"Don't be the Girl who fell...BE the girl who got back up."



Special thanks to David Jaewon-oh for picture

 Throughout my life, through faith and prayer, hardships, difficult and beautiful experiences, I've learned that developing a positive mindset along with prayer and faith, can be the most powerful life strategies there is. Positive affirmations and positive thinking can help develop a powerful and positive attitude to life; which is an essential element in life success and good health.

2013 has proven to be one of the most challenging years in my entire life and I've had quite a few adversities growing up from having an alcholic abusive father in my childhood, to being on my own at 15 years old to battling a fatal illness in my 20's and now in my 30's, fighting to keep my dreams alive in every area of my life.

This year, I've experienced some incredible unfair losses, injustices, mistreatment and really have seen the ugly side of people and the world. Those are the times, I've had to dig extra deep and fight the feelings of bitterness, resentment and the need to get even.  Those are awful toxic feelings that don't serve yourself or others.  Instead, I try hard to remember the good things and wonderful accomplishments that have happened this year and the good that people have done and it never fails to bring a smile and help me develop new positive affirmations..

My Positive Affirmations:
1. My favorite one this yr-"Don't be the Girl who Fell.BE the Girl who got back up!"
2. Be Kind, Be Humble, Be Patient, Be Strong!
3. It's a New Day to Start Over!
4. Everything happens for a Good Reason! There is a Lesson to be Learned..
5. Don't let an unkind person's actions affect who you are negatively.It's them,not YOU!
6. When Life Gets Tough, Keep Moving! Go For a Run, Box, Walk, Swim..just Move!
7. Action Speaks Louder than Words! Lead by Example!
8. Weak People Revenge. Strong People Forgive. Intelligent People Ignore.
9. Hardships often prepare Ordinary People for an Extraordinary Destiny.
10. Never Ever Ever Give Up!

A few weeks ago, I came down with a Kidney infection that forced me to see a doctor in a private hospital immediately. The doctor reviewed my chart and saw I did not have health insurance. The attention and care I received was something that touched me beyond words. More than half of the visit fee was waived and required medication was discounted. It was almost like she was heaven sent...Good things do happen!

So after an amazingly trying year I have learned the most important lessons when I have stayed positive...I have learned that in order to get what you want in life, you often have to go beyond what you thought you were capable of. That’s how we grow. Achieving goals isn’t just about getting what you’re going after. It’s also about forcing yourself to become better, wiser, and stronger so that you can take on even bigger goals.

Life is going to find way to test you. At times, you may feel that life is unfair. The urge to quit during these times are the highest but don’t give in. Whatever your dream is, if it’s important to you, then fight for it. Just remember that there is more than one way to achieve your dreams.

Happy Holidays & A very Happy & Healthy 2014!

Warmest Wishes,
Patty
Patty Boom Boom
www.patriciaalcivar.com

“The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up.”~Robert Tew~

Digging Deep!

"Overcoming obstacles in life & accomplishing goals are like reaching the peak of a mountain," Patty Boom Boom

As the Thanksgiving Holiday is among us, I start thinking about all the things I am grateful for in my life and this year, one particular thing came to mind and that was the power and strength to always dig deep...

There are times where you get the courage to move forward with a goal and plan every step and then out of nowhere, things don't go exactly as planned...This has been a constant occurence in my life that has taught me to dig deep!

Finding the strength and mental toughness to keep pushing, to keep plugging, to keep fighting is one of life's most daunting challenges. Sometimes we're up to the challenge, sometimes we're not. Or so we think.

Sports has been the greatest metaphor of life for me and I am forever grateful for each lesson learned. In 1996, I participated in my first Daily News NYC Golden Gloves. In my first match in the prelims, I fought a girl named Barbosa who had just got out of prison and her total focus was to eat me alive, but I gave her 3 standing eight counts and ended the bout in the 1st round. I moved to the semi-finals and faced the previous year's champion, Christine Bruno. I was the inexperienced younger fighter at the time & a huge underdog, but I ended up stopping her in the 2nd round and moving to the finals in Madison Square Garden. The championship match with Eileen Lacy was incredible and it seemed as if it was my night to shine, but the fight was too close and the decision did not go my way.

It was a devastating loss and I wasn't sure how to get back from that, but I was thankful to have faith and my trainer to help me believe that it was worth trying again. And so I did and came back to win 2 consecutive NYC Golden Gloves Titles, a National & International Title throughout the next few years! In addition to completing 16 Marathons throughout the past 15 years and competing in a variety of sports that totally take me out of my comfort zone. Sometimes, we just need to dig deep! We have more going for us than we sometimes believe; in fact, we have a whole lot more than we can possibly imagine. Deep down inside each of us dwells a limitless reservoir of untouched magic, a supernatural cache of power and strength capable of overcoming anything and everything thrown in our path.

