Tag: positivity

The Future is Now: Part 3 of 5

The Future is Now: Part 3 of 5

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Limb Loss Awareness Month

UCLA: Ophelie Herve

 

As we come into our third week of April Limb Loss/Limb Difference Awareness month I am so excited to have a female voice in the engineering program from UCLA on our podcast today.

Ophelie was  born in France and came with her family here to the United States at an early age. In high school she reflects on watching the news when the Boston Marathon was bombed and she saw peak athletes, within 24 hours, become wheelchair bound. As an athlete, herself, this event created a desire to help and  gave her the direction she needed to jump into engineering and working in prosthetics for her undergraduate and Masters program at SMU.

Ophelie using an exoskeleton that is a power device used to help paralyzed individuals walk.

 

From there she turned her attention to injury prevention, and found interesting research on the female body and the how and when training can sabotage us by putting us at high risk for injury and when we will have a peak performance in the gym.

Using a robotic arm to replicate the knee joint in her studies on injury prevention.

 

This week I wanted to delve into the topic of how the female body is different and how as amputees we need to protect our sound limb for the long haul. We have always been so amazed by the newest prosthetics and bionics to come out into the world, and it is a very competitive field, but without research we don’t have the information to make technology better for the human body

Her research is fascinating and goes deep. We joked about the rabbit holes she went down as she began this research, but it was her unique perspective as a female athlete (and one who has injured herself playing soccer), coupled with her research on our female bodies and cycles that we really dove into some extraordinary conversations about injury prevention, especially for women who are down to one sound limb. As a female amputee, I can tell you that I have thought about this often, and what would life look like if I injured my “good leg”. That has also been a topic many times in my ladies’ chat group.

 

Working out at the right times of the month help protect our sound limb.

 

How we workout, eat, and rest all help play a part in stabilizing our sound limb, and when different cycle changes throughout our lives make a difference in each of those aspects.

This was great to learn about as the world of sports and nutrition tend to clump us in the same  workout and nutrition regiment as our male counterparts, without regards to our different hormones and biological differences.

I hope you enjoy hearing about Ophelie’s cutting edge research and Master’s project as she explains in greater detail some findings and how that will affect us as female amputees and athletes.

Please make sure you give her some love and Like, Share and Subscribe!

We have 2 more weeks of Limb Loss/ Limb Difference Awareness month, which means I have 2 more students who have dedicated their college journey to the betterment of the amputee community. You don’t want to miss this!

Have a beautifully blessed week ahead,

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

Hiking with my pups keeps my sound leg strong and health for the long haul.
Keep moving!

 

How Did I Get Here?

How Did I Get Here?

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Faith and Connections

 

Just the other day I met a lovely woman in a wheelchair. My first instinct was to smile  but then I looked down, only to see that this kindly older lady was missing part of her limb. She was a below knee amputee.

She was being pushed around the store by a younger man, a caretaker, in her wheelchair when she noticed me and my prosthesis.  She asked him to back up and push her towards me to talk about being an amputee.

Her smile showed she was a fighter. She also informed me it has been 2 years since her amputation,  and now she was dealing with cancer. But still she smiled!

I knew that she was someone I wanted to know.

We talked for a bit, I told her we’d love to have her on our women’s chat groups and I made sure she had my name written down before we parted ways. She was struggling with the phantom pains, something I know all too much about. We had that in common and our connection was amazing and immediate.

Before I chose amputation I had been fighting through ten surgeries in 5 years, plus a blood clot, before deciding on amputation.

I had 4 months to wait from the time I scheduled my amputation til the surgery, and in those 4 months I went thru every emotion know to humans. I was a wreck trying to navigate something so surreal and on my own.

That is, until I leaned into my Christian faith. I had met a nice pastor during my time in PT, as he was getting his shoulder injury worked on by my PT on many of the days I was there. We talked, I reflected, then on my birthday (which feel during my wait time) I decided to re-baptize myself at this pastor’s church, which I started going to on Saturday evenings, just a month before. I needed to find connections, I need to find God in all of this mess I called my life.

