WHY NOT ME?

Life is now, but I’ve never wanted to live it.

​I can honestly say, by choosing to live “dfStronger” I am re-wiring my brain to respond differently to situations I once couldn’t handle.

Living everyday with Bipolar Manic Depression as a successful, motivating, encouraging, inspiring professional woman. 

I’ve championed the platform, Positive is Powerful to demonstrate the power of positive living.  I use it in my fitness community, speaking engagements and everyday life. 

I’ve been working on building Dedicated Fitness Inc., in Palmerton PA since 2003 and Positive is Powerful since 2010.  
Prior I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science earning honors. I certified with the American College of Sports Medicine as a Health Fitness Instructor ACSM, HFI and have since added an additional top national certification, National Strength and Conditioning, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist NSCA-CSCS.  Along the way, I picked up a certification from the International Youth Fitness Association, USA Olympic Weightlifting coach, Crossfit Level 1 coach.


This is quality education and real life experience!

Many years of a negative self-talking inner voice had programmed me for disaster. 
It happened, and I had no where else to go, I was at the bottom.  
Reaching the end, I could choose to find a way to want to live or give up.  Fortunately, my family wasn’t letting me give up, which helped but ultimately finding the courage to fight for happiness came from inside me.  The power is within, we all have it!

The real truth...

​my outlook on life was so terrible,
I just didn't care to live.

People would say things like, be thankful you are alive, or life is a gift but  I would never agree because I just couldn’t find feelings to be thankful.


I’d hear about death and wish it was me instead, wondering when it would be my turn, why I still had to be here on earth but others got to go.   

Eventually, I found hope, putting trust into the possibility of turning my thoughts, feelings and behaviors around.  Make no mistake, it is not easy, in fact its tiring, it’s constant.  In everything I do, in my daily routine of life, I’ve been constantly on alert about carefully choosing thoughts, words, actions along the journey.  

Will I ever find the feelings I am hoping for?

You've got to work on it as you engage in the opportunities of life! 

I've had professional help from psychologists and psychiatrists to learn how to help myself.  It is important to get help, I don't believe I could have gotten this far on my own.  I’ve learned that medicine alone doesn’t fix the problem, it may be a chemical imbalance I'm dealing with but that inner voice must be dealt with too! 
Also, simply attending a cognitive psych appointment doesn’t work either,  you’ve got to work on it as you are engaging in the opportunities of life.   


It’s been years and years of effort to create genuine happiness, finding patterns, using positive self-talk, engaging, reflecting; simply living to become better, and it is working! 

Self-medicating, through drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, shopping,

​ whatever your vice, is not the answer,

​it only masks your state of mind, it doesn’t heal it.

Ultimately, in everything I do with my life, my overall goal is to be happy, genuinely happy.
I’m not talking the kind where you smile, showing everyone how you are supposed to be feeling but on inside you’re crying.  I seek to find peace within, to love the life we are gifted with, and live it because I respect it, not because I’m stuck here.  

​I can honestly say, by choosing to live “dfStronger” I am re-wiring my brain to respond differently to situations I once couldn’t handle.

I seek to find peace within,
to love the life we are gifted with,
and live it lovingly
​ because I respect it, not because I’m stuck here. 

I’ve been teaching my brain to believe in my inner beast. 

The mind is a “muscle” and must be worked in order to see progress and formulate muscle memory. 

​I am choosing to believe in the power of the unique gifts and talents I’ve been blessed with and am doing my best to become the best I can be, thereby shining a light to help others do the same.
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Reflection is a huge part of progress, as it allows us to see how far we have come.

I reflect daily, and lately I’ve been realizing I’ve made so many improvements in my daily behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that life as of late, seems more peaceful.  My head feels lighter, clearer, even through dealing with the stress of daily life hustle .  I attribute this to so many things,  a laundry list of things, but if I had to narrow it down in an overview...
​

To come this far, I've been doing some work 

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-FORMING A SYSTEM TO JUMP START MY DAY

• waking up using a system to jump start my day, getting me excited about the opportunities ahead, rather than just wishing I could stay in bed, or constantly thinking about when i could do back to sleep.

-EATING TO FUEL MY BODY,

• choosing food for my body that will help it perform the best it can, clear my mind, and keep me from getting sick
• finding a lifestyle that works for me, that satisfies me not deprives me.

-LIVING IN THE MOMENT

• learning to be present, enjoying the moment, the relationships, the experiences

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-EXERCISING DAILY: 

• training with purpose, following a plan,  not just working out.   

-FOLLOWING ROUTINES:

• making changes when things aren’t going the way I prefer, but sticking to a routine

-REFLECTION:

• constant reflection, finding lifestyle balance,  working on self-improvement, setting goals and working to achieve them

-CRANIAL MASSAGE:
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LIVING the dfSTRONGer lifestyle, I am re-wiring my brain, building muscle memory

Recently I had a huge milestone, 
I found out about the tragic loss of a friend.  Instead of my normal reaction, internally wishing it was me, I was genuinely sad for their loss and had no inner voice at the time saying anything in return. 

My head is clear for the moment.
I’m terrified of losing control, but trust that I am re-wiring my brain by living dfStrongER!  Each time the chemicals in my brain are off balance, the severity of the blow is less because I know how to better deal/cope with my feelings, behaviors and thoughts!  
Literally training my brain to see things from a different perspective every opportunity! 

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Positive truly is Powerful!

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Each time the chemicals in my brain
​are off balance,

the severity of the blow is less

because I know how to better deal/cope


​with my feelings, behaviors and thoughts!  

It is not believing the world is full of roses and rainbows, it is knowing it can be a cruel, dark place, but trusting that shining your light will make a world of difference in you and the people you surround yourself with!

I’ve been teaching my brain to believe in my inner beast.  The mind is a “muscle” and must be worked in order to see progress and formulate muscle memory.  I am choosing to believe in the power of the unique gifts and talents I’ve been blessed with and am by doing my best to become the best I can be, thereby shining a light to help others do the same.
​

I believe I was given this mountain to overcome to show others it can be done!

Why be so blunt, so open, to so many people with such personal feelings?  I believe I was given this mountain to overcome to show others it can be done! I choose to work on unlocking my potential, doing the best I can with what I’ve been gifted to help others unlock their gifts too!  Manic depression doesn’t define me, it helps build my character.  When we overcome, when we we decide to persevere through each challenge in our path, it is an opportunity to become better.  I believe in becoming the best version who we are born to be, together we become better.

 Happiness!

​A lifestyle change, not a quick fix.

Been wo​rking on a new Instagram account, @dfSTRONGerFUELED to add to my social media connections. In doing so, I’ve really been reflecting on who my target audience is. I am the health and fitness professional who can help change your life over time, help you develop lasting habits for a lifetime through exercise, not the quick fix transformation type. I'd like to use the new account to demonstrate more meals, snacks, and supplements I use to fuel my body to help me feel better!
The people who will have best results with my programming are those that my story speaks to, those that may be searching for something similar. I believe food choice has a major impact on how we feel, our moods change depending on what we consume. Choose real food! Happiness!