Party For 1
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Pity Party For 1, That Is.


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“To live will be an awfully big adventure.” -Peter Pan
And to live well, is even better.
Sometimes it might feel like the world is coming down all around you and you can barely breathe. We can get so wrapped up in our own journey, or life, that we forget that there are others out there hurting and dealing with their own struggles. There are people who don’t know if they can make it one more day, are in so much pain, or ready to give up because they feel alone and unseen.
That’s where I want to take you today. No matter what you may be going through there is someone out there who is in need and probably worse off than you. Maybe they feel they have no one to talk to or rely on. Maybe they are in so much pain that it has become unbearable to deal with. Maybe they got yet another piece of bad news that is pushing them to their limits.
This is where we can come in and help ourselves while helping others. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, if I sit around thinking of everything that feels painful or uncomfortable in my own life or spend time dwelling on what I can’t do then I am going to find myself throwing a pity party. This, no one wants to see. And I can’t say that I’m truly living if I approach life like this. What I CAN do is reach out to friends, family, neighbors, who are in need of a friend or someone to talk to and let them know I care, and that I am there for them. I could send a note, a text, take them a coffee or lunch. Sometimes, just taking time out of our busy days, could be what saves someone that day.
You see, we have become a society that has become so busy in our own lives, wrapped up in our own problems, it has become every man/woman for themselves, and it’s hurting us.
When I decided to amputate, sure I had my own goals about how I’d bounce back and become active, but I also wanted to make sure I was helping someone else along the way. I worked with St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Range Of Motion Project these past 3 years. What I found by fundraising and being actively involved with these groups was that it lifted me up, too! I found a purpose outside of my own life, helping others. What an amazing feeling this was…so I continued to help. Then I started hearing from people that were struggling to wear their prosthesis, so I started calling and talking with them and making videos of what it’s like to start a new activity, as an amputee, and being transparent about my own struggles.
People just want to be seen, to not feel alone in this life. Life is a big adventure, and to live it well is an even bigger adventure. One worth the journey, the heartache and the pain we sometimes feel.
“All the world is made of Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust.” -Peter Pan
May you be someone’s “pixie dust” this week. See how you can be, below.⬇️
This week, reach out to someone that may need a friend. Maybe it’s a neighbor, an old friend, or a family member. Touch base with them. Send a text, and email, pick up the phone and call them, invite them for coffee or lunch. Try to connect with someone each day until we meet again next week. You may be surprised what this will also do for you.
Sometimes when we put aside our own struggles to help someone else, we benefit more than we can even imagine. Be someone’s pixie dust this week, and watch how your life changes as you do.
As always:
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!
Much love,
Angie
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:12 — 36.0MB)
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The time is now! Let’s find the warrior within you. Let’s dig deep and create the life you have always wanted to have.
After all that I went through these past several years with all the “down time” I had while I was healing from surgery after surgery, I realized that my life was shifting and changing, and I felt that God was giving me a new path and my future had so many possibilities.
My family had been there for me through so much, I learned a lot about myself through my trials, and I saw my relationship with my husband grow as I saw a man who supported me and my drive even in the midst of huge trials.
In this podcast I talk to you about what was happening to me, internally, as I struggled through 5 years of failed knee surgeries and the past 3 years after my choice to amputate my leg above the knee.
Today, I am a certified personal trainer with a specialization in corrective exercise and fitness nutrition. My goal is to help those who wish to live a healthier and more active lifestyle, no matter where they are at in their journey called life.
Take a listen to this week’s podcast to hear where my journey has led me, what my thinking was behind the years of trials I endured, and how I can help you in the next step of your journey. I get it. I know what it is to rise from the ashes and reinvent myself.
Life is a journey:
I hope you are having an amazing start to 2022 and remember, no need for new year’s resolutions, or feeling like it’s already too late to start anew. Now is the time to start. No more excuses!
Let’s get at it and unleash the warrior that I know is inside of you waiting to come out and attack life.