This year, I faced all types of personal obstacles with my job, education and athletics. I am thankful that I am able to see these challenges as a way to teach me a lesson and make me stronger and more resilient. Whenever life starts smacking me around, I know I need to step back for a moment. And start digging deep. I listen to what my heart and soul tells me to do. The answers will come if you dig deep enough and long enough.

One of the events that taught me a valuable lesson and that I hold dear to my heart this year is the Men's Health Magazine NYC Urbanathlon. I dedicated 12-weeks of plyometrics, stair workouts and speed drills on the track during the crazy hot and humid NYC summer. The big day was on October 29th. Everything seemed to be going perfectly until a couple of days before the event where the temperature in NYC practically dropped 50 degrees and there was a threat of rain and snow for the day of the event. Just a few days before, NYC had been spoiled with great weather. The day had arrived and there was no turning back. One of my weakness and fear has always been the cold and rain, but this was another opportunity to face my fears and not give up no matter what.

The Urbanathlon truly tested me in every way and even though I did not win, I did finish among the top women and learned once again to get back up even when you get knocked down...
http://www.youtube.com/user/MHUrbanathlon?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/_zd3-b5T4lE

Life can come at you really hard, testing your will and taxing your tenacity; testing and taxing it right to the hilt. And life can push you right to the wall, right to the breaking point on occasion. But that's OK as long as you remember that it's not what's happening on the outside that matters the most, but what you've got going on inside. And deep down, where it counts, you've got way more than enough.

So this Thanksgiving Holiday, I am thankful for my never-ending faith, my loved ones, my supporters and the ability to tap into the magic within by digging a little deeper when things don't go exactly as planned.

"Real riches are the riches possessed inside."

Wishing you all a very Happy & Healthy Holiday Season!

Much Love & Blessings,

Patricia "Patty Boom Boom" Alcivar
Professional Boxer, Competitive Runner &
Fitness/Commercial Model
Website: www.patriciaalcivar.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/PatriciaAlcivar
Blog: http://pattiboomboomsblog.blogspot.com
FB Fan Page: facebook.com/PatriciaPattyBoomBoomAlcivar

No Guts, No Glory!

"There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results!"

The Chicago Marathon was nothing short of magical. My sister and I were nervous but excited when we arrived in Chicago last Saturday,October 8th. Besides, she had been in the hospital just a week before with a serious debilitating injury/condition that had caused her to rethink about her plans to run this marathon in which she had put in 15 solid weeks of training.

I remember her asking me "What would you do in my situation?" I took a deep breath and tried to respond the best way I could with her safety in mind. In my second professional fight last year, I fought with a broken foot and earlier this year, I fought with a respiratory infection. Obstacles will always be part of our lives and you have to do what you feel in your heart is best for YOU and the rest is pure Faith. I assured her that I was proud of her despite of what her decision would be. A couple of days later, she would confirm her decision to run the Chicago Marathon although her goals had changed and completing this Marathon (her 3rd ever) after a 6-yr break was going to be beyond rewarding.

The alarm sounded at 5am on Sunday, October 9th. I had awoken with amazing feelings of Gratitude for arriving safely the day before, for having an awesome night out in Chicago and for the day I was about to have. My sister and I got great sleep and we were stoked that the hotel's Starbucks was opening at 5am to accomodate the runners. I was smiling big when we went downstairs to have our tea & oatmeal. Genuine Enthusiasm, Confidence & Faith are contagious and I knew I had enough for both of us.

We made our way through the 47,000 thousand registered runners to our assigned corrals and the time to say good-bye had arrived. I gave my sister a heartfelt crazy tight, but very confident hug & then I focused on the race I was about to run. A run that I knew I was ready for and was doing to test myself; to bring the best out of myself & continue to strengthen my faith. The airhorn went off at 7:30am & the 26.2 mile journey begun...

My goal for this Marathon was to run a solid 3:40 that would qualify me for Boston. I had battled through a few health scares & injuries for a few years that prevented me from running a marathon at that pace since 2005. I visualized what I wanted to run & how I wanted to feel all week and just had the faith that I could finally pull it off. The first 3 miles, I was flying at a 7:30 pace. I was rocking to my mp3 player when all of a sudden it made a weird high pitch sound and completely died on me. Whoa! What was I going to do with 23.2 miles left without music? I don't think I ever ran any long distance events without music.

I did panic for a couple of minutes, but all of a sudden felt a sense of peace. It dawned on me that this was an opportunity to really take in each mile; to listen to my body; to rely on myself and on my faith. Each mile was dedicated to a certain time in my life where I could remember great achievements. I could also hear the church songs playing in my head throughout the race. Mile 23 seemed to be where I started to struggle the most & felt incredible fatigue & ache in my lower back. I knew I had it in me to push through the discomfort.

