, we all experience it differently.

However, if you surround yourself with the right people AND you change your mindset then you have a much better chance of finding success as an amputee.

We sometimes get stuck hanging with the same people because we are inherently creatures of habit and loyal, but what if that person in your life is taking you down with their words, or lack of positivity? What if the person you call friend finds it hard to watch you succeed, therefore they tell you “You can’t do it.”, or “You’ll never walk again, don’t do it.”? Why is it that we stay in those relationships?

Don’t you deserve more? I think you do.

And your mindset and these types of people might actually go hand ion hand, meaning, if you are someone who sees there negative in situations, more often than not, you attract those kind of people. There are people who love to be the positive one in a relationship, doing great things and being better than you, looking better than you, having more success than you. They sense your weakness and to lift themselves up they befriend you.

YOU DON’T NEED THAT!

You deserve more.

You are an amazing person who deserve to be surrounded by genuine people who truly want to see you succeed, and know that when you’re hurting how to get you back up on the saddle. Sometimes with tough love, if you need that, and other times a shoulder to cry one.

Know your people and know you deserve the best.

When you support those around you like you’d like to be supported then you’ll find “your” people.

Mindset plays a HUGE part in this.

Your success, or failure, is determined by your thoughts.

You’ve heard the saying: “Whether you think you can, or can’t, you are right.” Henry Ford is said to have coined that phrase, which highlights the power of mindset and self-belief, that your attitude towards your task at hand determines your success at that task.

No truer words have been spoken!

Take heart if you re struggling right now because your support system and your mindset, your can change today, no need to wait, this is all about you.

 

 

This week you have 2 simple tasks:

One, take stock in who you are surrounding yourself with, and if you feel like your ideas and their ideas aren’t matching up to what you see yourself doing then you need to talk with them and get on the same page. State your goals, your dreams, your aspirations. If they care about you then they will help you get there. If you find your friends aren’t behind you, cheering you on, wanting to see you succeed, then it’s time to rethink who your true friends are.

Make note of who has been there for you through the good and the bad, draw them closer and make sure you reciprocate that support. They need it too.

Next, time to do some spring cleaning on your mind. Who do you talk to yourself and others about your circumstance, you life, your decision to amputate, your health, your abilities? If they aren’t positive and aspiring… GET RID OF THEM!

Start feeding your mind with good thoughts, goals, dreaming, positive imagery, etc.

And do this multiple times a day until it becomes who you are without even thinking about it.

You can do this and you WILL find success!

I believe in you, so you should believe in yourself.

You were made to be a warrior, now get out there and do warrior sh*t!

 

Have a blessed week,

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

 

 

Alone in the Dark

Alone in the Dark

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Getting Through the Tough Times

 

Oh the nights are so tough!

Have you been there?

Have you laid in the utter darkness and the quiet is deafening, the pain is unbearable, and you feel like you will ever get through this moment of phantom pain?

Yep, the reality is, we all go through it at some point or another, to varying degrees.

The last two nights, for me, have started great, I feel asleep and wasn’t feeling anything in the way of phantom pain. However, as soon as I shift, the sensations would start and the I couldn’t shut them off!

It’s almost unbearable. To sit in the dark, feeling like your body is screaming out loud, and no one else knows. My husband, laying right next to me, has no idea what I am feeling or that I am even going through this…. and he won’t know until morning.

Have you experienced this?

How about when you are out and about in a crowded store or venue, and your limb is on fire, or a sore within your socket is rubbing raw and stinging? And no one knows the pain you are feeling as you stand in line at the grocery store?

Such is the life of an amputee.

It comes and goes.

Most of the time there is no warning, it just comes at you.

 

 

So how do you deal with this, seeing as this is your life now?

First off, we all deal with pain differently, what works for one person won’t work for another.

As you experience these “episodes” you will learn what works for you (oh, and for added fun, what worked last time for you might not work the next). You can only prepare yourself for the mental battles ahead.

Communicate. Let the people around you know how you are feeling and what you need. They can’t see what’s happening within you and not everyday, all day is bad. Make sure you speak up and not assume they understand.

 

 

Build mental toughness. Use positivity and positive self-talk to get through hard times. You can redirect how your brain process what you are going through by the way you address it, internally and out loud.

