Be-YOU-tiful Adaptive Warrior Angie Heuser

An Equine Analogy For Your Motivation

 







 



You must look the part.



You need to rise up, clean up, and organize yourself if you want to achieve and succeed.



Trust me I know!



Today I found myself entranced on how much time I spend with my horses grooming them.



Why do we do that? Why do we spend so much time brushing them, wiping their faces down, conditioning their mane and tidying them up? It’s not like my horses are heading out on the town nor are they saddled and transported where others will see them… then why?



 





Getting in the Christmas Spirit last year

 



I’ll tell you why, because that keeps them looking kept and neat. It keeps them healthy and clean. I brush them, I wash them, I wipe out their nostrils and eye ducts, I clean out their hooves, all in the name of health. We need to do the same, especially when we aren’t feeling great. When we are down and out, our health depends on it, our outlook on life depends on it, and ultimately our success depends on it. It's so easy to take the road less traveled when we are hurting and not at our best. When life throws us curveballs and tries to take us down that's when we need to fight harder, rise quicker, and move forward. When we get wrapped up in negativity and cave to the easy path, or path of least resistance, we tend to let oursleves go, let our homes go and stop really living. That's when we allow life to pass us by, while we wait for something better to happen to us or for us, for our situation to resolve itself. However, that's not living life, that's giving up and hoping things work out.



We need to rise up each day and prepare for life. We need to clean ourselves up, we need to make our bad, we need to get out and MAKE life happen! We all have issues. We will all have problems that arise, but the ones who succeed adjust and fight for what they want. The ones who succeed are the ones who dress for success, each and every day, despite what's happening, despite the pain and frustrations they are going through. How about you? Are you "dressing" for success each day? Are you preparing for good to happen? That is the key.



I clean my horses up every single day so they are clean, healthy, and happy. When they get the grooming they need they can then attack the day with confidence and pride. Shouldn't you be the same, if not more motivated to do so?



You are a warrior. Warriors plan for success and it starts with your physical appearance, at the very least. Start there and see where it takes you in life. You might be surprised.



So warriors, rise up and take on the day! You deserve that!



 







 



This week, take care of yourself, starting with your appearance-your physical self. Get up, get ready for the day, make your bed, and go do something.



Be active in your life.



Make life happen FOR you, not TO you.



Stop waiting for right time, the next day, or when you'll feel better.  Sometimes we need to just start something positive and good with the simple act of looking "put together", ready to tackle the day. That is your challenge this week.



Go get after life! You'll be so glad you did!



 



Be an active



As always,



Be Healthy,



Be Happy,



Be YOU!!



 



Much love,



 







 

Find Your Purpose, Set Goals, and Get to Work



This is me BEFORE my knee injury that led to amputation

Competition gives you focus and direction in life. It helps to define your day, provides a sense of purpose, and helps build character and resilience.



All my life I have been competitive. I had big brothers around always "toughening me up", and sports were an every moment event, whether competing on our home basketball court or joining teams that played every weekend.



I think these moments served me well, and prepared me for a life after limb loss.



For some of you, the journey has been a long and hard one. It hasn't been easy and you may feel like giving up.



Maybe you even think that "this is as good as it gets", but I'm here to tell you, DON'T GIVE UP!!!



You can do this! Last week I talked about mindset, well, this is the time to put your mindset to the test and work on positive self-talk.



 







 



On the hard days, when things hurt or you feel out of sorts, or maybe you are not at a point of wearing your prosthetic yet, you may get discouraged...heck! Maybe you ARE discouraged. Now is the time to buckle in and dig deep. This is the time to set those goals and reach for them.



When I find myself in the struggle where pain is winning and I feel like doing nothing and getting depressed about this moment in life that things aren't going as planned, that's when I find something to take my mind off of it. I usually find something that brings out the competitor in me. This gives me a goal, a purpose, and consumes my time which takes the attention off of what I'm struggling with.



 



How about you? What do you do to fill your time? Give yourself purpose? Or distract your thoughts changing them into a positive flow?



 







 



Now it's your turn.



Let's turn your situation into something positive and meaningful, even if you feel like everything is going wrong and you aren't where you want to be.







 



Set goals.



Be realistic but challenging.



If you aren't able to wear your prosthetic just yet then don't get down on yourself, remember life is a journey, the good and bad of it, so make some lemonade while you wait.



Once you've reached those goals, then go ahead and set more. Keep creating challenges for yourself. Setting yourself up for success in the waiting will eventually make you see that you are not waiting for life to happen to you anymore, but that you are living it.



 



Enjoy the process.



You deserve it and you are strong enough.



You are a warrior!



Hope your goal setting is epic just like you!



And until next time, and as always,



Be Healthy,



Be Happy,



Be YOU!!



 



Much love,

Your Mindset is Your Greatest Asset





 



When it comes to getting it done, or being challenged to push through something tough in life, how do you fair?



Do you struggle to feel accomplished?



Do you feel like you are drowning and there is no way out?



