Tag: succeed

Through A Horse’s Eyes

Through A Horse’s Eyes

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A Mindfulness Journey to Healing

Taking time to stop and hit the pause button.

Taking time to sit quietly and reflect.

Being present and mindful, living in the moment.

This is how a horse lives, and this is what we can do to help ourselves heal and live healthy, full, and rich lives.

Quiet, mindfulness time with my sweet girl😍

 

 

How often do you find yourself saying, “Where has the time gone?” or “If only there were more time in the day.” I find that when I am multitasking and moving from one thing to the next, what I’m really doing is cheating myself out of truly living and appreciating the moments.

Today, as I laid down in the corral with my horse, watching her eat, watching her ears move to the sounds around her that distracted her, enjoying her playing with me as I trusted her while I was on the ground and she towered above me, I noticed how much I just enjoyed the moment. I had nothing on my agenda, no place to be, and nothing that “had to get done” and so I sat quietly. I observed and watched her movements. I studied her and the world she lives in. The sky was overcast, the birds were soaring overhead, the horses in neighboring properties were mulling around. My girl was attentive but relaxed, as was I.

She was being a stinker here and grabbing my hat!

 

After she circled around me a few times, she pawed the ground and then laid down, right next to me. These are the moments I live for. She realizes she can trust me, and that I am not distracted with anything; it’s just me and her, nothing else mattered. I placed her hand on her nose and I stroked it gently as her eyes closed in complete peace. Her breathing got deep and loud, and then she laid back, across the ground. As she laid there, I began to read from a book I brought into the corral. It was then that I realized how mindful I was living in that moment. Loving the feel of the cool breeze, and then the intensity of the sun as it broke through the clouds. I was attuned to the things happening around us so I knew how she might react…the last thing I needed was a 1200 lb. horse jumping up and crushing me out of fear. I have learned to live in the moment so that I could connect with my girl.

 

This time got me thinking about how we heal, and what is missing in most of our lives. we are so caught up in the busyness of our lives that we are forgetting to enjoy the journey.

Is this you, too? Do you want to find a peace inside, a healing that helps you overcome and move forward from your circumstances? It’s time to start living mindfully. You don’t need a horse to do this, just the patience and conviction to create a new, positive habit.

 

 

This week I want you to find time to live in the moment, breathe deeply, let the past dissolve away, and don’t worry about the future.

Be present, be mindful of what you are doing. Make each task you do full and give each one your complete attention. If you are washing the dishes, pay attentio9n to the feel of the water, the temperature, and the feel of the soap on your hands.

Make time to stop and slow down and really experience the world. Find a quiet place and spend 10-15 minutes with no phone, no music or TV on, no distractions, just you and the world around you. Remember to spend time on your breathing and clear your mind of “to-do’s”. Take time for you so you can begin to heal what ails you. You may be surprised how this will affect you and how you will crave this quiet time the more you do it.

You deserve this.

 

And as always, until next week,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie (and Sakari🐎)

 

Boop!

 

Til Death Do Us Part

Til Death Do Us Part

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:19 — 36.2MB)

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Picking a Prosthetist You Can Grow Old With…It’s YOUR Choice!

Today’s topic is one of those decisions we must all make if we decide to, or get thrusted into, becoming an amputee. We know that it won’t grow back, and we know our bodies change as we get older, so it only makes sense to find a prosthetist that you can rely on, trust, and connect with, after all, he (or she) will be your go to for all things prosthetic in your future.

Have you/Are you “interviewing” several different prosthetists and prosthetic companies? That’s a must!

Do you feel heard? You should!

Have you explained what you envision doing in your future to give them a better understanding of who you are and where you want to be (goal setting, see previous episodes!)? You must, if they are to help you to the best of their ability.

If you have a current prosthetist but are struggling with your fit, have you explained it to them and do you feel they are working with you to solve the problem or are they brushing it aside or, even worse, telling you it’s you, and you just have to deal with it (YES! I have actually had someone reach out to me and tell me that their prosthetist told them that!!!)?