 

 

Try not to fall back on medications every time you feel “out of sorts”. This goes for people dealing with the average phantom sensations/pains. I do not know what you’ve been going through and what you have been prescribed, so you need to do what you need to do but I will tell you that I will only use Tylenol or Advil once in a blue moon, when all else fails and when I can’t take anymore. There is no right way to handle an episode, but if you can stay away from prescription medication, and start leaning on your own devices to handle the mental situation, then do it. You’ll be stronger in the long run and your body will thank you.

 

 

These moments are truly times to develop your mental toughness. Sometimes we just need to hit them head on to become a stronger version of ourselves so we are ready for the next battle.

Finding time for myself to breathe and let go, helps me thru hard times

 

Don’t forget you were made to fight, and survive. You are a Warrior, you just need to unleash its within you and believe that you are strong enough to handle it.

Rise up, Warrior, and face your battles with inner strength!

You can do it, and you are not alone!

 

I pray you have a wonderful week ahead,

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

Much love,

 

Remember: You are Beautiful, so just Be-YOU!
Reflect and Reset

Reflect and Reset

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:56 — 23.4MB)

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Time to Challenge Yourself

 

 

As 2024 fades away and 2025 takes control let’s take time to look back and reflect on the ups and downs of the past year.

We all have had those moments we achieved some sort of milestone, we have also had those moments we never want to relive.

I’m hopeful that you had some time at the end of last year and the first week of this year to relax, reflect, and refresh yourself. I hope you have gotten into a place where you are ready to rise up again, and accomplish your goals.

As much as I am NOT a fan of New Year’s resolutions, for the fact that the name in of itself let’s people know that it’ll be a bust by February, I AM a fan of creating a new plan, schedule, and goals to work on THROUGHOUT the year ahead. I like the feel of starting over, having a second chance, learning about myself and reaching goals. I love the promise of a new tomorrow, where anything is possible, but without a goal or plan of attack days can roll by into weeks and month, only to leave you feeling like you let yourself down once again.

 

This year, I want to challenge you to several new things.

First you need to stay positive. Easier said than done, I know, but if you know that hard times will come-that there will be some struggles in your journey, then you can plan for that. While you’re in a good place prepare for the “suck”. How will you handle phantom pains when they hit? How will you decide when you need to talk with your prosthetist about your fit? When do you change your doctor after everything else has failed and you feel in your gut that you need someone else’s help or opinion?

These are all things that can knock the wind out of you and set you back. For some of us it can derail us so badly that we loose our momentum and never get it back, we can get lost in a dark place.

Prepare!

Make a Plan!

Execute that plan TODAY!!!

I am not immuned to this “delay game”. I play it with myself when I’m too tired, too happy, too busy….”I’ll start tomorrow”. You know that game, right?

I’m preaching to myself when I say we need to stop that if we want to achieve, overcome, rise up and become the warriors we were born to be.

This is our year! We will do this together. Accountability is key when you are struggling.

 

 

This week I have 2 Call to Actions for you. Don’t ignore these, let’s get after it together. I can hold you accountable, and you can hold me accountable.

 

First, come up with your word or phase of the year. Something that will keep you focused on your ultimate goal. Keep it short and simple 1-2 words if you can. This becomes your war cry, your mantra, something you will write and speak to yourself everyday for this whole year.

What is your word or phrase?

It could be:

Control

Be Present

Rise Up

Be Epic

Breathe

Walk

Mine is: Charge Forward

 

Second, join me in a virtual race. The one I have just registered for is called “Reset” by Virtual Pace Series and you can register here

 

This is a choose your distance challenge. You can do a 5K, 10K, Half or Full Marathon. The beauty of this race is that you can do it on your time and in your location. You can choose your distance and how you complete it. Walk, Run, Hike, Bike, Swim, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are challenging yourself WHER YOU ARE AT. If you can’t do 5K in one event, then break it down into 2 or 3 days/events. If you have already completed a walking. 10K then maybe you need to try running a 5K or even a 10K.

The point is to have something holding you accountable and a goal set before you. You do you, where You Are At in your journey.

Earn that medal and when you open it, AFTER COMPLETION, you are going to fall in love with challenging yourself.

Join me in 2025, a year in which you achieve your goals and realize the warrior within you is Stronger than you could ever have imagined!

Yes you can!

You will!

You are Stronger enough, brave enough and more than capable.

You are a WARRIOR!!!

 

 

I hope you find 2025 to be everything you want and more.

Please join me next week right here as we support one another and build each other up!