As Mile 26 approached, I was so overwhelmed with emotion. I could see myself raising my hands in victory and as I made my way to the 26.2 mile finish line, I looked up and saw 3:40! I was overcome with tears of joy and amazing feelings of gratitude. I walked in disbelief but with a big koolaid smile. I waited anxiously for my sister to finish and seeing her finish a couple of hours later was the icing on the cake! We had both completed the Chicago Marathon and we were both healthy and proud..

This was my 16th Marathon and definitely a very special one that I will hold dear to my heart forever for a few reasons. Training my sister for this event helped bond us in a unique way, but also seeing her dedication & transformation was rewarding for both of us. Sharing the incredible feeling of accomplishment and knowing that we both did it for our own personal reasons was significant as I have learned the hard way that doing things for the wrong reasons to prove other people wrong results in empty feelings. To me, this run was spiritual as it showed me the power of faith and belief like never before.

The feeling of accomplishment; to know you pushed beyond your limits and brought out the best in you for YOU is an inner satisfaction that no one can ever take away from you...I am forever grateful for this opportunity and can only hope to continue to bring out the best!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVDXiTF95fU&feature=share

Much Love,
Patricia "Patty Boom Boom" Alcivar

Me & My Sis..

ALL relationships worth fighting for require Communication, Honesty & an open mind and heart...Someone has to be willing to give in and have an open mind/heart as you cannot fight fire with fire. In not doing so, you run the risk of losing precious time/milestones in each others lives that you cannot bring back. Giving in requires both humility and an open heart even if the other person does not give in. Doing your part ensures a healthy heart free of toxic resentment.

The problem with many people in my family has always been the inability for someone to give in. About 4 years ago, my younger sister and I had a disagreement where neither one of us gave in. We would be estranged for 3 years while I was living in North Carolina. There was not a day that passed by where I wondered how she and my niece were doing. I prayed that somehow we would come back into each other's paths. That opportunity came when I moved back to NYC last year. I asked my mom to invite my sister and niece to my house for the Christmas Holiday. That would require both of us to have an open heart and mind...

I will never forget the feeling of peace, relief and joy when I came home the evening of December 24, 2010 to find my sister, niece and mom standing in my kitchen. We hugged and spoke like two old friends that had not seen each other in years. Even though there were no apologies exchanged, I think we both understood that we had punished ourselves enough by letting so much time pass without speaking. I was excited and grateful to have this new opportunity to have my sister back and I was already planning all the things I wanted to do and share with her.

I noticed my sister had gained considerable weight (about 30lbs). My way of showing love to my loved ones is sharing my passion for health, for life & faith. Little by little, we became closer as we once were and I found out about her goals to regain her health & fitness and the desire to conquer a Triathlon and a marathon "down the road." She saw her goals as a distant dream, but I didn't. I was more excited about her goals than she was and remember researching the perfect events & designing a program that would enable her to achieve all her goals THIS YEAR!

In late February, I had the perfect plan that included conquering not one but 2 Triathlons; one in June & one in July, a Biathlon, a couple of Half Marathons & the grand finale with a full Marathon in the Fall all while she revamped her nutrition and lost the 30lbs. I remember telling her my plan and the look on her face thinking I was completely out of my mind. "If you can't, you must!" I assured her with every ounce of confidence that my crazy plan was doable. All I needed was her commitment to the training regimen. I got that from her and much more!

I love inspiring people, but there are times where I need to be inspired and it really doesn't take that much. Whether it is the desire to never give up, a small detail/words of gratitude, commitment, loyalty, honesty and open communication are definitely big things that inspire me. They are powerful details that just make me want to give even more of myself. My sister did all of the above! We attacked our fear of the water on a weekly basis, we ran the roads & trails, we biked some long distances and had amazing adventures and challenges all while we bonded more than we ever thought possible.

8 months later, my sister has lost over 40 lbs, conquered 2 Triathlons, placed in her age group in her first ever Biathlon, Completed 3 half Marathons and has put amazing training & dedication all while being a great mom to her 14-yr old daughter, a hard worker and a great sister & daughter. The grand finale is here and we are set to run the Chicago Marathon this Sunday, October 9, 2011.

Chicago will be my 16th Marathon & I plan to use it as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. But besides the inner staisfaction of completing this marathon, it truly will be a special marathon as I see my sister cross the finish line. A Marathon that helped heal and bond us back together.

In closing, I have to say that I have learned that in life, relationships, sports, education and work, you must truly give it your all to ensure you have no regrets. If for whatever reason things don't work out, at least you have a peace of mind knowing you did everything you could and that I can certainly live with..

Much Love,
Patricia "Patty Boom Boom" Alcivar

Reason, Season, or Lifetime
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life

Determinded Ladies!

It is said that when something is continuously done from the heart with enough enthusiasm, love, energy and passion, the vibe is felt and breaks down resistance...That is what I was hoping for when I got hired to be the Head Coach at a first time program named "Running & Community Engagement," a scholarship program where 20 High School Senior Girls from all over the 5 NYC Boroughs were chosen from a pool of about 100 applicants. The requirement for this program included an essay, references from a teacher or mentor, the desire to be involved with community service and no prior significant running background.