Teamwork makes MY dream work!

 

Adjustments, adjustments, adjustments! Constantly making improvements.

 

Randy made me a surf leg so I could go live out my dream!! Now THAT is a prosthetist who listens and cares!

 

Getting every angle just right, but he said he’d come along to Hawai’i to help… just in case! 😉

 

The big question I see being asked out in the amputee community is about prosthetists. How do I know I’m getting a good one? Is ______________ a bad company to use? I don’t know if my prosthetist is good, what should I do?  And the list goes on and on.

I would start by telling you, TRUST YOUR GUT! and Interview, interview, interview! Even if you are in a “relationship” with a prosthetist now, remember this is YOUR life! YOU know what you want. YOU know what goals you have for yourself. YOU know your body better than anyone else.

I’ll say it again. TRUST YOUR GUT!

You are trying to get back to a good life, no wait, a GREAT life! And you can, I’m telling you that you can, with the right support, and right tools. Just like when you are looking for a doctor to diagnose you and check your health, you know when it feels right. It’s no different here. Don’t settle for anything less than the best. And who works for you might not work for someone else, and vice versa! Don’t listen to other, make up your own mind. Go and interview them and use the advice you heard to make an educated decision.

 

Life can be great again! Becoming an amputee isn’t the end of life as you know it, it’s the beginning of a life you’ve never dreamed of!

Chase after it with all you’ve got. Put in the leg work (pun intended) and watch it pay off for you!!

 

Remember, you are worth it!

 

 

 

Simple:

This week make a list of prosthetist in your vicinity, or areas you don’t mind traveling to (remember that the first 2-3 years you will be there a LOT!).

Call them and make an appointment to meet with them and ask questions. Even ask to talk with other amputees-most of them have a peer-to-peer program that see this prosthetist, they’ll be a great resource on how they feel about their relationship with the prosthetist.

Even if you are already in a relationship with a prosthetist, you can do the step above. If you are unhappy with the service you are receiving then look elsewhere to see what’s happening at another office and company. Maybe the grass is greenier….and nmaybe it’s not.

This is your life. You must take charge and get what you need tolive your best life, now! I believe in you! No go out, and find the prosthetist of your dreams!😉

 

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

 

 

Comparison: The Thief of Joy

Comparison: The Thief of Joy

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:06 — 35.6MB)

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Just Be YOU!!

 

If you are like so many people, you spend time looking at social media. It’s where we turn to for updates on old friends and what’s happening in the world, it can bring us closer together
or make us feel insignificant.
From IG posts, to Facebook groups, to Tweets. The problem comes when we start seeing things and situations that we wished we had or were in. We see others having fun, going on luxurious vacations, living great and happy lives, and accomplishing huge feats. What you don’t see is all the times they struggle, deal with depression, hate themselves, have regret or guilt, don’t have the money to get basic needs met, etc, etc.
No one wants to show the negative side of life, or the struggles they are going through.
But we all struggle. We all find ourselves in a place where we haven’t met our goal or fail miserably at reaching one. If you don’t keep that in the forefront of your mind as you look out at the world, you’ll find yourself hating yourself or feeling worthless. And that never helps anybody.
It’s time to be YOU!
It’s time to love yourself and appreciate how far you’ve come.
Don’t compare yourself to anyone other than the YOU of yesterday.
Karate days- Pre amputation
This week it may be a good idea, if you are struggling with loving yourself, not feeling good about yourself and where you’re at in life, or in the “comparison game”, to step away from social media. At least until you can start to see the good in you.
This week I want you to think about what makes you happy, or brings you joy. Also, where do you want to be physically and emotionally, next week, next month, even by next year? Make a list of the things you want to accomplish because YOU want it and that makes you happy.
Now STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS! The only person that matters is you. You know how far you’ve come and how far you want to go. You know what obstacles tried to stop you and may still be in front of you.

Your life is YOUR journey and will look nothing like anyone else’s, so why would you compare what someone else is doing, accomplishing, etc., when you have your own life to live and your own struggles and limitations to deal with?