You owe it to yourself and your family to live your best, most healthy life…NOW!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
much love,
Angie
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:17 — 46.2MB)
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…and YES to a new, healthier lifestyle.
Welcome back to my podcast and the start of season 2!!! I am beyond grateful for you!
If you are new to my site and haven’t been following me then you can go back and listen to my first season here or, better yet, subscribe to my podcast on Apple, iHeart, Spotify, or any other site you see below so you never miss an episode!
This week I am back after a 3 week hiatus from the holidays and getting an new addition to our family! Introducing, Maggie Mae, our 4 month old Chihuahua!
So our “big girl”, Bella, now has a sister to play with, torment, and protect! This has been an eye opener when it comes to my time. I actually had to delay my podcast an extra week as I was so busy following her around, potty training her, and being sleep deprived that I couldn’t function. I may be getting too old for this! Ha ha!! She’s lucky she’s so cute.
This week’s podcast is all about setting yourself up for success when it comes to creating a new and improved lifestyle, and it has NOTHING to do with making New Year’s Resolutions! I do not like New Year’s Resolutions because I feel like there’s a stigma that you’ll make them every January 1st and drop them within a month. It leaves you feeling like a failure and creates a bad habit of starting and giving up. Instead, what I implore you to do is to make small attainable goals with a deadline a month out, then another goal month out, and then again by summer. You want to create a healthy and positive habit with your goal setting. Baby steps, are still baby steps. With each baby step in the right direction it draws you closer to your small goal, which inevitably leads you to a bigger end result that you may or may not have perceived was even possible. Remember, hard work pays off and every little change in a healthy, positive way is worth doing…and you’re worth it!
Remember to have grace with yourself and forgive yourself if you stumble. You’re human and you will fall, every once in a while. It’s what you do in that moment that shows what you’re made of. Do you get back up and continue to move forward or do you give up?
As we enter mid January, don’t tell yourself you’re too late to start a positive lifestyle change this year. YOU CAN START ANY MONTH, ANY DAY of the week. Start today, do it for you! Do it for your family. When you eat well, get active, achieve goals you set for yourself, then you become a happier and healthier person to be around. When you feel good, your mental state also becomes healthy. Who doesn’t want to feel good inside and out?
Don’t know how to start? Check out the Call the Action below.
Let’s get started, today!
*On paper write down your top 2-4 goals. Remember, they don’t need to be huge and hard to attain. Think small baby steps. As you begin to create a positive trend of goal setting/goal attaining then you can start setting bigger goals.
*Next set deadlines next to each goal. This is very important. It’s creating accountability. Make it tangible. Ex. I want to take a walk everyday. My plan: walk each evening. My hopes are that I will create a habit by the end of a month and then I won’t have to make it a goal, it’ll be a lifestyle. The benefits; I will be more active, fresh air in my lungs will help my emotional and mental state, I may even lose weight!
*You could also add your goals to your phone and set reminders to go off when you need a nudge. Whatever works for YOU.
*If you miss a day in your routine don’t fret and most definitely don’t give up. Just get back up and start again the next day. Your life is a journey and there are going to be days where it’s almost impossible to hit a goal, that’s ok. Just don’t give up!
If you need help or someone to hold you accountable please feel free to reach out to me.
Check out my IG account @BAWarrior360 or Facebook: BAWarrior360
Best wishes and happy new year!
Let’s make it great!!!
Much love,
Angie
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:49 — 38.3MB)
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Just a quick podcast today as I am getting ready for the upcoming holiday season. Life is moving at warp speed and even the tiniest of kindnesses seem to get lost in our hurried lives. Stop, relax, look around you, and remember what this time of year is all about.
Smile! Bring joy into people’s lives by simply spreading joy, with a free smile.
Patience. Patience allows us to breathe and take stock in the moment before we react, or worse, over-react!
Kindness. Go that extra mile and help someone through the holidays. Not everyone finds this time of year joyful or even tolerable. Showing someone you are thinking of them could change their whole life, for the better.