My job was to design and lead an 8-week program that would enable them to complete their first ever 5k. But that was just the easy part...The first day had arrived and I got to meet the 20 Girls that would become a very important milestone in my life. We introduced ourselves and I could tell that some were excited, some were nervous, some were skeptic and some were confused. I took them right out of their comfort zone and tested them with a 1.5 mile loop of the reservoir. The assistant coach, Zach was in charge of motivating them throughout the run and pretty much being my eyes and ears. We had a talk after that first practice and agreed we had our work cut out for us, but I was sure that the girls would never forget their first day as it was a wake-up call!

I wanted to create a "Team" environment and knowing each other's names was priority. I gave myself 2 days to learn every one's name and then required the very same from them, if not, they were required to do 5 push-ups for each name they missed and they were also given 25 push-ups for anyone that came 1 minute late to class. Needless to say, they were doing a-lot of push-ups the first couple of weeks. So, one day after class, they all got together and took a picture as a group and tagged each other on Facebook! Sure enough, they learned each other's name and were nearly perfect for the next class. What mattered to me was that they were working together as a "Team" to find a solution...

We met 3 times a week (Tuesday & Thursday evenings & Saturday mornings)and for the next few weeks I put them through some very challenging workouts that included calisthenics, plyometrics, speed drills, stairs and hill repeats just to name a few. Most of them had never performed any of these exercises and they cringed at the thought of push-ups and pull-ups. That was perfect, I thought..Each time I named a new exercise, they were never too shy to say, "There is NO WAY I'm Doing that," but my response with out hesitation would always be "YOU MUST!"

There was definitely many different personalities that sometimes shocked me, frustrated me, made me laugh, inspired me and then just sometimes made me dig within myself and my own feelings. This was just not a "Running Program." To me, it was a valuable opportunity to help these young ladies experience the power of belief in themselves; Of giving something a try even if they didn't think they could do it and never giving up on them even if they fought back...

One of their projects within the first couple of weeks was to come up with a team name which in the end was voted "Determined Ladies." I think the name started really resonating with them each time they completed a demanding workout which was pretty much every practice for the first 6 weeks.

The weeks went by and even though it was amazing to see how their fitness was improving, I did not back-off one bit. It was important to me to keep pushing them until the very end. Even though, I could notice them jumping higher, running faster and just an overall progression. In week 7, it was time to re-test them and show them how far they have come...We re-tested them on the 1.5 mile reservoir run as they did on the very first day. The results were nothing short of astounding! 100% of the girls improved and cut between 3-7 minutes off their time.

While recording and comparing their times, I was definitely moved with emotion. From my own personal experience, I knew what it felt like to have a coach push me so hard and believe in me more than me. It was that which made me perform to the best of my ability in amateur boxing and helped me become the first female ever to be voted "Athlete of the Year," by the United States Olympic Committee.

However, I needed to stay strong as their big moment was still awaiting. I gave them each a high five for a job well done and did point out how far they have come. We still had a week left of workouts before their big 5k. The big day was suppose to be on Saturday, August 27th; the day before Hurricane Irene was suppose to hit NYC, but the City of NY cancelled ALL events including our 5k. I was truly disappointed at first, but then realized, it was such a great metaphor for what truly happens in life. We can plan all we want, but life happens and we have to "roll with the punches," readjust and keep pressing forward.

I had to re rally the girls for an extra week of workouts and found another 5k the following weekend. The extra week of workouts was not suppose to be brutal, but instead, focus on maintaining what they had built over the past 8 weeks. On September 10, 2011, "Determined Ladies" ran and completed the Continental Breakfast 5k successfully! I waited for each and everyone of them as they crossed the finish line placing a finisher's medal around their neck with the biggest smile ever.

This was truly an unforgettable and rewarding Summer that has left and amazing impression in my heart. Thank You "Determined Ladies" for allowing me to coach you. My hope is that you will always remember this program during any times of difficulties and know that you can do ANYTHING, if you just give it a try. YOU are your own hero and Don't ever let anyone tell you "You Can't." Everything you need is already inside. You all were definitely worth the effort!

As a special treat that just added to the emotion, my 13 yr old niece was inspired by the "Determined Ladies" to also participate in her very first 5k with them. Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm and I was ever so proud that it rubbed off on so many wonderful people this summer!

So for now, my mission was accomplished...When you genuinely want to inspire and get through to someone, it takes dedication, commitment and never ending belief and regardless of age, gender or race, the barriers will fade. It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living!

"Face Your Fears, Live Your Dreams!"

Much Love,
Patricia "Patty Boom Boom" Alcivar
www.patriciaalcivar.com

"Fighting" for My Life!