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

 

“Sleigh” Your Goals

“Sleigh” Your Goals

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:22 — 25.7MB)

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Start Today!

 

Start Now!

Today!

What are you waiting for?

 

I know, I know, it’s the holidays. You are busy and can’t find the time.

Me too! But, if you are serious about your goals, and know your ‘WHY’ then get to it.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a fan of “New Years Resolutions”. For a majority of people it is a procrastination technique to get thru the holidays, feel horrible about how you celebrated all holiday season, to join a gym or set goals that are extreme, only to drop them by February or March.  Instead of being excited and uplifted by the challenges, you are left feeling defeated and miserable for failing. Who needs that?

 

Instead, start small now.

No matter what your goals are in life, starting when you are busy just requires taking baby steps to begin a new routine and make it a habit.

If you want to stand and make dinner while wearing your prosthesis then start by wearing it longer each day, or refusing to take it off. Then stand to wash a few dishes. Eventually you’ll be able to maneuver around your kitchen and create a meal and feel proud of your accomplishment….which will inevitably lead to another goal to achieve.

If you want to get or stay physically active and you are struggling to find time then carve out some smaller portions that you CAN commit to and do it. For example, take a short walk around the block after dinner every night, or do some sit ups, push ups and/or planks before bed.

You don’t have to have a gym membership and commit 2-3 hours 4-5 days a week to be active and stay fit, you just need a plan and stick to it (again, to build a positive habit that will carry on thru the holidays and all next year).

 

 

 

Starting today and carrying you through the new year here’s what you need to do to form good habits that will keep you moving forward.

 

Write down your dreams and goals on paper, don’t keep them secret up in your head.

Decide the most important ons and which ones need to come before others. There probably is a progression of them for example, learning to wear your prosthesis comes before walking a mile in it.

Set deadlines to help keep you on track.

Make smaller steps that you will need to do to hit your goal by your deadline.

Speak positively: I want to go to the gym. I want to go for a walk. Etc, etc.

Find someone you can share your goals with who will push you and hold you accountable (when times get hard and they will, it’s good to have an outside person keeping you on track), and maybe they can join you in setting goals and you can hold each other accountable.

Have fun and know your ‘Why”. Why are you setting this goal? Who are you doing this for?

 

 

Setting these things into place will give you a better chance of succeeding at what you want.

As always, you don’t need to go it alone. We all have weak moments and need some help.

I hope you have a blessed holiday season and a happy healthy new year!

This is my last episode of Season 4. I’ll see you next year!

Until then,

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

Much love,

 

 

Changes and Challenges

Changes and Challenges

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New Socket and What To Expect

 

 

Here we go again!

Last week I told you all about a huge blister that formed in my socket on the end of my residual limb, well, after talking to my prosthetist about that and a few other things that I was ignoring, he decided that it was time to make a new socket!

 

UGH!!

 

Where great sockets are made!!

 

Randy West and I getting ready to make a mess!

 

Cast is made!

 

 

I know what you’re thinking. “That’s great! You’ll have a better fit than what you have now”, and that is true, however, the idea of going through the casting and fitting process, then a week of walking around in a hard plastic shell test socket isn’t fun and then after it’s all created there is a “breaking in”period that can last up to another week. All the while you are hoping that the changes move you in the right direction.

 

My current socket being used to remake the original mold

 

 

All in all, it will be better (or at least that is the hope). My guys do an amazing job of getting me the best fit, they are incredible at what they do, and I am blessed to have them in my corner. It’s just that it is such a long and, at times, painful process that brings discomfort before it brings joy.

So I am going this week to be recast and will create a video of the process for you to see.

I bring this up for a couple of reasons.

  1. This is my life, and my podcast is about my personal journey,  that I can speak to.
  2. It’s important to note that even though I’m through the harder years of fitting my prosthesis, there will still be changes that happen down the road, and being an amputee has ever-changing challenges and struggles.

I’m excited, for sure, to get a new fitting socket and the idea of recreating my external design has me giddy. I love remaking my look.

But I am a realist as well, and I know what I am about to embark on is a process that takes time, perseverance, and grit to get through. I know what’s coming and I know it can be unpleasant at times, but I also know it will help me get the most intimate fit ever and it’s important to my livelihood.

 

I will keep you posted on social media on how it’s going. Make sure you check out my IG and/or my Facebook page @BAWarrior360 for updates.