You do you!

Be happy with who you are because you are special and there is NO ONE else like you in the entire world!

Now go get after it!

Compete only with yourself to be better than you were the day before.

I believe in you!

 

Have an amazing week and until next time,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

 

 

 

 

 

Facing My Fears

Facing My Fears

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New Year, New Season: Welcome to Season 3!

Wow! It’s 2023 and we are on to season 3 for Be-YOU-tiful Adaptive Warrior! Welcome back, and a special welcome to first timers! I hope you take a listen to some of my old episodes and find some help or comfort in my words on the journey you are on.
I am an above knee amputee trying my best to empower others to live their best lives, despite their circumstances.  This means I speak of my life and the reality of becoming an amputee and living day to day, the good, the bad and the ugly of it. I am transparent with my journey as it is NOT all roses. I am hoping by speaking the truth of my journey you won’t feel alone in your struggles and circumstances, and you can see that despite the hard times, you can still live a good, full, and happy life.  So come join me on this journey called life. Subscribe to my podcast, website, and YouTube channel. Don’t forget to like and share as you explore my sites. I appreciate you!
So where have I been? For those of you who have listened in and followed me you may have noticed my lack of podcasts in December.
I spent the past 4 weeks being fully present with my family, traveling, skiing and staying away from social media, but it’s good to be back! I have missed this.
Several weeks ago, our family went skiing and as much as I love skiing, it truly pushes me WAY out of my comfort zone, now as an amputee, and into a fearful, anxiety ridden state of mind. I’m not sure why it’s like that but it is. I decided that I can choose to cave to fear or face it.
This episode is dedicated to facing fears.  We all have them, we all have to decide how to handle them, so why not discuss this as we begin a new year that is filled with uncertainties, struggles, and new fears that will inevitably arise in the next 365 days.
I don’t want you to stress about the future, as today is all you need to deal with, but you should be prepared for the ups and downs.
Sometimes you’ll be prepared, and yet other times you’ll feel like you got sucker punched by a situation. How will you handle it? Will you face the storm or shy away? Will you rise up or cower? You can’t totally prepare for unknown situation or problem, but you can start positive habits and behaviors now so when hard times arise you are stronger and positive enough to handle them.
It’s time to strengthen your self-esteem and resolve. Prepare for the battles ahead, dear Warriors. You can do this, I know you can!!
Until next week and as always:
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!!
Much love,
Angie
What’s Your Vibe?

What’s Your Vibe?

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Serve and Be Served

 

What we put out into the world is what we get back.
Have you ever noticed people who seem to have it all together, are happy, productive, and have good things happen to them?

have you ever REALLY looked at them? Ever notice their attitude?
Even though no one goes without troubles and hard knocks, in life, these people keep their chin up, hunker down and weather the storms because of how they perceive their life and circumstances.
They are warriors!
YOU are that warrior, too, whether you believe it or not. We all have the capability to conquer and rise when times get hard.
How do you change that perspective and give yourself one of positivity and gratitude?
SERVE OTHERS!
There’s nothing more powerful than to give of yourself, even when you are struggling.
And when you serve others, you, too, will get the benefits. You’ll feel productive, happy, thankful, and you may even forget your own woes in all of this.
Give it a try! Serve someone this week. Call a lonely neighbor or friend, send a gift card to someone in need, smile at the cashier at the grocery store, serve at a food bank/soup kitchen.
When you serve others, it’ll also serve you.
Your circumstances won’t necessarily change but your attitude definitely will.
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
Reframing Your Circumstance

Reframing Your Circumstance

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Living Life With Gratitude

 

 