What is Strength? It's not just built of limbs, a tangled muscle & sinews. It's not just the bash of helmets on shoulders or crack of a baseball punching holes in the sky. Strength is a feeling...A Power...A Look. A shout tapped deep from within that says, I will Persist. I will Conquer. I will Prevail. That says this is the moment it all begins. That says I will not settle for anything less that I can be, share or do...If we just chose to Listen...I HAVE CHOSEN TO LISTEN!

From a very young age, I have literally been "fighting" for my life and dreams. From calling the police on my father to being on my own since I was 15 years old to each opportunity I take to stand up for what I believe in. Each day I pray for continued strength to never give up and to be able to accomplish my goals while being a positive influence in the lives of my loved ones, friends, athletes, women & anyone who has needed hope through my athletics and the way I live my life inside & outside of the ring.

Boxing to me represents an opportunity to continue to "Fight" for my life and dreams. The will is stronger than anything I could ever imagine. 10 days before my 5th professional fight on April 2nd in Jupiter, Florida, I was diagnosed with a severe upper respiratory infection. The doctor advised me not to get on the plane on the afternoon of March 23rd. I was on my way to Florida to get my body acclimated to the warmer weather as I would be fighting in the middle of the day in an outdoor stadium. Dr. Brody had his nurse come in as a witness to both the conversation & the signing of a document he had prepared advising me not to get on the flight that afternoon or fight on April 2nd. I had debated with him and told him I could "tough" this out as I fought my 2nd pro fight with a broken foot. His response was "I would rather you fight with a broken arm as that won't kill you."

I would be prescribed an antibiotic (Zithromax) for 5 days and without a doubt I got on that plane. My condition did worsen for a couple of days and I was afraid, but kept never ending hope. I took my workouts down a notch, but still ran during the warmest parts of the day. Fight day had arrived and although my body did not feel 100%, my heart & my will were going to give 1,000%. I was after all "Fighting" for My Life and Dreams!

On April 2nd, the sun was beaming and the humidity was high. I would over hear a couple of the fighters say that they could feel the heat from the boxing ring canvas burning their feet as there was no coverage from the sun. I entered that ring knowing in my heart that I was going to give my very best no matter what. I gave one of my very best performances under very challenging circumstances, but proved once again that anything done with passion and faith, can & will provide outstanding results!

My Desire & hope is to continue to approach everything in my life with much dedication, perseverance and fortitude. I believe the secret to lasting success is not something you find with an X on an old map. It must be MADE. It's being a creator and an INFLUENCER. It's being on a roll..Being an ULTIMATE, unrelenting, uncompromising go-getter. It's of GRIT & Determination, GUTS & MIND...It's a chain linking mastery & momentum and it drives you ever forward...Ever learning. Ever reaching. Ever striving for the next breakthrough....And it means never ever stopping. EVER!

With Much Love,
Patricia "Patty Boom Boom" Alcivar
"Face Your Fears, Live Your Dreams!"
www.patriciaalcivar.com
FaceBook: Patricia "Patty Boom Boom" Alcivar Fan Page

Agua Dulce, Agua Sala'...Sweet water, Salt Water

In 1997, I was standing in the middle of a boxing ring in Augusta, Georgia getting the first ever Women's National Amateur Boxing Championship belt placed on my little waist after fighting & winning my preliminary bouts for 3 days straight and then facing off a very tough opponent on the championship night under very challenging circumstances.

"Agua Dulce, Agua Sala," (Sweet water, Salt Water) is a metaphor for life...In that moment in 1997, I felt both. The feeling of giving it my all, having my trainer say he was proud of me & the inner satisfaction was definitely "Agua Dulce!" Not having any of my family members there, not knowing if I would ever feel this way again and not knowing what the future holds was "Agua Sala."

Well, quite a few years later, I continue to have many days of both "Agua Dulce & Agua Sala," but have been blessed with the maturity to see and accept the true meaning of each experience. Each wonderful Marathon (15 in total)that I have completed has taught me never, ever to give up and taught me that with a strong mind you can will yourself to do anything! With each boxing match, I have learned that my dreams are worth fighting for and each triumph brings me a little closer despite the obstacles that always seem to present themselves. Every person that has come into my path has taught me a valuable lesson about myself & life even if those people are no longer in my life.

So, these days, "Agua Dulce" is the opportunity to welcome each day with a run, workout, prayer and gratitude. "Agua Dulce" is the being thankful for the very special people in my life and appreciating their qualities & contribution to my life. "Agua Dulce" is all the adventures I get to experience, face my fears & live my dreams & have no regrets.

Life is all about balance and you can only appreciate the sunshine that much more after rainy days, so of course there must be "Agua Sala" which to me means tears, moments of sadness and trying days. I have definitely experienced my share of "Agua Sala" during injuries/illnesses, not so great performances, failed relationships and disappointments.

