Tag: warrior

Healing From the Inside Out

Healing From the Inside Out

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If we could only see the damage within ourselves from past experiences, like we can see the physical damage done from surgery, we would understand the importance of healing within ourselves.  If you are hurting, feeling discouraged, broken, sad, anxious, angry, then you really need to focus on your inner YOU before you can heal and build up your physical YOU.

When we feel great, happy, content, or relaxed we tend to have energy and then that energy is used to move us, heal our bodies, and become more physically active.  Ironically, when we do start moving our bodies not only is that good for our physical being, but it, in turn, lifts our spirits and helps with our emotional and mental state as well.

So what comes first? It’s like the chicken or egg scenario. If you are emotionally defeated, it’s hard to motivate yourself to do something good for yourself. Yet, if you could just push past that, the endorphins that your body releases when you become active can boost your spirits.

After all I have been through since 2013, when I couldn’t be active, left me feeling miserable at times. It actually took its toll on my body as I had gained 55 pounds through 5 years of knee surgeries.  It was actually after I had my amputation that I was once again able to move, and rose up to once again, define who I was and live a better life.  It was hard, I stumbled and fell often both physically and metaphorically, but I kept pushing myself, and the boundaries, until I began to soar.

 

The first picture, on top, was me right after my amputation in 2018. The 2nd picture is from 2 weeks ago.

I began doing things I thought I may never do again, I attempted new sports and activities, and found a pure joy that no one could take away from me. I healed myself from the inside out and accepted my new situation, and moved on from there, challenging myself to anything and everything I could think of as an amputee.  I became so active that the extra weight dropped off and now I am more fit then I was, even in high school!

 

You can achieve this, if you want it. It takes commitment and perseverance. You must set goals and follow through, but it can be done.

Don’t count yourself out just yet. I believe in you!

 

 

 

It’s simple this week:

 

Write down all the emotions and feelings you are having that eat away at you. All the negative thoughts and feelings you have about yourself, where you are at in your life, your medical situation.

Now destroy that list! Burn it! Tear it to shreds! Crumple it up and throw it in the trash!

It’s time to move onward and upward. Today you learn to forgive, have grace, and think positive thoughts.

It’s never too late to start a new path, take a road less traveled, and to adjust your life.

Don’t put it off anymore, you deserve the best from yourself.

I believe in you! Let’s do this!

 

Best wishes on your new beginning!

As always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

 

Dream A Little Dream

Dream A Little Dream

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:02 — 46.6MB)

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Making Your Dreams Become Reality

 

 

If you can dream it, you can do it.

We’ve all heard that saying before and maybe even been told that by someone trying to cheer you on.  It’s true, to an extent. Dreams become reality when we have the vision to imagine them, and the mental and physical strength to follow through to accomplish them. Dreams aren’t easy to accomplish, but they are attainable with the right tools to get you from point A to point B.

Once I knew I was going to amputate my leg I knew I needed to set my sights on goals and dreams that would help me heal and live my life. I created a vision board that my PT suggested so I had inspiration every day to accomplish my goals, and my “whys” for setting them.

My Vision Board

 

This is an example of my vision board that I looked at every day for months prior to my amputation. I was feeding my brain positive signals about the plans I had for my body after the trauma. What we tell ourselves fuels our brain to follow suit. Mindset is based on positive thoughts, positive talk, and mental strength.  If you feed your mind negativity, you won’t see anything but negative. If you feed your mind positive messages and possibilities for success, you’ll find success knocking at your door.

 

I don’t know about you but I want to live a full, healthy, happy and fulfilling life.  If you’re not living that kind of life right now, ask yourself, “What’s holding me back?” I bet it’s negativity, excuses, and lack of planning.

You can do this! You need to dare to dream. DREAM BIG!!! don’t shortchange yourself or your life. You want something? You want to achieve a goal? Go after it!

 

 

It’s time to create your own vision board. Take a look at mine above, google search Vision Boards and see other examples. Then set out to create your very own. Dare to dream. Dream big and don’t limit yourself. Put it all on the table, no matter how big or small the dream. Add quotes that motivate you. Add pictures of you getting back to your activity that you once did, or pictures of an activity you want to try. Throw on some pictures of your “whys” as I have found that doing it for myself is good but accomplishing something for a bigger picture is even better. My example was skiing. I wanted to ski again for my boys and husband. My husband and I always talked about skiing after he retired and I wasn’t going to let losing my leg get in the way of our youthful dreams.

Once you’ve created your board, place it somewhere you will see every morning and every evening to keep you motivated!

 

You’ve got this! I know you can do it. Believe in yourself.

 

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

 

I’m BACK!!!

I’m BACK!!!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:14 — 31.2MB)

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What Happens When It’s YOUR Decision??