 

The love of a puppy

 

The love from my horse

 

The love of my family

 

 

What I found, while attending the Saturday evening services, was amazing people who understood and stood with me during this time.

I sat down, on campus, with this pastor and we talked about life in general. Afterwards, when I got back to my car I had a life-altering epiphany, this whole thing, this journey I was on, was God’s plan for me. I now, looking back, could see his fingerprints on it all!

I felt such a burden lifted from me at that point, and I can honestly say, I have never looked back.

I am embracing every high and low for what it’s worth, and I know it is for my own good and all these moments were meant to build me up for something else. My mindset got positive. My view of my future became positive and my fears were muted.

When I connected with this lady the other day, I saw God working again, reminding me why He chose me for this journey. I connected in a way that helped and brought joy to this new friend of mine, and I walked away feeling joyful and fulfilled once again.

Connections; we, as humans, were created for connecting with one another and with the world around us. This gives us hope and joy, it fills us with purpose and passion for our life we are living, despite the circumstances.

 

 

 

This week I want you to give it a try.

If you have been staying at home, or are stuck at home find a way to get out.

If you can’t get out then find another way to connect with people. Find a virtual chat room, like the one I have each Wednesday, or call a friend or family member. Reach outside of your own life and find out about someone else’s.

When we connect either physically or verbally with someone else we gain perspective and can step back from what is disabling us.

It’s never going to be a good outcome if you are at home only thinking about your own problems and issues. That is isolating and can destroy you, mentally and physically.  You need to branch out and see that you are not alone in suffering or struggles, we all have them, day to day and even from hour to hour.

Staying secluded isn’t helpful and is hard to lift yourself out of, we aren’t meant to go it alone. Humans were built for connection.

This week make some real connections with others and watch your perspective change and watch your struggles lessen, even if only for those moments you are with someone.

Listen to someone and what they are going through. No need to give advice, sometimes we just need to feel heard.

And remember, everyone is going through something, and each moment is meant to build you up and strengthen you for what’s to come.

Are you preparing for your future successes?

Are you strengthening your resolve and character?

You were built with a warrior inside of you, we each were. It’s time to let that warrior out and fight for the life you want, the life you crave. Don’t allow yourself to be fooled that it won’t get better, your mindset matters, and you WILL find the strength needed to achieve your goals.

You are a Warrior! Believe it!

Have a blessed week ahead, and until next time,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

Much love,

 

 

One Step At A Time

One Step At A Time

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Goal Setting and Climbing Your “Mountain”

 

Nothing in life that’s worth achieving is going to come easy. Working toward a goal, putting your best foot forward and sweating through it makes achieving it all the more sweet.

Why would becoming an amputee be anything different?

If you were active before your amputation, then you know what can be done with a lot of work, grit, and determination.

It won’t be easy. It’ll test your resolve MANY times, but, when you get to the goal you set for yourself, you will feel such a sense of excitement and joy like you’ve never felt!

Don’t worry about what others are doing or achieving. Remember that comparison is the thief of joy.

You focus on you! Do what you can do now, and each day try to be better than the last. The next thing you’ll realize is how far you’ve come since you started.

One step at a time has been my mantra since my amputation. I can’t look at the big picture or I’ll get nervous or doubt what I’m capable of. Instead I focus on putting one foot down at a time, at my pace, and what I can do in this moment. And each ,moment is different. Today I might be whipping around the neighborhood, feeling confident and without pain, and then tomorrow I could be struggling with just walking slowly around my home.

All you can do, is work hard with what you have been given each day, but if you can honestly say that you gave it your all then I promise that you will see strides at reaching your goals.