Or how about giving up because the going got tough?



 







 



If this sounds like something you have been through before, or are going through currently, then it may be time to check your mindset and your self-talk.



There is no denying that life will through you curveballs.



Back in 2013 as I was literally kicking butt in karate for my 2nd degree black belt, I would never have thought I would have hurt myself, gone through 10 surgeries, gained almost 60 extra pounds and then elect to amputate my leg above the knee.



Just writing that sounds absolutely crazy and a horrible fiction story. But that was my reality.



Those were tough days, months and years- five years to be exact, and making the decision to amputate wasn't the end of that journey but a beginning to a whole new shift in my life. I still had to struggle with pain, swelling, adjusting to my new body image and learning to love it. I had problems with fitting prosthetics, I had a huge neuroma that a year after my amputation I went under the knife again and had it removed. Through all of these trials, however, I was being conditioned and building my resilience to my new lifestyle.



Each of these steps I had to figure my way through physically and mentally.



Each of these moments was leading me to a better understanding of myself, my tolerance, showing my strengths and my weaknesses, so I could become better at handling the curveballs of life.



What did I find that helped me?



 







 



 



MINDSET MATTERS!



What I tell myself, how I speak to myself with my inner voice (and sometimes my outer voice). I realized that my words and thinking  could lift me up and allow me to soar,  or it was going to be my demise with negativity. Through trial and error I learned and grew.



I take challenges head on now. I am competitive with myself, and I know that my mind, my energy, and my will to succeed has brought me through tough times. I believe how I think is what has made becoming an amputee a life giving second chance for me versus my undoing.



 







 



I am no one special, but my ability to see the positive in my situation has helped me become more successful as an amputee.



It hasn't been easy, even though it may appear that way. What you perceive as me "easily" going through something really hard has had it's challenges, it's pains and problems, I have cried and I have been angry, but at the end of the day I choose positive!



 



How about you?



 







 



I didn't add a Call to Action in my podcast, forgive me. Got out of practice with April being all interviews but here's one for those reading my site.



 



Check your attitude today.



What's your mood?



How do you feel about yourself and your situation?



Now ask yourself if you can control what's happening?



If you cannot control what is happening to you then this is a great time to practice patience, positive self-talk, getting active to change your thinking, and setting some goals to keep yourself motivated during the hard days.



You will get through this.



You were designed to be stronger than your circumstances, you only need too believe in yourself.



You are special!

The New Age of Bionics

 







 



What happens to you when you find yourself in a do or die situation?



Hugh Herr was in that position as a teenager, barely making it out alive while doing something he loved and excelled at, a savant at his young age. But he didn't make it out unscathed, he lost both of his legs below the knee.



What would you do? At that young age would you have given up, abandoned your dreams, or hid from life?



Would you believe that this situation inspired Hugh to become a creator, inventor and innovator in the prosthetic world?



He went from a kid set on rising to the top as a professional climber, to figuring out how to navigate life AND climbing again as a bilateral below knee amputee with prosthesis he created!



He changed his path to one of college and higher education. Getting his masters and doctorate degrees from Harvard and MIT, and is currently a professor at the MIT Media Lab and co-leads the Yang Center for Bionics at MIT.



He is known for creating bionic limbs that emulate the movement of natural limbs and has been called the "Leader of the Bionic Age" by Time Magazine.



He has TED talks, authored/co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts and patents, and most recently Hugh and his research group invented the Agonist-Antagonist Myoneural Interface, which is a surgical procedure for limb amputation that allows the person with limb loss to control their synthetic limb with thought.



His research and studies are beyond amazing! The ideas and possibilities to come for those of us with limb loss from what he is inventing are going to be incredible and will make losing a limb less traumatic and more doable with the hope of what we will be capable of accomplishing with such high-tech and realistic bionics.



The age of bionics is growing by leaps and bounds and this past December 2023, I was blessed with the opportunity to work in the MIT Media Lab, meet Hugh, and participate in the current studies with several PhD students. I was blown away, to say the least, by what they are working on and what will be out on the market in the not too distant future. We are going to be seeing more stable, more controllable, and more comfortable fitting prosthesis which will give us our lives back and with more meaning.



 





So, yea, the first time I get to meet Hugh I look like this! Strapped in and ready to do research for the greater good!

 



This week, as we close Limb Loss/Limb Difference Awareness Month with my 4th and final interview with such an important innovator, as Hugh Herr, the pioneer of our bionic age, you do NOT want to miss what he shares about what is up and coming in the world of prosthesis and bionics.



Join me and Hugh Herr for this incredible interview!



Please share today's podcast to bring hope and excitement for what's to come to those in our amputee community.



Again, thank you, Hugh, for giving me the time to talk with you, pick your brain, and for your genius and creativity in helping us gain back our independence and ability to move smoothly despite our limb loss. I am truly inspired and excited for the future.



 



I hope you all enjoy today's podcast and as always,



Be Healthy,



Be Happy,



Be YOU!!!