I deal with my "salty water" days the best way I know how & that is relying on faith, prayers, strength & determination and realizing that each "salty water" day has a good purpose in my life & will teach me a meaningful lesson.

My wish for my loved ones, friends & supporters is for more of those beautiful days of "Agua Dulce" where you feel like you can fly and reach new heights and for those "Agua Sala" days to be eased with comfort in knowing that after each storm, the sun will shine and with enough faith, things will always get better!

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; But often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us."
Helen Keller

Much Love,
Patty Boom Boom
www.patriciaalcivar.com

For the True Love of Boxing!

When my mom gave birth to me, she had not picked out a name for me. Talking about last minute planning..A student visiting her mom in the next bed brought in an old newspaper that she was doing her research paper on. The front cover picture caught my mom's attention. It was a picture of a woman with a machine gun holding up a bank...My mom named me after "Patty Hearst."

For as long as I can remember, I have always fought for my beliefs and passions and have literally put my life on the line for them. When I was 10 years old, I called the police on my father when he committed a mortal crime. At the age of 15, I decided I had enough of an abusive home and went to live on my own. The consequences of my actions were severe as I had to endure ridicule from my family and struggle to pay rent, go hungry many nights and work while I went to school. However, I would not change a thing today and stand by my decisions and dreams.

Even though I went through some incredibly difficult moments, the things that always provided comfort were my Faith, My Dreams & Sports. I have participated in quite a number of sports, but the one that caught my attention was Boxing. Perhaps, it is because it's the sport that most resembles the struggles of my life and gives me the opportunity to once again fight for my dreams.

I spent over 6 years as an amateur boxer winning two NYC Golden Gloves, the Empire State Games, a National title & an International Title. My biggest & proudest accomplishment in my amateur career was being the first female ever to be named "Athlete of the Year," by the United States Olympic Committee. After waiting for about 8 years for Women's Boxing to go to the Olympics, I took a break from boxing and always felt like I had unfinished business and had not done everything I could in the sport.



Against all odds, on October 9, 2009, I made my professional boxing debut in Columbia, TN. Little did I know the extreme challenges in the sport of pro boxing. There would be no purse (pay) for me and my opponent & venue changed about 6 times. My reward would be a first round knockout and the personal victory of doing something I truly loved and the satisfaction of taking that first step towards my ultimate dream of becoming World Champion.

Almost 17 months & 3 fights later, not much has changed. In order to keep fighting for my dreams & be able to train and make ends meet, I have had to work a number of freelance/part-time gigs and have compiled quite the resume with skills that include: Event Management, Personal Training, Translating/Interpreting, Dog Walking, Babysitting, Massage Therapy and my latest after graduating with honors, Emergency Medical Technician!

Some female boxers like myself are not fortunate enough to have their professional boxing careers funded in order to train full time. It truly is a big sacrifice and I do it for the True Love of Boxing and My Dreams! On March 4th, I will be taking a closer step towards my dreams when I fight my 4th professional fight in my hometown of Queens, NY! In attendance for the first time will be my mom, younger sister & niece. It is an amazing opportunity which I am so thankful for, however, in order to make it truly successful, I definitely need the support of my supporters! Ticket Sales are an amazingly important part of professional boxing. Links to purchase tickets are included below...

http://www.wix.com/jsizzle141/boomboomtickets OR my website at:
http://www.patriciaalcivar.com/updates

In closing, I just want to thank all my family, friends and supporters for following me on this incredible journey thus far, Trinity Boxing for providing a safe & reliable place to train and my manager, Johnny who works exceptionally hard to make my dreams a reality! I thank God for giving me the opportunity to Dream High for my chance to Fly High!

Much Love,
Patty Boom Boom
www.patriciaalcivar.com

"Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go,
be what you want to be. Because you have only one life and
one chance to do all the things you want to do"

Facing My Fears at "Tough Mudder"

FEAR can either paralyze you or fuel you! I am so thankful that I understand that I always have a choice about how to respond to and deal with fear. I can cave into it, struggle with it, accept it, or work around it. I always have a choice, a choice I can make again and again or that I can change based on my assessment of what is best for me.

On Saturday, November 20th, I took the opportunity to "Face My Fear" of the water, cold & heights at the 12-mile Tough Mudder that had 19 obstacles. Half of those obstacles were in the water. For as long as I can remember, I have had an awful fear of the water, the cold, the dark & heights among other things, but those are the most significant ones. I do my very best not to let the fear of anything paralyze me and instead, take every opportunity I can to face my fear right in the face. As my Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist, Rick Baker would say,"If you do what you are afraid of, you WILL get better!"