Life is hard.
You can choose to lay down and have it destroy you or you can reframe your thinking and how you view your circumstance by finding things and people in your life for which you can be grateful.
It’s that time of year when we hear people say they are thankful for their life, we see trinkets in our homes that say, “Grateful, thankful, blessed”, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner in which tell the people around d us that we are thankful for them in our lives.
Thankfulness is a hot topic in November, but what if you are struggling right now?
What if you are going through a rough patch?
Well, this is the time, more than ever that you need to find those moments, things, and people in your life that make your life special, happy, or filled with joy.
By reframing how we see our circumstance we enable ourselves to be at peace through these hard times. By seeking out the silver linings in our lives we are choosing a path of gratitude and happiness amidst the struggles.
This can be life altering! And the more we practice this way of thrilling and speaking the more often we will see what we are going through as just a moment, or blip, in time. A moment that will pass and nothing more.
Remember, we all have these moments. They are chances to define our character, grow, and reinvent ourselves. Without these hard times we cannot truly appreciate the good that has been in our lives or the good that is to come.
Reframe your thinking. Reframe your circumstance. Practice mindfulness, living in the moment and appreciating the little things in your life that are truly good.
Living a life of gratefulness is a choice, and one that will not only affect your situation, but it’ll also effect the people around you.
Choose an attitude of gratitude and spread that to all those around you. You might be surprised on how your outlook on life will be uplifted, and how you bless someone else with your positivity will come back to you ten-fold.
Practicing gratitude and reframing your circumstance:
* Don’t be picky, appreciate everything!
*Be mindful, and present
*Keep a gratitude journal
*Remember the hard/bad times, they will help you cherish where you are now.
*Pay it forward
*Reflect. Spend 5, 10, 30 minutes in quiet time, thinking about all you have
*Reframe your bad situation by finding the silver linings, what it could be teaching you, and how you are growing stronger for the future by going through it.
*Celebrate the little things
The sunshine
My family
My prosthetic that allows me my freedom

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
And as always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
#thankful #grateful #gratitude #thanksgiving #podcast #bawarrior360 #abovekneeamputee #calltoaction #attitude #reframeyourcircumstance #payitforward
Commitment and Consistency Brings Confidence

Commitment and Consistency Brings Confidence

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:54 — 48.7MB)

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“How long did it take for you to learn to walk?”
“Was it hard to learn to walk in a prosthetic?”
“What helped you get use to your prosthetic?”
I get these questions on a weekly basis from curious onlookers to amputees in wheelchairs.
It took time and commitment. Some would say courage, as well, because it’s hard to learn a basic skill all over again, and the fear of falling, and failing, is so great as we get older.
This week I share the one major thing that helped me conquer using a prosthetic and walking again, with confidence.
GOALS: Commit
My 1st in person race as an amputee, just one year after amputation!

 

 

Focus and determination

 

 

 

Now it’s your turn!
Find a virtual race you can push yourself, at your pace, and in your timeframe that works for you.
Sign up and then get to work!
Get excited when the mail arrives with your finishers medal, you earned it!!!
If I can do it, so can you!!
Be the warrior you are meant to be. It’s time to rise and live your best life.
Commit- Be Consistent, Build your confidence!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
And don’t forget! TODAY is the final day to join the #14daysofmagic challenge
Go to www.magicmind.co to order your own pack of Magic Mind TODAY!!! Use my discount code: BEYOU14 to get a discount on your order. And remember to post yourself being productive while you’re using Magic Mind for your chance to win a 1-3 month subscription of Magic Mind!!
Inspiration and Resilience Through Adversity

Inspiration and Resilience Through Adversity

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What inspires you? Who inspires you?
Did you know that you, too, are an inspiration? Yep, you are!
Each of us has the ability to impact another person’s life and outlook just by the way we carry ourselves, how we behave, speak, and interact with the people around us. A simple smile could give someone just the boost they need when they are struggling. Having grace and forgiveness may give another person in our lives the peace they are looking for when everything around seems to be falling apart.
We can be that for someone. The reality is, people are watching, and people are looking for someone to inspire them. Even when you aren’t at your best, or you are struggling, you have the ability to brighten someone’s day and give them a hope that they need to rise up.
If you’re like me, an amputee, or someone who is struggling to push through physical adversity, then you have an opportunity every single day to show the world that anything is possible.
First time waterskiing as an amputee…anything is possible!
Skiing again, as an amputee….anything is possible!