 



Much love,







 





John, Me and Tony-PhD students from MIT that were in charge of the study.

 



You can watch the NOVA production of Hugh Herr's life: NOVA "Augmented" HERE



 

From Athlete to Inventor: Making the World Better one Prosthetic At a Time





 



An incredible story today of a young man's hard fought journey from super competitive athlete to amputee, to inventor who regained his competitive edge and is helping others do this as well.



Mike's story is one for the books, and write one he did- "Driven to Ride". His story began with huge hopes for a future in motocross racing, something he was great at, but one fateful day he lost his leg and what he was sure to be his career as a professional athlete.



 



However, like I've stated time and again, mindset matters and great people rise because they focus on the dreams and possibilities, not the negative and pitfalls. Mike didn't let his accident and losing his leg, above the knee, stop him from greatness.



His story is one of success, struggles, creativity, and rising again to a level most people couldn't begin to dream.



He used his curiosity and ingenuity to create a new prosthetic out of his own garage, built to take him to higher levels of competition that no other leg on the market could. He has refined it, created the company- BioDapt, and makes these prosthetics for other athletes wishing to take their craft to another level.



Mike's story is one of sheer determination and love for the outdoors and competing. It's incredible to see someone lose a limb and have the mind and knowledge to build, from scratch, an artificial leg for the purposes that he was seeking.



Listen in today to hear his story, how he came to a place that he had to get back up and start over, and how he went from amputee to gold and two-time silver medalist snowboarding Paralympian all while using his very own invention!



This is an inspirational story of never giving up on your dreams, pushing past the struggles, and achieving despite what appeared to be insurmountable circumstances. He could've given up at his young age after his accident, but he had bigger dreams and plans.



Husband, father, inventor, entrepreneur, olympian, and author, you don't want to miss this amazing interview.



Ready to be inspired?







 



Thank you, Mike, for spending time with me and talking about the ups and downs that life has thrown your way and how you kept on rising and following your dreams.



 



Have a blessed week,



As always,



Be Healthy,



Be Happy,



Be YOU!!!



 



Much love,



 







 

Adaptive Surfing with Swell Surf Foot

 







 



The Ocean is healing.



The Mana (power) of the ocean has a way of grounding you and setting you free so you can soar. It's an unbelievable feeling!



Just before my 1 year anniversary of my amputation I traveled to Kauai and tried my hand at surfing. I hadn't been able to get in the ocean, or really any water, for over 5 years due to surgeries and my inability to maneuver because of my injury. I was excited, and nervous.



Once I learned the basics I found a rhythm to surfing, a rhythm to the ocean. I felt the energy it had, and I felt that energy surge through me.



I no longer felt nervous, I felt carefree and alive, and I felt that ANYTHING was possible!



Today I talk with Zach Samalonis, the co-creator/inventor of Swell Surf Foot. He and Yuhan Zhang started this endeavor for a college course. They talked with surfers in the amputee community to get the data they needed to create a prototype, then designed, created and then got a few of their original designs into the hands of amputees ready and willing to try it and give feedback. I was fortunate enough to be one of them.



 





This is my original surf leg and foot alongside the Swell Surf Foot prototype.

 



Today we discuss how this adaptive equipment came to life from thoughts and research to designing and creating.



What amazes me is that neither Zach or Yuhan are amputees, but they were charged with finding a problem that needed to be solved and a community that needed their help for their capstone project their senior year at Thomas Jefferson University. The Swell Surf Foot can help bring surfing to more amputees and also brings those people to the ocean for healing. This low cost, water-proof prosthetic was developed with an increased ankle mobility to allow for correct surfing mechanics. In a world where most adaptive surfers have repurposed and fashioned make-shift surf feet because there was nothing on the market, this was filling a need, and want, in our amputee community.



What a beautiful gift their innovation is for adaptive surfers around the world.



Their dedication solving a problem and filling a need is genuine.



In a world where big companies rule the market, it is awesome to see individuals creating and making their mark.



Listen in to hear Zach talk about their inspiration, production, and dreams for the future of their product.



Find them online, give them a follow, and reach out to them if you'd like to try their product in it's next gen status when it comes out.



 



Thank you Zach for your time today and sharing your story.



I look forward to putting on your surf foot again soon and feeling the freedom and energy of the ocean. Thanks to you and Yuhan, I have found a foot that brings comfortability, grip, and steadiness to my surfing sessions.



 



The ocean is a place for healing and finding freedom.



The Swell Surf Foot is a step in the right direction to getting more amputees out, active, and giving them the peace they need to move forward.







 



Have a blessed week and make sure you subscribe and share so that you and the people you care about don't miss the amazing people coming up next on this podcast; each making a difference in the lives of amputees everywhere with their creativity, ingenuity, and dedication!



Check them out on Instagram @surfwithswell



or at Zachsamdesigns.com



 



As always,



Be Healthy,



Be Happy,



Be YOU!!!



 



Much love,