And best of all, when we exhibit kindness, exercise patience and smile at the people we encounter we, too, get the benefit of feeling a fulfillment in our own lives.
The above items ARE your Call to Action for the next couple of weeks as we enter the holiday season and get ready to say good-bye to 2021.
May you all find happiness, joy and good healthy this holiday season. And Cheers! to a wonderful New Year!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:28 — 38.3MB)
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It really has to be said that where our minds go, our hearts go, too. If you are stuck in a bad way, and can’t seem to find happiness or joy in your life then check your thoughts. How do you speak to yourself? How do you speak to others?
Everyone goes through trials, that’s just life. The way each of us deals with those trials, those valleys in our lives, determines how we come through them. I chose to amputate, and I choose to make the most of my life now. I try and choose happiness, joy, and a grateful heart everyday I wake up. Somedays it is harder than others, I get that, I have been there, but those moments do NOT dictate my overall mental state that day. Sometimes I need to practice speaking more positively towards myself, and giving myself some grace, on those days. Sometimes it’s easy to see the positive, and sometimes it’s the hardest thing EVER!
The point is, when you practice being grateful, and seeing all the good things in your life, in your circumstance, you will radiate joy, you will see the health benefits of a happy heart and mind. And they do go hand in hand.
Try it!
What are you happy about? What are you grateful for in your life?
In this podcast I share with you the people, and things, I am grateful for. I choose to practice gratefulness.
As you head into this Thanksgiving week, pay attention to the people and moments that are happening around you. Be grateful for even the smallest things. I guarantee you will feel so much better about yourself.
My Family❤
This week write down the things you are thankful for and place them where you can see them everyday.
*Use a smooth, fabric table cloth and permanent markers and begin a new tradition of writing something you are thankful for over the past year. Do this as a Thanksgiving tradition and each year add something to it with your friends and family. Then each year that you pull it out you’ll have a constant reminder of the things you’ve been thankful for over the years.
*Start a Thankfulness Jar. Have a big open jar or bowl sitting out for the holiday season with slips of paper, then each night have everyone write something they are thankful for that day, and then date them. On New Year’s Day have everyone take turns pulling them out and reading them.
*Begin a journal that is simply: I am thankful for:…..
Write in it every night, going to bed with a full heart of gratitude.
Have a very special, wonderful, and blessed Thanksgiving. Safe travels!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!
Much love and gratefulness,
Angie
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:14 — 45.0MB)
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So not everyday is roses. It may seem like that if you check out some people’s social media. Don’t buy it! We all struggle, and we all go through valleys. I’m smiling in the photo above because I am surrounded by the people I love, doing something we love- together. Today, however, as I put on my prosthetic, I realized it didn’t feel right. As I started walking on it I was noticing that I was already hitting the bone at the end of my residual limb on the inside of my socket. I tried to “walk it off” by literally grabbing my backpack and heading out for a walk, only to realize I just couldn’t make it to the end of my block!
DEFEAT!
That’s what was going through my head. Then, “what if I never get back the level of activity I had last year!?”
ENOUGH! This talk was helping no one. That’s when I decided to share my journey with you. To put it all out there and show that even when it appears all is going well, that sometimes it’s just not. And for me to give up on an activity is really saying something….especially me sharing that I gave up.
It has to be known, that all of us fall victim to self-doubt, or giving up, or fears. We are all human, after all. What makes each one of us different is what we do after we fall. Do you sit and wallow in self-pity, looking for external things and people to give you strength and value? Or do you pick yourself back up and try again when you’re ready?
How we approach the hard times will inevitably be what helps us succeed on our journey called life, or fall short and make us struggle every time things don’t go our way.
I want to see you all rise up, challenge yourself, and succeed! You need to believe in yourself. Believe you ARE strong enough, and make life what you want it to be.
This week stay positive! I know, easier said than done at times. Find something that you CAN do and go do it. Be outside, let the sunshine and Fall weather bring you joy, energy, and some inner peace. Do something that makes you laugh, and release those positive chemicals in your body. Don’t sit back and ponder all the negatives, that won’t do you, or anyone around you, any good. You deserve more! You deserve better!!