 

Hi there! Remember me?😉

 

I’m back from a much-needed break and ready to bring you some amazing episodes! Won’t you join me by subscribing to my website, podcasts, or YouTube channel??

Here we are 3 1/2 years after my ELECTED amputation and I had someone ask me, “How hard was it for you to decide to amputate? Because I’m about there, myself, and I’m scared.”

The morning after my amputation
Active, healthy me, living a life I love.

 

Well, after 3 1/2 years of being an amputee I reflected on what it means to make the election to cut off a limb, how I navigated such unchartered territory and what demons tried to take hold of me…until I relaxed into my faith, and trusted, that’s when my whole world came together and made sense once again.
Join me on the journey of discovery what the human body can tolerate, how we can harness this power in our everyday lives and what, I believe, is the secret to success.
Please make sure you like, share, and subscribe so you don’t miss another episode!!
Thanks for listening!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!
Much love,
Angie
#amputee #mydecision #rightorwrong #frogfuelactual #juststrongambassador #mindset #challenges #faith #ownit #podcast #amputeegirl #ampstrong #abovekneeamputee #ilovemylife #livingmybestlife #enjoythejourney #youarespecial
What Motivates You?

What Motivates You?

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What gets you moving in the morning? What lights a fire under you? What keeps you moving forward when you feel like giving up?

Our mindset and goal setting allows us to find success. They give us the direction and purpose we need to press forward and reach levels of success that might not have been possible otherwise.

I make sure that I have a clear image in my head of what the next day will look like, before I go to bed. I have a to-do list of things I need to do and another list of things I WANT to do. Make sure you mix it up otherwise you could face some burn out and then lose momentum. My dad always said I needed to work hard, then I could play hard; do things I must do and then enjoy the things I want to do.

 

Finding time to go to the gym is my play time, but somedays it’s just hard to motivate myself to go.
But I always feel good after I’m done.

 

You can find success each day if you know where you want to go. Like going on a trip, you plan out your travels so you get to where you want to go and so you know when you’ll arrive. Same goes for being motivated.  If you plan for success, you’ll most often succeed. If you fail to plan then you will fail.

 

This week I want you to try this night time ritual;

Either in your mind or on paper think of all that you want and need to accomplish tomorrow. Understand your timeline, meaning when you will need to get up in the morning and when you’ll want to go to bed, and then factor in each item you’ve listed. I have found that I now clump certain items together, for example, if I need to go see my prosthetist that is south 45 minutes, I also try to hit any stores down that way to be time efficient, that also feels like a victory. I also work backwards in thinking about my day. This gives me the opportunity to get up at the right time in the morning so I ultimately have the right amount of time to accomplish everything.

Now set that alarm and get some rest.

What if you wake up in a blah mood, a negative space? Now you build character by pushing forward at what you set out to do the night before. This won’t be easy but I promise you it’ll feel great when you accomplish what you set out to do, despite the vibe of your day.

Use music to help motivate you and keep you moving forward. And make sure you check out Fearless Motivation on Apple Music!

I wish you a week filled with smashed goals and positive vibes!

Stay motivated, my friends!

 

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

much love,

Angie

 

Party For 1

Party For 1

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:24 — 45.9MB)

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Pity Party For 1, That Is.

 

 

Yep, it happens to us all and this past Monday I got myself into that mindset.
However, looking back now, and even that evening, I realized how lucky I am for all the good in my life. Then I had a good laugh at myself and moved on.
You could say that character building happened that day for me and I wanted to share with you what can happen in my life to show you that we all struggle. No one is exempt from struggles. No one is exempt from feeling sorry for themselves. It’s what we do with those moments that make or break us.
As an amputee we can easily fall into a “poor me” attitude and milk it for all it’s worth, mainly because our wounds are very visible to the world. But that is not a good way to live and quite frankly will only disable us further.
If we feed our brains negative images and comments then it’ll believe what we are saying and thinking. And if we fuel our brain with positivity and happy images it’ll believe that too.
What are you speaking to yourself?
Are you in the middle of your own pity party of 1?
If you are, only you can get yourself out of it. Start by finding things in your life you are grateful for and go from there. Once you realize all that is good in your life you will be able to step away from the moment and put your life back into perspective.
Learn from these moments.
Be a warrior and conquer negativity, don’t let it consume you.
Pity parties are bound to happen, and that’s ok. It’s NOT ok to dwell there for days at a time. It won’t be good for you, your health, or the people around you.
Find what’s good, right, and what makes you happy in your life. Thinking of the people and things you are grateful for and move your negative mindset into positive.
Begin today or tonight.
Each night before going to bed (or first thing when you wake) write down, in a journal, at least 5 things you are grateful for.
It’s as simple as that.
Sometimes we lose sight of the big picture and all that we have. When that happens we need to step back, stop looking at our life under the microscope, and realize all that is good in our life. When we can appreciate our life for what it’s worth, we can handle the moments that test us, and push our buttons, a little bit better.
Will that stop the pity parties? No, but you may find you are not dwelling in that headspace as much and you will also see the health benefits if you continually practice a positive way of thinking.
Give it a try for the next 7 days, until we meet again.
Tell me how you feel after practicing positivity for a week, I’d love to hear how it made you feel, any benefits you saw from it, or what happened in your life that pushed you to that pity party breaking point.
Don’t be ashamed that you went there. Own it and then move on. You’ll be grateful you did!
And as always,
Be healthy,
Be happy,
Be YOU!
Much love,
Angie
Embrace the Moments

