Connecting with Jen Bricker was surreal. I had received a copy of her book, Everything Is Possible, and learned about her unbelievably inspiring and empowering journey and her unrelenting optimism and faith. The 28-year-old gymnast and aerialist was born without legs and her heart on the opposite side of her chest; her parents (also parents of gold medalist gymnast Dominique Moceanu) gave Jen up for adoption because of her condition.
But Jen’s adoptive parents changed everything for her. They taught her that everything is possible and instilled in her a philosophy that would empower her to live her best life and to shape the lives of others. Talking with Jen on the phone nearly brought me to tears, as I was so moved by her passion for life, unwavering faith in herself, and passion to help people around her succeed. These are some of the best lessons I picked up from our conversation.
On Overcoming Fear
Her main advice and words of wisdom? “Break it down, and make it attainable,” she said. “Choose to make decisions daily that seem small but are important.” And she’s right. Those small changes and small decisions will compound and turn into great, massive results. Another point that Jen echoed was “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable,” and we couldn’t agree more.
On Words of Affirmation
“Speaking words of affirmation . . . that’s what gets me through life. Words like ‘I am strong,’ ‘I am an overcomer,’ ‘I am blessed,’ ‘I am beautiful, and ‘nothing can stand against me.'”
Jen says that besides daily prayer, her words of affirmation were a key source in developing a love for her body.
Jen (right), with her long-lost sisters Dominique Moceanu (left) and Christina Moceanu (center)
On Body Image and Self-Love
Jen’s parents showered her with positivity and truly shaped her body image – Jen affirmed how important a parent’s words are when spoken to a child. And she quickly adopted the empowering vocabulary her parents had used to describe her.
“My parents always told me – they proved and showed through their actions – that I was the most beautiful thing ever. . . . I was a miracle, an answered prayer, born exactly how I was meant to be. They didn’t say it in a clichéd way; they really supported it with their actions.”
Beyond loving her body, she also learned to believe in her capabilities thanks to her parents’ love. They told her, “you have a level head; you can make your own decisions.” She noted that “they raised me to be able and to be confident enough to have my own mind.”
Her goal now is to get through any and all body-image issues before she’s married and has children so she doesn’t carry that into her family relationships, nor pass on any issues. “It’s really important to me,” she said. “I want to be completely past it; I don’t want to pass these body image issues onto my kids.” It’s this selfless source of motivation that truly highlights how incredible of a person Jen really is.
On Facing Yourself in the Mirror
One of the most amazing things Jen shared with me was her approach to a floor-length mirror that used to make herself self-conscious. “The minute I woke up this mirror was just there. . . . I would say bad things to myself like ‘you’re too muscular’ or ‘you’re so disgusting’ or ‘your hips aren’t sticking out enough.'” So she took it upon herself to take a 40-day challenge during Lent and covered up her mirror making a beautiful collage of all the things she loved in life. Three years later, the mirror is still covered and is now a source of joy. “I didn’t realize hate was coming back from that mirror,” she said.
On Working Out and Living Healthy
Back to her point of making small decisions for big life changes, she says “ease into it,” especially if you’re new.
What do those small decisions look like? “Choose broccoli one time instead of chips. Choose to work out one more day a week or 10 minutes more; make a goal to get extra sleep . . . then it’s not so overwhelming.”
As far as how a woman with no legs is a gymnast and aerialist? Beyond the mental motivation, Jen works hard to create a strong body physically.
Jen works out with a trainer five to six days a week. “No weights, no machines; just bodyweight workouts on a mat. She said she’ll do “kicks to the side, lunges, cardio, and tricep work.” And it works more than her body, as she told us. “It makes me happy.”
Her favorite trainer tip? It’s all about proper rest: get seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep.
On Eating Right
She also eats clean. “Real food; no processed stuff. Refined sugar is the devil; it is a 100 percent drug, and I was addicted; that’s how I know. I went through a detox.” Jen said “If there’s one thing I could tell anyone to get rid of, it’s refined sugar.” Jen also doesn’t eat past 7 p.m., as she says “it goes straight to your stomach.”
Jen eats five small meals per day, keeping her body fueled all day long with good, controlled portions. And she has another book coming out soon in which she’ll share more details on her nutrition, fitness, overall wellness, and clean living.
On Her Life Motto
Jen attributes all of her life’s success to her strong Christian faith. Her life motto is a Christian verse (Mark 9:23): “Everything is possible to those who believe.” Regardless of your own spiritual beliefs, that’s something we can all tell ourselves each and every day.
Source: Pop Sugar