I’m here for you! Let me know how you’re doing.
And remember, as always:
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:23 — 35.4MB)
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As a continuation to last week’s podcast on Phantom Pain, and how my faith has helped me through, I thought I would add in other ways you can try to deal with these inevitable pains we go through, as amputees.
If you experience phantom pains you know how unpleasant and downright horrible they can be. They can mess with your head, bring you down, and keep you from sleep. They don’t discriminate, and if you’ve never had them, be forewarned, you could still have them rear up even years down the road. My prosthetist, who is also an above knee amputee, has been an amputee for 20+ years, and just last week experienced them for the first time, and the full blown kind. It amazes me that no one is safe from experiencing them, in one form or another, and at any given time in their amputee life.
Which brings me to the point I tried to make in the last podcast, and will, again, reiterate it here:
You need to learn to deal with these pains, realizing that they come and go, no one is safe from them, and your mindset about them will ultimately determine how you push through (or not), to rise up and continue on with your life. They may knock you down, but they don’t have to destroy you.
In this podcast I discuss many different ways you can help yourself deal with them, but ultimately, I believe you need to become really strong, mentally and emotionally, to win each battle, when they come.
Listen in to this week’s podcast and see what might be able help you the next time phantom pains strike. And they will….. will you be ready to take on the battle?
Do some research. Understand your options. Research neurotransmitters. Understand that what works for one person may not work for you so be open to that possibility and don’t be afraid to keep trying different options. And remember, the more you understand that phantom pains are a part of your journey, the more capable you will be with overcoming them, and not being defeated by them, when they do arise.
Remember, you are not alone. and you CAN and WILL make it through it.
As always:
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:28 — 47.1MB)
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Moving has been the focus of my every moment this past 3-4 weeks and it has been exhausting. I have pushed myself to the max to get things unpacked and to make our new house look like a home. I have rubbed my residual limb raw, created some serious pains that have taken my breathe away, and made my “good leg” ache with all the work it has done to compensate for the lack of not having another limb. With all the craziness of life I have ignored the fit of my socket, until now. I am finally getting fit for a new socket and am excited with the idea of a closer fit, but anxious with having to cope with a new fit that will inevitably cause pains as I adapt to it.
With the good comes the bad. With the highs come the lows, and life is a journey. We must always remember that life isn’t a sprint but a marathon. I need to remember that. I can get impatient at times, and frustrated by the problems and set backs I encounter on a day to day/week to week basis.
I need to remember to stop and smell the roses( or in my case, today, sunflowers), and enjoy the journey. Today was one of those days when everything just came to a head for me, emotionally, and I got so angry and frustrated. You know, the kind of emotion that makes you want to give up and take a nap…. or stress eat!
I’m proud of myself, I did neither! Instead I went through with recording my podcast. Take a listen to hear what happened today that put me in a tail spin. As I spoke to you all about it, I realized that I am truly blessed with my life and that “this too, shall pass”. I must learn to have grace with the world, the people around me, and myself. I believe we have these moments to remind ourselves of all the good that is in our life. Without the valleys how can we appreciate the mountain tops? I sometimes forget how good my life is and how blessed I am. I need to remind myself to be grateful, even through the problems.
I hope you can see how blessed you are with who and what you have in your life, even when things aren’t so perfect. If we can just see the positives we can eliminate stressors that can harm our health. Our attitude and outlook on our life can create a healthy life or make us sick. Being unhappy, grouchy, and angry can really harm our health and destroy our recovery from sickness or surgery. Try positivity. You might be surprised on how great you’ll start feeling AND you’ll also see the world change, for the better, all around you, all because of how you carry yourself. I don’t see myself as disabled or handicapped. I like to smile at people who look at me, staring at my leg. When I smile and they smile back then I know they see me for ME, then a chain reaction occurs, of happy vibes…. at least in my life and at my house. Try it!! The world needs more positive vibes- why not be the person who starts it? Be the change!
