Tag: hope

The Future is Now: Part 5 of 5

The Future is Now: Part 5 of 5

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MIT

Dan Levine

 

As we wrap up this Limb Loss/Limb Difference Awareness month I am also interviewing my final university student who has been working towards his PhD at MIT. Dan started his journey at Cornell with a degree in Mechanical engineering and Computer Science and is about to graduate from MIT with his doctorate in Media Arts and Sciences.

Dan had a fascinating beginning as he was able to spend some younger years in Thailand as his parents were working in the medical field. His excitement about nature and anything is possible to create if we just look, observe and study what is around us shows us that the brain is such an amazing muscle that can come up with the seemingly impossible, like making prosthetics more advanced and allow the amputee live a life as if nothing has changed for them. That is what the studies at the MIT Media Lab aim to accomplish.

He has had his hands on several projects in Assistive Technologies and as of late been working on advancing bionics in the ankle prothesis.

One very unique experiment he did was to create a video game based on movement technology for his non-sighted friend. Below is the board they actually used to accomplish this task.

 

This board was used to “translate” Mario Bros for his non-sighted friend

 

As I have stated each week this month, the field of mechanical, biomedical engineering and robotics is so very competitive around the nation and some discussions of these students’ projects cannot be divulged until they finish their dissertations and get published, so we discuss what we can during these interviews. My hope, though, is to whet your appetite as to what is coming in the world of prosthetics/bionics and the study of the human body in order to aid the amputee community.

 

Dan’s team of undergraduates enjoy team building time.

 

Another aspect of being at this level of his degree is bringing on undergraduates to add insight and diverse thinking to projects. As Dan worked with these students as a team they are able to all bring their specific talent to the projects and as Dan stated their level in school does not determine their level of expertise. Each team member is valued for what they bring to the table.

Dan has had the opportunity to explore, create and design a more robust and technologically advanced foot model to help be a more natural replacement of our natural foot, using the idea of biomechatronics, energy return, and studying our natural gait to help with his design.

 

Dan in the Media Lab working on specific parts of his design.
A very hands on project after the detailed research of measurements and calculations.
 “Measure twice, cut once” is more his philosophy.

 

I am totally amazed and completely impressed by Dan’s imagination, thoughts, and unique view of the world. It takes very special people to be in this space, creating the next great technological advancement in the engineering world and because of people, like Dan, our amputee community will be seeing some incredible advancements to our devices and thus our ability to live the best, most full life, as if we were not missing anything.

This is truly something to be celebrated!

Thank you, Dan, for spending your time with me diving into the world you have been in these past 6+ years. The devotion, the exhaustion, the hard work and at times, I’m sure, the frustration of getting things completed the way you envisioned them and the successes you have accomplished I thank you! Our community thanks you, for bringing us one step closer to higher potential (pun intended!).

And for all of the university students out there trying to make our world a better place, we see you and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I look forward to what the future holds for myself and other amputees. A world where nothing inhibits us from achieving all of our hopes, dreams, and goals.

I hope you have all enjoyed hearing about the technology and advancements these young adults have been working on. Please help me spread their names and accomplishments by Liking, Sharing, and Subscribing to my podcast. My hope is to check back in with them in the near future to see the strides they have made and I wouldn’t want you to miss that!

 

Thank you and have a very blessed week!

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

 

 

The Future is Now: Part 4 of 5

The Future is Now: Part 4 of 5

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University of Michigan

Mira Mutnik, Jake Kanetis, and Marty Kilbane

 

 

Amazing conversation with not 1, not 2, but 3 PhD students at the University of Michigan this week!

A true, authentic conversation about the innovation and design of future prosthesis and the growth and research of creating a surgical procedures to aid in using these newly designed prosthesis all with the purpose of replicating the natural human movement.

We packed so much conversation into this episode with so much more we could have talked about.

Once again, we discussed what we could, but some details must be left out due to the highly competitive field these young adults are working in.

What I love about these three students is that even though they are all in a different sector, so to speak, of research: Mira-above limb amputees, Jake-below limb amputees, and Marty-prosthetics, they are all working towards the same goal; creating the best way to unify the surgical procedure and prosthesis to give the amputee the best, most natural movement possible.

 

Jake all hooked up to monitor human movement to collect data for his research

 

Marty working with a study participant on their design of a prosthesis they are working on in the lab.

 

Mira collecting data on her upper limb project and how to get the best hand movement and dexterity of a prosthesis.