Drowning in a pool and at the beach when I was a child started my fear of the water. My Father at the time would throw me further into the ocean to see if I could survive making my fear even worse. However, one of my life goals is to complete an Ironman & about 5 years ago, learned how to swim as an adult & competed in my first sprint Triathlon. Putting my face in that dark, cold lake was CRAZY!! I hyperventilated, cried and held on to the raft and was about to get disqualified. To me, that meant failure and something GREAT was about to happen. I got on my back & even invented some new swimming strokes & finished the swim in 29:30 which was 30 seconds before the cut-off time!

Ever since then, I just keep attacking my fears! When the Winter Tough Mudder was announced, I definitely hesitated, but knew I just had to do it. It was an opportunity for me to deal with 3 of my fears. I am a big believer of training hard and being prepared, but there is really no way to prepare to jumping in ICE cold water. The morning of the Tough Mudder was here and morning temps were in the low 30's. Skipping the event never entered my mind, but the anxiety and fear were greater than ever.

When things get this way where I can't think clearly or calmly, there is one thing that brings me comfort & peace and that is prayer and faith! That combined with determination is a great recipe to ensure that I would atleast get through the race. Another key element is the support of my loved ones..Having my sister, nephews, niece & dogs there with me was wonderful! Inadvertently, I would be influencing them to never give up on their dreams or let fear get in the way ever!

The start horn sounded and off I went on my journey.. We started out just running on the raceway and grass and then we hit our first water challenge which was "The Plank"! Oh My Dear God! This was 3 of my fears staring me right in the face!! The plank was about 15ft high & the challenge was to jump off into ICE COLD DARK 15ft deep WATER! Just as I was walking up to jump, a spectator jumped out to pull out a participant that had "blacked out" from the impact and the cold!! I started hyperventilating and crying...All that anxiety came back and got worse when I heard the guy that was pulled out say "That water felt like ice glaciers stabbing me all over and I just passed out"!

I had to step away and take a few minutes to calm down & reassess why I was doing this..I realized what I always knew and that is I am doing this to overcome my fears, to achieve my goals, my dreams and smile back at another chance God has given me to inspire myself and others! I went back up, took a deep breath and jumped off! WOW! I also did black out for a second and starting to swim as if there was a shark in the water! My body was completely numb, wet & cold & would remain that way for 2 hrs! The 18 challenges after that were pretty awful as well. They included:

1.Underwater Tunnels: As if walking the plank and jumping into ice cold water wasn't bad enough, this next water challenge, we had to bob up and down under these tunnels. Holding my breath and trying to go under these tunnels tightened up my chest & I thought my heart was about to stop!! We were only at mile 3! It's gonna be a long day was my thought!!
2.Spider's Web:This challenge completely murdered my arms..There were TWO cargo nets to climb!
3.Mud Mile/s: There were miles and miles of just running in the WET and COLD Mud. They had sprinkles on at all times soaking up the mud. There were mud hills where you could not run up and instead go up on all fours and slide down on your butt!
4.Kiss of Mud: This "low crawl" in the wet, cold & super rocky mud for about 1/4 mile was extremely painful!
5.Berlin Walls: There were about ten 12ft high walls to get over!!
6.Firewalker: I wouldn't say that "Fire" was one of my fears until the "Tough Mudder Fire"! Holy SMOKES! The smoke/fumes from this challenge nearly closed my throat & I felt as if I was in the water again. Almost started to panic!
7.Funkey Monkey: After running 11 miles cold & wet, it was nearly impossible to have enough energy to get through the "Tough Mudder Money Bars" upside down accross a cold lake!!
8.Twinkle Toes: Right after Funkey Monkey trying to have any coordination & balance to walk across a crazy narrow piece of wood on a lake was insanely rough!!
9."Mystery Event": This I did not see coming a mile away! I was about half a mile from the finish line, so how bad could it be? It was a mud pit with PAINFUL electrical shocks underneath!! How CRUEL! I screamed so loud and felt my feet starting to cramp...

As I was hobbling out of the last challenge, I saw a group of 3 girls approaching..My competitive instinct kicked in, forgot about the cramps and how awful my body felt and I started to sprint to the finish...I had NO idea that I was the 3rd female coming in until I reached the finish line and was told "Congratulations! You are the 3rd female"! The emotions of just completed this event took over and I was incredibly grateful!

Thank you to my loved ones and special friends for their never ending support and following me on my crazy journey that also never ends! We all have incredible gifts and have the choice to do something with it! I leave you with an incredible and beautiful quote on Fear as well as some cool footage of my latest Adventure below:

Our Deepest Fear Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some; it is in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear,our presence automatically liberates others.


Much Love,

Patty Boom Boom
"Face Your Fears, Live Your Dreams"
www.patriciaalcivar.com

My experience with a Bully!

We all experience challenges through life which teach us a valuable lesson, but at 32yrs of age and currently enrolled in a special EMT/Paramedic program, I did not expect to have a "Bully" who literally had me in tears for weeks!