One step at a time is meant to be metaphorical, and also very literal, for us amputees. Don’t think about walking all day in your prosthesis when you get up, and don’t just tell yourself that you’ll put it on for a little bit or later today. Put it on with the mindset that you’ll wear it for all you can, however long that will be today, knowing that each day brings its own struggles and accomplishments, but you don’t know what kind of day it will be until you are in the midst of it.

 

Skiing on one leg is definitely a mind over matter exercise!

 

Mindset matters!

What you tell yourself first thing in the morning is how your day will go. When I wake up, I know I will put my leg on first then go through my day. Somedays I cannot get to the gym because it hurts too much so I do what I can at home, keeping it on, and building my tolerance up for wearing it. Other days, I put it on and get a burst of energy and hike 4 to 5 miles without even thinking about it.

Mindset matters and what you tell yourself will be the direction your mind takes, and what your body believes.

Always get moving with your best intentions and your heart and mind in the most positive place you can be and then see how your day unfolds. One step at a time.

 

This week, it is pretty straight forward.

This week I want you to remember to keep speaking positivity to yourself.

Write down “ONE STEP AT A TIME” on post it notes and place them in places you spend a lot of time in and around your house to remind yourself to take your goals and your actual steps at YOUR pace and ONE AT A TIME.

 

Hiking is my favorite activity. Every hike is different and challenges me to be focused and push myself.

 

Set a goal. Wherever you are right now physically, mentally, and based on your weather and location and decide what it will take each day to break it down and work towards it at your pace.

You can achieve anything you put your mind to if you set mini goals for yourself, or stepping stones to that goal. Make the steps small enough to find success, and big enough to challenge yourself.

 

First time hiking on snow!

 

And then watch yourself break the barriers that you thought were there because of your circumstance.

I believe in you! I believe we are all born to fight for what we want and desire. THAT is a Warrior mentality.

So, rise up warriors, and sieze this moment. You are not broken, or weak, or disabled. You are a warrior of epic proportions.

Get after your goals and dreams today, ONE STEP AT A TIME!!

 

Have a beautifully blessed week and as always, until next time,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

Much love,

 

 

 

Be Prepared

Be Prepared

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Building Strength For a Better Future

 

 

If you are a new amputee or an amputee who hasn’t been wearing their prosthesis for one reason or another we need to talk.

What are you doing to prepare your body for movement?

Balance is so important in preventing falls, even when being silly!

 

After becoming an amputee you spend weeks healing only to find yourself getting use the weight deficit of not having a leg. This makes adding a cumbersome, heavy metal and carbon fiber limb to your body feel like double the weight.

You will wear it, but it won’t feel great,  and it’ll be hard (not to mention exhausting) to move.

Within just a few weeks, your body has adjusted to weight change, the balance change, and your muscles will be decreasing since they have not as much flesh and bone to manipulate on each step.

You might think that your job after amputation is to heal, and some of you might even be struggling with phantom sensations and pains, which will be a learning curve as well, just don’t deny yourself some activity level to get yourself ready for movement!

Even if you are stuck at home you can still do some very basic exercises and stretches, that take no equipment, to help maintain or even build strength and balance.

At this point there are no excuses. If you really want to be mobile once you get a prosthesis you need to prep NOW!

The main things to work on are; stretches, balance, and core/back strength.

Stretching will allow your body to move freely in your prosthesis and avoid hip contractures.

Balance will be key to avoiding unnecessary and painful falls. Remember, your center will be off now that your weight distribution isn’t equal on both sides of your body.

When your core and back are strong you will be able to move with greater ease and avoid hurting your back as you learn to walk again.

The best benefit of simple exercise: endorphins! Happy chemicals released by your body when it exercises, and trust me, this is when you need it more than ever. Losing your limb can be like losing a best friend or close family member. You may grieve, be angry, scared, feel alone, uncertain, and many other emotions. You will want as many happy feelings as you can get to keep yourself in a positive frame of mind so that you CAN achieve success.

Where do you begin?

 

 

Keep it simple.

You can do these basic exercises throughout the day, in your own home.

Let’s get started.

Your challenge?