 

We had a great discussion of what it could look like for the future of amputees and the length of time these studies take. There are a lot of hoops to jump through, safety regulations, data collecting, and trials. The FDA must approve procedures and products that they hope to take to market some day, but these students have become three of the many students going through the program at University of Michigan, working tirelessly to bring this technology closer to us being able to access it.

I find it so unique to see the shift from making the newest, coolest, most advanced products for us to wear, as amputees, to surgical procedures to make our bodies work in harmony with a prosthesis. The one thing we did dive deep into was the procedure of getting candidates who fit the bill to doing the trial procedures, and finding willing participants as well. This can be so tricky as we struggle with the idea of going back in and revision the original amputation in hopes that the outcome will be the same if not better, but the concern that it could be worse.

I hope you will join us today, listen to the entire podcast and see what dedication these students have for helping our amputee community, what motivates them to continue into this higher level of study, and what their plans are for their future after graduation.

Thank you Jake, Mira, and Marty for sharing your passion. Your dedication to helping our community find a better way to live is inspiring and deserves our gratitude!

Continue doing what you’re doing, and know we all thank you for the time, ideas, and ingenuity to take amputees to the next level!

Please make sure you all Like, Share, and Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode as we continue with our 5th Student interview next week as we visit MIT again from a different angle.

Wishing you all the best, and a blessed week ahead.

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

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!

 

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,

 

 

 

Limbs For Humanity

Limbs For Humanity

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:42 — 23.8MB)

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Making Mobility Great Again, One Prosthesis at a Time

 

When I walked into The Limb Center office prior to amputation I met Randy West and David Banks for the first time.

 

They are a Phoenix based company

 

From that moment on, they were there for me, reassuring me that I could do this, that they would make sure I had the best fit and they asked about my hopes and dreams as I entered amputee life, allowing me the space to dream and hope as large as I could.

And they delivered, over and over again!

 

 

Getting a prosthesis is a process, and it takes time (and patience). It’s not a one and done, and these guys aren’t just fitting a leg and walking away.
They are there for future care and concerns!

 

About a year after my amputation they started talking to me about this idea they had for a non-profit, that they wanted to help more people that were struggling and in need of an advocate in their corner. I knew that this would take flight, it was just a matter of when. Their business was growing quickly since I got on the scene, they had families of their own, and we knew time was limited and precious.

A couple more years went by and now they are officially a non-profit, Limbs For Humanity, and I couldn’t be more excited and proud of them.

 

Rocky Point Medical Clinic

 

 

Today I want to introduce Randy and David to you, allow them to tell their story, and let you hear their hearts.

Join me in celebrating their dream that helps others realize their full potential.

These guys don’t just make prosthesis for people without the means of getting one, they allow people to dream, become mobile once again, and get them back to being productive members of society, many of which would be helpless to achieve that without the proper parts and a whole lot of money-prosthetics are NOT cheap. Not only are they bringing mobility back to individuals who are in need, they are also relieving stressors and depression that can take hold of someone, post-amputation.  Mental health is at risk when we are left to feel that we cannot help our families, our communities, or our employers.

What Randy and David do is change lives, one appointment and one prosthesis at a time.

 

A young boy getting the help he needed in their Phoenix office

 

 

You can be a part of this monumental changing of lives. Here’s how:

1-SHARE, SHARE, SHARE! Share this podcast, share their story, share their links with everyone you know.

2-Donate money! Prosthesis are so expensive, and this is usually the roadblock for many amputees on why they can’t get one, or get one that is suited for their level of activity and lifestyle. If you have even a dollar to share, It will go to funding a new leg for someone in need. If you know of, or work for a company that is looking for a great way to donate each year, please consider sharing this with whoever is uncharge of donations. Limbs For Humanity takes a village to make a difference.

3-Donate parts! If you are an amputee or know of one who is not using an old leg, foot, liners, etc, please reach out to them or myself to see if we can use what you have laying around. You may have received a new leg or foot, and there is someone in the world in desperate need of it. Let’s put everything to good use. With your help, you could change someone’s life forever!

 

Limbs For Humanity, is truly what they are, we all should have the basic human right/need of mobility available to us. It changes lives, it brings hope and joy, it allows people to be productive and feel useful once again.

Check out their Instagram, Facebook pages, YouTube and TikTok pages: @limbsforhumanity

Also, go to their website: Limbs For Humanity to see stories of them changing lives, and ways you can help. There is also a DONATE button to click so you can be a part of the change that brings hope and happiness back to individuals who had none.

 

May you feel blessed by their stories and bring blessings upon others by helping Limbs For Humanity grow.

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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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,

 

 

 

Reflect and Reset

Reflect and Reset

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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,

 

 

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