Getting into this program was something I totally valued and was going to do my very best to excel. With education being so expensive and the economy being the way it is, I cannot imagine not being grateful and taking full advantage of this amazing opportunity. My enthusiasm definitely showed as I was consistently in school early, turned in all my assignments, participated in class and scored high on all my exams.

However, there was one guy in his mid 20's who received all the attention. He had a military background and had been in Afghanistan for a couple of years. He definitely had a-lot of potential and spoke intelligently when he wanted to. But, he was aggressive, loud & consistently disruptive in class which had me so perplexed when half of the class seemed fascinated with him. There were a few instances where the class was on a "study/reading" break and "the bully" took this chance to show highly inappropriate videos from his iPhone. I have never been a follower and was not about to start either..

My lack of participation in the Bully's discussions definitely prompted attention and one day as I was walking into the classroom he shouted "snobby bitch". I turned right around & walk up to him and said "Excuse Me" and he just started laughing. My heart was beating crazy fast and I felt myself shaking. I just wished that he was having a bad day and that he confused me with someone else. Unfortunately, things got much worse throughout the next few weeks. He changed his usual seat in the back of the classroom to sitting right next to me and made my days in school a nightmare!

This was going to be a true test of patience, resilience and faith for me. In my mind, this bully was intolerant of contrary opinion, domineering and a total coward, but kept questioning myself why I was one of the very few who can see this and why was he picking on me?

I did not let him intimidate me and the more he teased me, the harder I studied for my exams and did everything as perfectly as I could in hopes that I would make it to the next phase of the program and he didn't. I wanted to keep everything inside, but realized that one of the very important things in my life is the wonderful people I have surrounded myself with. I did open up about it and had awesome support & advice from my family, friends and a special teacher.

Getting through each day was an incredible task and I felt mentally & physically drained from all I was taking. Morning prayers, my daily exercise and appearing to be extra confident in class gave me hope that justice would be done.

The end of the first phase was quickly approaching, so the exams were getting tougher. The Bully would blatantly cheat with a few classmates and even showed pornography films from his iPhone while I had to listen to all of this. There were a few students who I knew did not agree with this crazy behavior and there was a rumor that a few had complained when the bully was pulled out to have a talk with the Director of the program.

The last week came and we had to absolutely pass the CPR practical & written exams with an 85% or higher. We would be judged on EVERYTHING which included: Assignments, Scores on all Exams, Attendance, Participation & Professionalism. It was emphasized to us that even if we were great students with high marks but lacked a professional attitude/work ethic, we would be dismissed from the program. I had so much faith that some of the teachers could see how horrible the bully was and allowing him to move on in this program would be a big mistake.

The last day had arrived...I had passed all my exams with flying colors, but so did the bully! The last day consisted of "Team Building" activities. We were broken up into 5 groups of six students. I had so much fun for the most part..One of the last games consisted of a relay race where 3 members had long splints bandaged to their feet (imagine 3 people being on long skis). My team had an awesome strategy and we marched in place to a good cadence and when they said "GO" we went! We won and it was awesome! 2nd round came and it was my turn to lead my team on the skis...The bully's team was right next to me. When they said "Go" the bully and his classmate came from behind & shoved me! I fell hard right on my tail bone and sprained my ankle. This was a relay race and there was so much excitement that I did not think any of the instructors including the Director saw what had just happened. I shook it off and got right back up, got my team together & kept marching. We still won :)

My head kept going around in a million circles and questioned whether I should tell any of the instructors/director. My classmates saw what happened and I was hurting physically and emotionally. It took everything for me to stay quiet as I had the most incredible faith that somehow someone saw what happened & this bully would just not move on to the next phase. We would get a phone call that evening notifying us whether we should show up to class the next day for the beginning of the next phase.

I got a wonderful voicemail last Thursday evening congratulating me for making into the next phase. I was so happy and just remembered all my accomplishments in life. If for some reason the bully made it into the next phase, I would approach the situation as I have with all the other challenges in my life: Determination, Patience, Resilience & never ending FAITH!

Friday morning, I walked into class and felt a weight lifted off my shoulders when I realized that the bully and his friend who had shoved me were not there...They had been dismissed! From over 300 applicants, 44 students were chosen for the first vestibule phase and now we are down to 27 students!

It is very unfortunate that bullying occurs at any point in our lives whether it is in school or at work. However, I believe the experience can teach us very valuable lessons about ourselves. There were so many times that I wanted to NOT come back from lunch, where I was hanging by a thread and still hung on and just did not give up hope ever!

I am so very thankful to all the great support and advice I received. Every person has a way of handling these types of situation. Patience, Resilience, Confidence & Faith are always my way and definitely not being afraid to open up and seek help!

I truly believe that these "Bullies" can be used as a metaphor in our everyday lives to never give up hope/faith and always try to keep pressing forward no matter what!

Much Love,

Patricia
Patty Boom Boom
www.patriciaalcivar.com
"Face Your Fears, Live Your Dreams"