Start the exercises below today and continue to do them throughout the next several weeks. As you do them try to do more, or hold it longer each day. Work on building each exercise, and as you repeat them you will begin seeing a difference in your flexibility, strength and balance.

1. Stretch hip flexor

 

A) I suggest just simply getting off the couch or out of the chair, and lay down on the floor on your stomach. Allow your legs to lay straight behind you and just hold that position as long as you can. Do this several times a day, especially if you are home bound and sitting a lot. When you are standing up you want your leg to hang straight down, with gravity, to ensure the best fit possible for your prosthesis.

B) Same stretch but use your couch or bed, and laying on your back this time, hang your residual limb off the side and let gravity or a friend gently hold your leg down. Feel the stretch on the front of your leg? Do these two exercises several tines a day, especially if you are sitting more often than not.

2. Balance work

A) Don’t make this complicated. Find a safe place to stand on your one leg. Make sure you have a stable structure next to you that you can hold on to as you get your balance. Make a game of it. How long can you stay balanced before you grab a hold of the wall. See if you can grow your time without needing to grab something for stability. Sit, rest and repeat. Before you know it you’ll be a pro at keeping your balance. This takes time, especially if you have always had balance issues, but it can be learned. When you gain balance, you avoid falls. Falls are a part of the leaning process but if they can be avoided from happening often, you’ll be better off.

3. Core strength

 

Modified Plank on elbows and knees

 

A) Everyone knows that sit-ups can build a strong core but so do planks. Planks can be modified to using your knees and on your elbows at first, remembering to keep your back and butt in a straight line like a plank of wood. Physical reminder: picture a string coming from your belly button, through your back, and up to the ceiling, pulling your stomach up and in. Hold that for as long as you can, work your way up to 30 seconds to a minute.

 

Up, like a push-up, and hold.

 

B) Plank challenge: straighten legs, toes on ground and up on your hands like you are going to do a push up. Keep you butt tucked, stomach tight and in, hands shoulder width apart directly under shoulders. hold.

C) Simple sit-ups. Bend knee(s) raise hands to ceiling and lift shoulder blades off the ground, then lower. No need to go all the way up to your knees, we do not need to hurt our backs.

4. Back strength

 

A) Superman; while laying on your stomach stretching your hip flexors out, raise all of your limbs up and off the floor. You should look like Superman flying. feel the glutes tighten and your lower back muscles being engaged. Hold for up to 30 seconds then down, rest, repeat.

 

It doesn’t take fancy equipment, a gym membership, or even a lot of time to give yourself an edge to becoming mobile in your prosthesis, it just takes commitment.

Work on these stretches and exercises each day and when the time comes to fitting on your leg, you’ll be a step ahead.

Remember who you are.

You are a Warrior!

Believe it!

Have a blessed week and as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

 

 

Real Life

Real Life

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:25 — 31.0MB)

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Morning Routines to Get Motivated

 

Life as an amputee is already hard enough just learning to live without a limb that, for most of us, we were born with.  However, what you don’t know is the little things, the minutia of everyday tasks that can sometimes be enough to halt you in your tracks.

I got an interesting question the other day, one I haven’t been asked before: “How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?”

I realized, based on that question, that many people wonder about our “secret” lives behind closed doors. How do we sleep, bath, get ready, change clothes, etc is a mystery for most people.

First off, please realize that I choose to do the things I do, therefore I choose a more hectic and demanding path each day. That is my choice, but I chose amputation so I could live a full and healthy life.

Notice the difference in clothes and shoes for each of these activities that I absolutely love to do.  A simple change of clothes is absolutely exhausting for me, and I must motivate myself even more to do them. I must WANT it, each day.

 

I work hard so I can handle getting older as an amputee

 

I hike for my sanity as well as building resilience in my socket

 

She brings me peace and helps me refocus energy

 

Today I want to share with you MY struggles every morning. Yes, struggles. It isn’t easy getting ready for the days I set up for myself which may include, gym time, horse time, hiking, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, going out with friends and date nights with my hubby.  What you may not understand is that many of those tasks take different clothing and shoes, not to mention showering midday for a date so you don’t smell like a horse.