Embrace the Moments

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The past few weeks have been quite a ride and then just 2 days ago I realized we, as a family, were about to close another chapter in our lives.

Change happens. Life keeps moving forward, even when we are not ready, even if we don’t want it to. It is inevitable.

We as humans don’t really embrace change well, it takes some getting used to but, it is what helps us grow. When we are forced out of our comfort zone, a place we’ve become accustomed to, we can feel out of control, scared, and unsure of ourselves and our path. It can be disorienting and make us feel like we are failing.

What I have learned over the past 9 years is that within moments we feel chapters closing, and our life taking on a new direction, with acceptance and positive mindset, embrace these changes, we succeed and begin fly once again.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy. As a matter of fact, changes that deeply affect us and make us stumble or strike fear in us, take time to grapple with before and accept. But the sooner you accept the change the sooner you’ll find yourself flying once again, and you might even see how it’s made you grow in certain aspects of your life.

New chapters happen often throughout our lifetime. If we could only remember that and enjoy the ride, then we can stop worrying and start really living our best life, a more deep and meaningful life, taking in the moments that we often take for granted. So often we get caught up in worry and stress, wondering what will happen next, and wondering if we can handle the curveballs life is throwing at us that we forget that life is happening, and life is about the ups and downs, the journey, the struggles, the triumphs and joys. We tend to lose sight of the big picture. New chapters open and old ones close. New adventures begin and we learn more about ourselves and our people we surround ourselves with by how we handle the situations in life. But it is in the small daily moments that we must remember to embrace, and cherish. they are fleeting moments and quickly become memories.

This young man is now a 20-year-old. We said good-bye to teen years this week!😢

 

My youngest! His team won State this past weekend and he graduates high school next week!😭

 

I am in a season of change, yet again, in my life. This momma’s heart will weep and be sad for the change, but I know that new doors open, allowing us to grow some more, to build character and perseverance for the next step.

Enjoy today, for all its worth.

It may not be perfect or fun or pain-free, but find the joy. Embrace the moment. Love the challenges or triumphs you are in, right now.

Take mental pictures to store in your heart forever and love your life.

 

 

Every time you find yourself struggling with frustrations, anxiety, or fear stop and slow yourself down

Take 5-10 deep breathes in through your mouth, hold for 2 seconds and then exhale through your nose.

Next, write down:

5 things you love about your life,

or 5 things you are proud of,

or 5 things that were positives about your day.

Our minds are powerful and whatever we tell our brain, it believes!

Feed your mind positives and watch how your mindset and life change for the better.

 

As always, until next week:

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

 

What’s Your Story with Christy Gardner

What’s Your Story with Christy Gardner

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 US Army Veteran, USA Sled Hockey Teammate, Therapy Dog Trainer, Special Olympics Coach, Bilateral Below Knee Amputee

Christy does it all! She is amazing, inspiring, and constantly pushing her limits to see what is possible!

As I wrap up my interviews for Limb Loss/Limb Difference Awareness month (April), I have to say I am renewed, Inspired, and ready to take on the world!

Christy was planning on serving our country for the maximum number of years, until one fateful day she was hit by a local strike in an undisclosed area she was serving as a MP Sergeant. She ended up with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and spinal cord damage which ultimately led to her double amputation.  She was distraught and had been told that she would never talk or walk again and would never be able to live on her own.

What saved her? How did she go from that “diagnoses” to becoming an alternate to the US Paralympic Track and Field team, a member of the women’s US Sled Hockey team, therapy/service dog trainer, and living alone?  Well, you need to listen in to hear her tell her story. Hear how a friend at the VA kept inviting her to come see what sports were available, how a dog named Moxie changed her life forever for the best, and how her unrelenting desire to be better and achieve the impossible, made everything possible once again!

 

Don’t miss this episode and an opportunity to find your own strength in Christy’s story.

Thank you, Christy, for spending time with me and blessing us with your story of hardship and triumph, and how you were able to overcome such large obstacles. You are a true warrior and such an inspiration! Best wishes in all you do.