Today’s Call to Action:
Write down 5 things that you are grateful for. Maybe it’s people in your life, or your pet. Maybe its the health you DO enjoy, or a memory. Maybe it’s simply that cup of coffee with a friend or that moment you had to watch the sunset. Just be thankful! Then post your list somewhere that you can see it everyday. Maybe on your mirror in your bathroom, or next to your bed at night.
Better yet, can you write 5 things for which you are grateful for 7 days in a row?
Send me a message and tell me what you are grateful for. Our gratefulness is contagious!
I am grateful for each of you!! Thank you for reading, listening, and following my journey!
And as always:
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love and admiration,
Angie
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:58 — 41.1MB)
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It’s time to get off that couch and put your leg on. Let’s do this! If not today, then when?
I will tell you that the amputation wasn’t the end of a journey but the very beginning of another. Life is a journey so I don’t know why I thought any different with amputation. Now the real work comes in. You need to heal, and then get your socket fitted and THEN learn to walk all over again! No one can truly prepare you for what’s to come with amputation but I will tell you that no matter what you are facing with yours, you CAN do anything! You just need to press on and learn to adapt.
For me it was about perseverance, distraction and goal setting. You will have good days and bad days, and knowing this will allow you to “bounce back” when the going gets tough. I didn’t realize this, at first, and when I began to struggle I thought it was going to be down, down, down, with no recovery…. that’s how my last 7 years had gone with surgeries, so why would this be any different? But then over the course of these past two years I realized that my residual limb changes size and shape and that will dictate how my socket fits, which, in turn, dictated some of my struggles and pains. But those bad moments, or struggles, were short lived and then good times would return. NOW that I know this I can take those “bad” days in stride, and not lose sleep over them (although, sometimes I do because of the phantom pain 😉 Haha! Humor is good medicine, by the way.
I started my journey, back to walking, by deciding to give virtual races a try. I am highly competitive with myself so when I set a goal, I will succeed. My 1st race was 175 miles in 3 months. I started this one just a couple months after getting my prosthetic! I figured, what’s the best way to get use to your new leg- use it, and use it A LOT! I would need to put in 2 miles everyday to catch up since I registered a little late. You know what? It was hard! But I stuck with it, logged all my miles and made the goal of 175 miles! And the pure joy of receiving my finisher’s medal stuck with me…so I registered for the next one, which was 150 miles! and then the next one- 150 miles! I finished all of those and then began smaller more condensed goals of completing 5k walks/runs, virtually. The idea of doing a race within a day put more pressure on me to compete at my highest level. I had to complete 3.1 miles all at once and some days that was really hard. Some of them I raced for better and faster times, other times I had to be content with just finishing. You need to know your body well enough not to do harm but also to know when and how hard to push.
I have enjoyed all the races I’ve completed. There’s a sense of pride and accomplishment seeing all of my medals I’ve earned over the past 2 years as an amputee. These races have given me a purpose, goals, and independence as an amputee. I look and feel better then I have in a long time, and my mental health is at its peak. Listen in to my podcast to hear more about how to get moving and what hurdles I overcame to finish all those medals these past 2 years.
Now it’s YOUR turn!
Check out these virtual races and register for one of them. Take baby steps to get there but get there! Challenge yourself to do and be something more. You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish when you set a goal and get moving. I guarantee you will feel better about yourself, and you’ll start making strides in your physical, mental and emotional state, plus you and your prosthetic will become friends! 😉
Check these out:
Will Run For Bling and Charity
This last one is where I met some amazing people and did my first 3 BIG long distance races (175, 150, and 150 mile races over a few months) If you want a challenge, check this site out!
Your Call to Action is to register to do a virtual race and do it by the end of June or if you need to, register now and build up to finishing by the end of July. Just don’t open that package until you’ve earned it. That’s how I did it because then I had something pushing me to finish. You’ve got this!!
You know I’m here for you! Send me a message, let me know how it’s going.
And as always:
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!
Cheers,
Angie