 

 

I would tell you to continue to communicate with your prosthetist as your limb matures and when you notice things “happening” with the fit, even minor changes, that you should let them know before you get a blister like mine, or worse!

I am fortunate that I don’t develop infections like some people do, but this one could’ve been bad for a person with a high infection rate.

Be vigilant with your life, your fit, and your comfort. If things don’t feel right, please make sure you reach out to your team.

It’s better to be safe than sorry and laid up for weeks because you “pushed” through something you shouldn’t have.

Also, remember that your limb and your body are constantly changing, no matter how long you’ve been an amputee. Don’t think that you are ___ years out and you won’t see any more changes. I’m almost 6 years out and I’m heading in for a new socket because of fit, not damage to my socket.

Our bodies are always changing and fluctuating, take note, and be vigilant when you notice something look or feel different.

 

I hope you have an amazing week and until next time,

And as always,

B e Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

Choose to Shine!

 

Traveling Amputee

Traveling Amputee

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:27 — 34.3MB)

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Risks and Rewards, Tips and Tricks

Traveled to the “Happiest Place on Earth” as an amputee

 

Traveling is exhausting for anyone. Spending a day in an amusement park can take the most energetic person and turn them into a melt down of epic proportions. Add in the heat and humidity of a Florida summer AND thousands of people and it becomes an challenge that the ordinary person struggles to finish.

Now add in someone missing a leg, dealing with sweating in a prosthesis that wants to shift on you and chafe your leg, sprinkle in the dodging of people who only seem to be concerned with their own schedule, and lines that you stand in, totaling hours, throughout the day and you have one of the biggest opportunities to rise to the occasion and show what you’re made of.

 

The amount of people is amazing!

 

Traveling is fun.

The Jungle Cruise during the final show at Disney World

 

Tron ride was EPIC , and probably to the only ride that me fitting into was questionable, but absolutely doable for even me, an above knee amputee.

 

Traveling is challenging.

Overall, I decided to amputate so I could GET BACK to the life I was living before my knee injury, and that is exactly why I go thru all of those obstacles and challenges.

I WANT TO LIVE!!! Fully and completely.

Golfing is fun but challenging….I love a challenge!

 

Enjoying the rides, like Pirates, with my family!

 

That was an amazing day! Almost 11 miles and one exhausted momma! But look at that view (and ALL THOSE PEOPLE)!

 

What kind of life do you want?

What can you handle?

I have experienced moving around on trips and amusement parks as an able-bodied person, and injured momma in a wheelchair, and as an amputee. This week I give you some ideas of what to expect, what to pack, and how to deal with the ins and outs of highly populated places such as Disney World and Universal.

 

Get ready to pack your bags and begin your journey!

Enjoy the journey. Be present. Live your life!

You can travel, too, just be prepared (oh, and make sure you stretch!).

You may be an amputee but you can still enjoy taking trips.

 

 

This may seem irrelevant to the topic of travel but I assure you it is very relevant: STRETCH!

Make stretching a part of your day, everyday!

I didn’t and my back was screaming at me the day after our 1st park. The way I had to walk, in the heat, around all those people, looking out for myself, and my safety, made my body move in non-natural ways that over the miles and hours of being on my feet really exhausted my back and hips. I had 2 days and nights of phantom pains and back pains and all I could do was push through it and continue with our plans, trying to ignore the pain. On one of the final nights back in our resort I decided to sit on the ground and give my good leg a nice stretch only to realize how very tight I was.

Don’t wait til you have issues like I did. I am now starting to stretch every morning and evening to help my flexibility and my mobility.

Your Call to Action this week is to do the same.

Implement a stretching routine for yourself so you keep flexible. Even 5 minutes a day is better than nothing, so get started, TODAY!!

 

Also, listen into my IG Live chat Un(Limb)ited Conversation this week as Jackie, DPT and I discuss stretches for post-amputation mobility. You can find it on Instagram @BAWarrior360. Every other Wednesday at 4:00 pm MST I hope you join us!

 

OK, Warriors, rise up, and get traveling!

Life is a journey, not a destination.

Have a beautiful week

and as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

Not all who wander are lost.

 

 

Keep Your Eye On The Ball

Keep Your Eye On The Ball

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Staying Present to Live Fully

 

I played sports all my life and the one take away from all of those years was that if I wasn’t focused on the moment then I wasn’t going to perform at my best.