Join me today as I take you through the challenges of getting ready as an above knee amputee using a skin fit socket, how I streamline my morning routine, what I take with me to change clothes midday, and how I handle the energy it takes just to get ready.

I DO love my leg and am grateful for this second chance. I wouldn’t change a thing, and that is mindset-it determines our successes

 

I wished I could tell you that it’s easy everyday, but it’s not, and that’s my choice. I want to workout or hike, I want to get dirty working with horses, and with each of those daily activities I make myself work hard everyday to be able to enjoy them.

I think it needs to be said that if you want something bad enough then you are willing to go the extra mile, well, my extra mile means pushing myself physically each day, in just getting ready.

 

 

This week I would tell you that if you are struggling with getting motivated each morning when you wake, or you are dreading getting ready to take on the day then start the night before.

Create, even if only in your mind, a schedule of events that you WANT to accomplish the next day and see yourself doing them, visualize accomplishing the tasks and what you will need to complete them. I go to bed this way every night so in the morning I have direction. Without it the days fly by and nothing gets done.

Also, if you struggle with energy make sure you are fueling your body correctly and enough. We use more energy than the two loggers so we need to add in more nutrition to our daily intake. Don’t skimp. I did after the holidays and I was always lacking energy, which destroyed my motivation.

 

Setting yourself up for success is up to you. Start today with visualizing what you want to do and accomplish every night before bed and make sure you are fueling your body to work hard, because it is.

Have grace with yourself.

Know when to push and when your body needs a break.

You are a warrior and capable of doing great things!

Believe it!

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

 

The Answer is NO

The Answer is NO

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:10 — 29.6MB)

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It’s Always “No” If You Don’t Ask

When it comes to the world around you, the old adage, “You catch more flies with honey, than vinegar”, still holds true.

As an amputee, I have seen this firsthand. When I smile at someone, they smile back. If I say Hello with a smile, I start a conversation and usually educate someone who is curious. And when I ask questions, that I may be afraid to ask (because I don’t want to look like I’m looking for handouts), I usually find someone who has a connection or an “in” to helping me. Rarely do I hear No, but I take the chance anyway, like 2 weeks ago.

I went with my son to pick up his new ski boots, that was all we were going to do, but I started looking around and dreaming of a new pair of skis and boots as mine are over 20 years old. The problem? I only need one ski and one boot, I ski without my prosthetic on and with outriggers. This causes a problem because no one sells singles, so I decided to ask a probing question to the guy helping my son. “Do you ever get a rouge ski come in?”  His answer, we sometimes get skies that someone leaves behind after buying new ones, asking if we can get rid of them. And sure enough, Gil, at SkiPro here in Phoenix checked my height and ski level and went in back only to emerge with a beautiful pair of Solomons! He literally said, “Here, they’re yours, they were just going into the dump.” I couldn’t believe my luck… or maybe I just manifested it by smiling and creating a connection, a relationship. I decided to see if boot companies had singles they might have because of manufacturing defects and how could I get in touch, and Gil measured my foot and we had the same boot size. He told me he’d reach out to me later that week.

Tuesday rolled around and he called and said he had 2 pairs for me to try out. I drove straight down to his shop to give them a go. They were perfect!!

We talked while he fitted the liner to my leg and made an insole for my foot, we connected, and I shared my story with him and my joy of getting out there and doing life. He told me about his time he spent skiing and his life up in Washington, and how he’d worked with an adaptive ski program up north and I just thought, “Wow, this was a God wink” The chance that I talked to a guy who knew his stuff, worked with other adaptive skiers in the past AND was my boot size. incredible. But it was about connecting, opening up, accepting that “No” could be the answer, but I might as well ask.

