This article explores the inspiring journey of Jod Barrett, a mother, author, and impact maker, as she shares her experiences of overcoming life's challenges, discovering her edge, and transforming her life from the inside out. Through mindset, movement, and a powerful story of resilience, Jod provides valuable insights and hope for those navigating their own difficult times.
Discovering Your Edge: Finding Your "Ball"
Jod describes her "edge" as her ability to share her story to connect with others. This realization came during a mobility retreat with military veterans, where she was told she had "found her ball." For Jod, her "ball" is the kettlebell, which serves as a vehicle for sharing her story through mindset and movement. This platform allows her to connect with people and share her experiences, fostering connection and offering hope.
Uncovering and Growth: Navigating Difficult Times
The Impact of a Child's Illness
Jod shares a powerful story about her middle daughter's serious illness as a baby. This challenging period forced her to confront hidden emotions and withdraw from others. During the 42 days spent beside her daughter's crib, Jod journaled her feelings of loss and loneliness, seeking faith and hope. This experience profoundly impacted her and reinforced her belief that people need hope, a belief that is at the core of her work with kettlebells and mindset.
The Power of Awareness
Jod emphasizes the importance of awareness in overcoming challenges. She realized that difficult experiences often uncover areas of weakness. Instead of hiding from these weaknesses, she embraced them as opportunities for growth. Drawing parallels from physical training, she applies the principle of working on weaknesses to both physical and mental challenges.
Inner Dialogue and the Importance of Support
Confronting Negative Self-Talk
Jod candidly discusses her struggles with negative self-talk. She realized she needed to actively change the way she spoke to herself. She learned to catch herself when she was being critical and replace those thoughts with encouragement and understanding.
The Significance of Connection and Realness
Jod highlights the importance of having people around you with whom you can be authentic and vulnerable. Sharing the experience of feeling empty and alone during her divorce, she emphasizes the power of a supportive friend or family member who can simply listen and offer encouragement.
Embracing Pain and Setting a Timer
The Importance of Feeling
Jod encourages embracing painful emotions rather than avoiding them. She suggests setting a timer to allow yourself to fully feel the pain, process it, and learn from it. The timer prevents you from getting stuck in the pain, reminding you to eventually get back up and move forward.
Shifting Perspective and Reframing "Broken"
Jod reframes the feeling of being "broken" as a breaking away from what you're holding on to. Instead of seeing it as a negative experience, she sees it as an opportunity to take a step forward. This involves acknowledging your current state without self-judgment and focusing on how to move through it.
A Pivotal Moment: Deciding "I Am Worth It"
Facing a Disconnect
Jod describes a powerful moment in the gym when she looked in the mirror and realized she was disconnected from her own strength. She felt weak and overwhelmed, leading her to a moment of clarity.
Prioritizing Self-Worth
Standing on a bridge, Jod grappled with the decision to make changes that would impact her four children. The biggest question she faced was: "Am I worth it?" She ultimately decided that she was worth it and that she could guide her children differently. This realization marked a turning point in her life.
Living with Intention: The Kettlebell and Beyond
A Lightning Strike Moment
Jod describes the moment she first picked up a kettlebell as a "lightning strike moment." She felt grounded and had a sense of knowing that this was the right path for her. While she initially focused on the physical benefits of kettlebell training, she eventually realized it was a vehicle for sharing her story and connecting with others.
Movement as Healing
Jod emphasizes the importance of movement as a form of healing. She believes that movement is medicine and encourages people to find ways to incorporate it into their lives, even if it's just for a few minutes each day. Moving the body is linked to taking care of yourself. Your physical self allows you to look at your internal self and start to heal.
Embracing the Journey
Jod reflects on her journey since a pivotal Instagram post in 2017, recognizing how far she has come and how much she has grown. She emphasizes the importance of challenging herself and connecting with others. Her goal is to inspire people to move and, most importantly, to truly live.
Key Takeaways: Awareness, Acknowledgement, and Action
Jod emphasizes that living and movement should go hand in hand. To navigate the journey, remember these three key concepts:
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Awareness: Become aware of where you stand without self-judgment.
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Acknowledgement: Acknowledge your weaknesses and challenges.
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Action: Take action to address those challenges and move forward.
By embracing these principles, you can unlock your own potential for growth, transformation, and a more fulfilling life.
Jod can be found at kbsttronger.com and on various social media platforms. She is also offering a free gift of five recipes to listeners which can be found on her website.
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