You’ve heard the saying, “Keep your eye on the ball” or “Keep your eye on the prize” and you have probably understood it in the context it was told to you. I heard it a million times in all the years I played softball. It wasn’t a metaphor, it was literal. “Don’t lose sight of the ball.”-You can’t hit a ball you aren’t looking at, and you can’t field a ball you don’t see.

But how about hearing that saying in life?

Can you see how this relates to your daily living?

All too often we spend time waiting for the next best thing to happen. We look forward to being out of this moment, and when we will feel happiness or joy again. We try to avoid living in the present when the present is too pain to handle. But what about right now?

I read something the other day that made me really think. What are we waiting for? The end of the journey is the grave. We should be living in this moment for all it’s worth, enjoying the battles and the victories. We must learn to embrace the bad times as much as the good ones because we learn from all moments, we create memories in all moments.

 

Moments like this make a pain-filled day just what I needed to find my smile.

 

Life is good and life is hard.

Without the hard moments, the ones where we live in a valley, were cannot fully appreciate the good ones.

This week I want you to focus on living in the present.

Stop time by living fully IN time.

 

A quiet moment with my pup. Breathe in, breathe out.

I don’t mean for you to wallow in your pain, that’s not the moment I am talking about. But in those hard and painful moments life is happening all around you. The sun is shining, the dogs are cuddling up against you, a friend sends you a special text. Your moment isn’t just the pain you might be feeling but all the things happening around you and to you.

It’s ok to acknowledge your pain and struggles, just don’t live there, and don’t give it power. Acknowledge and move on.

You are a warrior.

You are stronger than you know.

Keep your eye on the ball and live a full life, the life you were always meant to live!

 

 

This week, every night before you go to bed, make a list of 5 things that made you feel good, happy, loved, appreciated, alive.

Whatever you noticed that brought you joy and happiness.

This doesn’t have to be a writing assignment, just a list.

Maybe you smelled the rain and it relaxed you.

Maybe your puppy came and cuddled up next to you and you felt relaxed and loved.

Maybe the sun shining down through the trees brought you a sense of peace.

This is about staying present and appreciating the little things that happen throughout the day.

We must practice staying present everyday because we become so easily caught up in the wanting and yearning of a new day or a better life, or wanting everything that’s just out of reach instead of seeing how many good things are happening throughout the day to us.

Stay present.

Appreciate the little moments.

Move past the pain by acknowledging it and then moving on from it.

You are strong and capable.

You are a fighter, so fight!

You are worthy, so pick up your head and hold yourself up high.

Until next week, and as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

Much love,

 

These are the moments I live for

 

It’s Not Just You

It’s Not Just You

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:21 — 21.7MB)

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Normalizing Phantom Pain

 

No matter what you think, every amputee has issues at some point or another.

No one is exempt from phantom pain or phantom sensations even though it appears as they do.

Most successful people, meaning those who appear to be living their best life after amputation, do not sit around thinking about phantom pain or wallowing in it, they keep moving, they keep pushing through it, until they make it through…for at least that episode.

I was once told that talking about it and harping about the phantom pain only gave it power over me, so I try very hard not to talk about it.

Moving through an episode, that is what I call them because they come on quick, last for a brief moment in time and then disappear as quickly as they came on…only to be repeated again in the future. But moving through an episode can be a lonely place and often times hard. Making a decision to keep doing life despite it and not letting it get the best of you takes mental fortitude. Some days I feel like I have it…other days, not so much.

This week is one of those weeks. Monday I struggled all day. Tuesday I forced myself to the gym and grocery shopping, only to feel exhausted by the end of it all and only to find it tough to get sleep Tuesday night… BUT, I made life happen for me, not to me!

I chose to get active and I felt better that I had, mentally, even though physically I was still struggling.

You have to choose your battles. Know when to push through  and know when your body and mind need a break.

Just don’t give up and never, for a second, think you are the only one that is struggling. You are NOT.

Be strong, dear Warrior! You will get through it!

 

I hope you have a blessed week and one filled with positive momentum forward!

U

ntil next week and as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

much love,


Climbing Your Mountain

Climbing Your Mountain

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How to overcome adversity to reach the top

 

The view from the top is always amazing and one we all strive for but that isn’t how life works, is it?

What happened when we fail, and fall into a valley? Maybe you have a medical issue, or are struggling in a relationship or job, or maybe you became an amputee, like me.

What then?