 

Competition is such a powerful motivator for Christy…

 

But then again, so was Moxie!🐾

 

Make sure you watch the YouTube episode of my interview with Christy, as well! You can find my YouTube channel by search BAWarrior360

 

And as always:

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

 

Making a Difference- ROMP Global

Making a Difference- ROMP Global

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:52 — 45.7MB)

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Range of Motion Project Global

What an amazing group of people creating opportunities for amputees who might never had the chance to enjoy freedom and independence that mobility brings.

Range of Motion Project Global is changing lives, one prosthetic at a time. I have had the honor of helping them fundraise and getting mobile for their cause the past 2 years as an amputee, because I know how my prosthetic has changed my life for the better.

I feel complete and know that I can do anything I put my mind to now that I have a leg to stand on (pun intended). I don’t take this lightly or for granted because even with amazing insurance coverage we had as a family, I almost didn’t receive a leg! There are so many people in the world that may never get one and that’s tragic.

What you may not understand is that losing a limb and then experiencing the fear of not receiving a prosthetic not only effects the physical nature of a person, it also impacts their emotional and mental health as well! We need to change this. We, as a world and one family, need to reach out and help those who don’t have a way of helping themselves.

This is what ROMP Global is all about. This is their mission. You can help!

Donate old parts from yours or your clients prosthetics.

Donate time and volunteer.

Get moving and participate in their events, like Mobility May, to bring awareness to this issue.

Donate money, any and all amounts are welcome!

We can all do something to help others feel the freedom that mobility brings. What can YOU do?

Check this podcast out, and make sure to listen until the end. The stories of the people they have helped will move you.

LP and David climbing their mountain

 

Want to get moving and help bring awareness to this project?  Join my team today and get yourself moving for the month of May, bring awareness to this amazing cause, and really appreciate your ability to move how and when you want. It’s a freedom we all take for granted, each and everyday.

Thank you for supporting ROMP Global and myself this Mobility May and all year long!

Join my team HERE

Donate to my team and ROMP HERE

ROMP Website

 

 

And as always:

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

What’s your mountain?

 

What’s Your Story with Noah Elliott

What’s Your Story with Noah Elliott

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:15 — 49.4MB)

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2x Paralympic Medalist, Father, and Cancer Survivor-Noah Elliott

 

Wow! Do you need some inspiration? Make sure you listen in today! Noah Elliott shares the journey he has been on since the age of 15, and how he went from becoming a teen father to cancer diagnoses to 2x Olympic medalist!  I mean, WOW!!!

2022 Winter Olympics

 

 Noah doing what he does!

 

Doing what he loves and his personality shines through the heaviest of winter clothing!😎

 

I am honored to call him a friend and am inspired beyond words at the grit and determination he has shown throughout his young life.

If you are struggling in your own journey and find it hard to be positive then consider this interview a huge dose of positivity made just for you.

Noah’s story will inspire, empower and lift you up.

Remember, we all go through hard times and Noah is just a person, like you and me. Listen and see if you can hear what makes him stand out from the crowd. Listen and hear what took him from what could have been a life of impossibilities to him doing the impossible.

See what you can learn from this interview, and the others from the past month, that set these individuals with limb loss/limb difference apart from the crowd. What do they have that you can adopt and use to achieve your goals. Remember, anything is possible with the right mindset, attitude, and faith in yourself.

Remember to like, subscribe and share so you don’t miss an episode!

 

I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.

And as always:

 

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

 

Tell Me Your Story: Andrew Hauser

Tell Me Your Story: Andrew Hauser

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Andrew Hauser: Athletic Trainer/Strength Coach to the MLB and NFL players

I am so excited to share amazing stories all month, interviewing people from all over, who have gone through losing a limb or have limb difference, and letting them share their story and how they have risen from and conquered the challenges in their lives.

This week’s interview is with Andrew Hauser, athletic trainer/strength coach in the MLB and with NFL players, who lost his leg in a scary and tragic accident at 18 years old.  He was a baseball player and getting ready to head off to college to a whole new world when this took place. Can you even imagine being 18 years old with whole world in your reach, only to have your life turned upside down in a heartbeat?!?!

Andrew’s positive outlook, and his ability to be introspective and calm, was not only astonishing at such a young age, but it probably was the key to him bouncing back and living an amazing life, full of adventure and helping others strive to reach their highest potential in the field he works in.

Listen in as you hear Andrew talk about his journey, the hurdles he had to jump through, finding a wife to love and be loved by, and embarking on a career that he hadn’t dreamed of as an 18 year old.  Hear what took place, in his own words, and how he ended up reconnecting with his identity as an athlete and having an incredible job, doing what he loves.

Thank you, Andrew, for sharing your story, your journey, and the struggles and triumphs you experienced along the way!

 

As always:

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much Love,

Angie

 

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