 

First time, EVER, surfing…anything is possible!!
Even if what you do is commonplace for you now, like me walking with my prosthetic, there are people who have never seen an amputee who are amazed by this. Smile! Show the world that you aren’t going down without a fight and that you are more than your circumstance, because you are!
Be an inspiration, you never know who is watching.
Never, ever forget, that you are an inspiration to someone!
Now go out and INSPIRE!!!!!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
Healing From the Inside Out Part 2

Healing From the Inside Out Part 2

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Forgiveness and Grace

 

No one knows what our future holds, and for sure, I never expected to become an amputee, but here I am. And quite frankly I am a better person for it, have met amazing people through it, and grown in ways I never would have if I never went through it.

I found acceptance of my circumstance BEFORE going under the knife, and that has helped me embrace, love, and move forward as an amputee, even through neurological pains, physical healing, and never-ending phantom sensations.  Not everyone gets that chance though, and I get that. Some of you went through horrific accidents, war, and illnesses like cancer or diabetes. Some of you have anger at the person or circumstances that surround you, and put you where you are today. That is understandable, but are you holding onto that anger, bitterness and resentment? If so, you are also not allowing yourself to truly heal and move on…and there is so much more out there for you. A better life, and happier place to be, healing!

Don’t let anger destroy what could be a beautiful life

 

I know that I can’t speak to your situation, but I’ve had smaller issues in my life, times when people have wronged me, and I couldn’t let it go. I held on to the anger, the frustration, and couldn’t stop grumbling about how rude and wrong the other person was. I have had to let that go, walk away, both physically and mentally from that person and that wrongdoing, for the sake of my happiness and my family.  It’s not easy, and still, to this day, I can still allow myself to go back there and remember how angry I was. But what does that accomplish? NOTHING!! It just wastes my time and energy, that’s all.

Forgiveness is hard, and it takes practice. You can feel like you are over it one day, and the next day be just as angry. Allow yourself time to heal and practice forgiveness. Just don’t give up, it is well worth the time and energy to forgive someone or your situation in the long run. You will find your happiness return, and an ability to live a more peaceful, centered, and happy life. When you do heal from that situation you will find that you can then begin to heal on the outside as well, and move forward in life, instead of being stuck in the past, and in anger and resentment.

 

Once you have decided to move forward and let go of the past, then you can truly heal. You may find that the pains you are physically or neurologically experiencing will lessen or even dissipate over time, or at least become manageable.

Trust me when I say that forgiveness and letting go of negativity is the cornerstone to feeling better and getting your life back on track. What have you got to lose? At worst, you’ll stop being overcome by anger and hate, at best you can heal and start living your life again, truly living your life again, not just surviving.

Are you just surviving? It’s time to start living and healing! Don’t waste another moment on those negative things. Bring closure and forgiveness into your life so you can begin to heal, from the inside out!

 

This week’s call to action will be hard for some of you. It will definitely take more than a week, but today is a stepping stone in the right direction for your well-being and happiness.

Today you begin to forgive the person, circumstance, or yourself for where you are right now. I know it’s hard, but if you are listening to my podcast then I believe you want to live a better life…and this is the first step in doing that. You cannot expect to find happiness and peace amidst anger and resentment. Let it go!

Find a mantra to repeat whenever you feel the anger taking over. Even a simple: ” I forgive you” that you can repeat out loud or to yourself, everytime your mind goes back to that negative space.

Don’t stop! Keep repeating until you live it! Remember, our brains are powerful and will believe whatever you feed them. If you speak positive, then your brain will follow your lead.  Keep at it. Reach out to me to let me know how it’s going.

It won’t be easy, but good things take hard work. Your spoils await you on the other side of forgiveness.  Keep at it, I know you can do it!

It’ll be well worth your time and energy now. Believe in yourself, believe in a better tomorrow! Start TODAY!!!

 

As always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

A little puppy humor for youđŸ¶
Healing From the Inside Out

Healing From the Inside Out

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:59 — 20.4MB)

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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

 

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