This is the time to focus on what’s in front of you. You need to figure out your goals and where you want to be and take the right steps to achieve them.

Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?

Of course, in theory it sounds great but putting that into practice, day in and day out is another story all together.

I met an older gentleman at the Y the other day that made me realize that I need to appreciate the season I am in and the condition my body is in. I talked with this man for a bit and saw a yearning in his eyes to be the young buck he once was, one that had strength and stamina. He told me he use to be a body builder and now he was barely lifting any weight. I told him that I was impressed he was there and working out and that he should see that as a victory, he is climbing his mountain.

Is it where he use to be? No.

Is it where he wants to be? No, but he hasn’t quit!

He had been through knee surgeries and several heart attacks and he was at the gym, with his walker putting in the work that he COULD do.
That is amazing!

If we forget to appreciate where we’ve been and how far we’ve come, and living in the moment we are in, we can get lost. We start obsessing on how we aren’t doing what we use to be able to do, and not seeing what we are still capable of doing.

I know that as I get older, being an amputee is going to become hard on me and my body. For now, I work on what I can and embrace what I am able to do. I refuse to look back at a time when I had 2 legs and what I was capable of. Now I see me for who I am and how proud I am of my accomplishments because I have had to work hard, and my mindset has had to become strong.

Some days aren’t easy to handle but I must press on. I try to focus on the mountain top, each day, and strive to live in THIS moment.

Today is a gift and I am alive and capable. Don’t forget how special you are, and how this moment, right here and now, is what matters most.

Embrace it and live! You are a warrior, you are worthy of so much more. Strive for that mountain top and do t look back!!

 

…

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Believing in Yourself

Believing in Yourself

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:57 — 31.4MB)

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Your Mindset is Your Greatest Asset

 

When it comes to getting it done, or being challenged to push through something tough in life, how do you fair?

Do you struggle to feel accomplished?

Do you feel like you are drowning and there is no way out?

Or how about giving up because the going got tough?

 

 

If this sounds like something you have been through before, or are going through currently, then it may be time to check your mindset and your self-talk.

There is no denying that life will through you curveballs.

Back in 2013 as I was literally kicking butt in karate for my 2nd degree black belt, I would never have thought I would have hurt myself, gone through 10 surgeries, gained almost 60 extra pounds and then elect to amputate my leg above the knee.

Just writing that sounds absolutely crazy and a horrible fiction story. But that was my reality.

Those were tough days, months and years- five years to be exact, and making the decision to amputate wasn’t the end of that journey but a beginning to a whole new shift in my life. I still had to struggle with pain, swelling, adjusting to my new body image and learning to love it. I had problems with fitting prosthetics, I had a huge neuroma that a year after my amputation I went under the knife again and had it removed. Through all of these trials, however, I was being conditioned and building my resilience to my new lifestyle.

Each of these steps I had to figure my way through physically and mentally.

Each of these moments was leading me to a better understanding of myself, my tolerance, showing my strengths and my weaknesses, so I could become better at handling the curveballs of life.

What did I find that helped me?

 

 

 

MINDSET MATTERS!

What I tell myself, how I speak to myself with my inner voice (and sometimes my outer voice). I realized that my words and thinking  could lift me up and allow me to soar,  or it was going to be my demise with negativity. Through trial and error I learned and grew.

I take challenges head on now. I am competitive with myself, and I know that my mind, my energy, and my will to succeed has brought me through tough times. I believe how I think is what has made becoming an amputee a life giving second chance for me versus my undoing.

 

 

I am no one special, but my ability to see the positive in my situation has helped me become more successful as an amputee.

It hasn’t been easy, even though it may appear that way. What you perceive as me “easily” going through something really hard has had it’s challenges, it’s pains and problems, I have cried and I have been angry, but at the end of the day I choose positive!

 

How about you?

 

 

I didn’t add a Call to Action in my podcast, forgive me. Got out of practice with April being all interviews but here’s one for those reading my site.

 

Check your attitude today.

What’s your mood?

How do you feel about yourself and your situation?

Now ask yourself if you can control what’s happening?

If you cannot control what is happening to you then this is a great time to practice patience, positive self-talk, getting active to change your thinking, and setting some goals to keep yourself motivated during the hard days.

You will get through this.

You were designed to be stronger than your circumstances, you only need too believe in yourself.

You are special!

You are unique!

You are loved!

 

Have an amazing week, be blessed.

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

 

 

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