I went in that day to be with my son, and I walked away that week with a “new” pair of skis and boots that I can’t wait to use this season.

Remember, if you never ask, the answer will always be “No”, but taking a chance on people, asking the questions, asking for assistance with a genuine heart, never hurts. Hey, you may even walk away with new skis!

Checking the liner out

My new friend, Gil. Thanks, man, I appreciate you!

 

 

Simple CTA this week.

What have you been wanting to try but don’t have the equipment or resources to get it?

Go out and find connections. Build relationships in that community.

Email people.

Ask the questions. You never know who you’ll meet and where it’ll take you!

Don’t be afraid to try and hear, “No”.  Be afraid of never asking and always wondering, “What if”.

 

You are all warriors, so rise up and get out there.

Have a blessed week and let me know how it’s going!

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

Much love,

 

 

 

 

 

The Ocean is Calling

The Ocean is Calling

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Healing and Finding Purpose

 

This Illinois, born and raised, girl never knew she had a connection to the ocean.

It’s a beautiful thing to find in yourself so late in life. It was surprising, and breathtaking when it happened.

Many years ago my family moved to Florida for a job. I never thought I would leave Illinois, EVER! All of my family and my husband’s family live there. That was our support system.

We enjoyed Florida a lot while only there for 4 years but I was a mom of two young boys and going to the beach was more of a chore than anything. Keeping an eye on them, making sure they didn’t go in too deep, and then getting sand off of them (which, of course was on every square inch of their bodies when we were done!) before getting into the car.

But, fast forward 11 years and I decided to try my hand at surfing, for the first time ever, and as an amputee. My prosthetist, Randy West, helped me make my dream come true and made me a surf leg the week before our trip to Kauai. I arranged surf lessons and have to say I was a bit nervous at first… I don’t like to fail and I had no idea how this would go seeing as my surf instructor had never given lessons to an amputee before.

Needless to say, I found my joy in surfing from the moment I got on the water.

 

 

The ocean was soothing and yet so powerful. The Hawaiians call this power, Mana, and I understood why. While a wave looks so peaceful and ignorer as it moves its way across the ocean to the beach what was going on under the wave was strong, chaotic, and so powerful.

It seemed to me a metaphor for how my life felt now as an amputee.

 

 

To me, though, even being on the beach and close to the waves, I can still feel her power and her beauty as I watch and listen.

I find myself breathing to the waves as they come in and crash on the beach. I watch the sun shine through the water and watch the ultimate chaos of sand being churned up and plant life whipping around as the wave pushes forward.

This is my happy place. I find my peace here and long for that feeling often, always excited to go back to the ocean whenever a chance arises.

You may not live near a beach or have the means to get there right now but you can recreate this feeling by finding video footage of the ocean and/or the sounds of crashing waves that you can listen to, right now, in your own home. No, it’s not exactly the same but it can do the trick, if you are in need of finding some calm and center in your life.

The ocean has given me a place to finding healing because it calms me, declutters my head, and asks me to breathe with it.

These actions place me in a better place, mood, and mental space.

 

You guessed it! This week I want you to find your peace at the ocean.

This may be a literal ocean, if you live near one, or find video and audio of the ocean that you can immerse yourself into in your own home.

Don’t cheat yourself. don’t find a video and then work on laundry or do the dishes. You must find the time and space to stop everything you are doing to center yourself and focus on the present.

Find rhythm in your breath with the ocean. Close your eyes and listen to ALL of the sounds. Relax your body and your mind and just breathe.

 

 

If you can just find time everyday this week to give yourself this gift of quieting your life, stopping the momentum, even for just 5 minutes, you will find yourself in a better mood, and in a happy space. You might even find healing of what you are struggling with right now.

Surrender to the ocean, Warriors. You and your body deserve that much.

Have a beautifully blessed week,

And until next time,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

 

 

Keys to Success

Keys to Success

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:35 — 29.9MB)

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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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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:25 — 32.9MB)

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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!

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