“I truly believe in the value of connecting with those that have gone through similar experiences, and helping build their LYB tool bag and mindset to be the best version of themselves.”
- Brett Tivers (he/him)
Meet Brett Tivers!
Brett (he/him) is a New Zealander and was a professional cyclist. In 2012 Brett crashed while racing in the U.S. and sustained a TBI. He then got a second concussion while teaching Physical Education back in New Zealand in 2013.
Brett attended his first LYB Retreat in 2019, and has since been giving back to this community, where he found understanding and acceptance, as a LYB Mindset facilitator and supporting our annual Ride for Resilience.
We sat down with Brett to learn more about the importance of your mindset after brain injury, and what inspires him to support our community:
How would you describe an athlete’s mindset?
To be a successful athlete, you have to be self-driven, have the ability to push your body beyond your maximum limit, be determined, train towards a goal diligently, be in-tune with your mind and body, and strive to be the best.
How has LoveYourBrain supported you in shifting your mindset after your injury?
The most amazing thing for me was arriving at the LoveYourBrain Retreat in 2019. It was the first time since my accident 7 years earlier that I was interacting with people that simply "get it." Being part of a community where we can share our experiences both positively and also the hardships we encounter. To realize we are not alone in this journey and that we can learn and be inspired by those within our community.
LoveYourBrain created a space where they allowed me to find snippets in their program that work for me and how I can incorporate them into my day-to-day routine. Things such as mindfulness walks each day, whether it's along the beach or in nature. This has taught me to slow down, un-wire the brain and relax. Yoga nidra has become part of my afternoon routine which helps me rest and recharge the body for the remainder of the afternoon/evening. Previously I thought yoga and mindfulness was not something that I could do nor benefit from.
How has the Ride for Resilience shifted your Mindset as an athlete whose relationship with cycling has changed since having a brain injury?
For a long time I really struggled to be around people that could exercise, whether that was outside or at the gym. This was because from my main accident and after a few setbacks from my initial accident, I could no longer tolerate exercise and more importantly exercise on a bike, therefore I found it very frustrating seeing others do what simply I'd love to do myself.
Biking was not only something that came easy to me and what I was good at doing but also an adventure. I traveled to many countries competing for either a New Zealand team or part of an overseas team. Those things taken away from me was one challenge too far.
Through the Ride for Resilience month I want to be able to share that getting back on a bike both physically and mentally has and still is a challenge and that's ok..... that finding alternative solutions to riding a bike can give you a similar fulfillment.
I've enjoyed using the form of walking outside to increase my exercise tolerance and acceptance of a slower pace of life. Using my athlete mindset of focusing on what processes you need to execute to be the best you can possibly be through using the right mindset, taking small steps in increasing exercise tolerance and acceptance, and looking at alternative ways to exercise.
Exercising outside is important for my physical and mental well-being, so I'm looking forward to finding myself on an Ebike when that happens to help reignite my passion for riding, the ability to ride outdoors, and to use it once again as a form of going on an adventure.
As a Mindset Facilitator, how are you helping shift the mindset of others?
The six-week online Mindset program has allowed those from all around the world the opportunity to create their own LYB tool bag to help them navigate their TBI Journey. My role as a facilitator is to allow participants to engage in a group discussion environment where they can be their authentic self, where they can learn from each week's themes and connect with like-minded people that have been through similar experiences and understand the different challenges in our lives.
I truly believe in the value of connecting with those that have gone through similar experiences and helping build their LYB tool bag and mindset to be the best version of themselves.
Connect with Brett by joining LYB Mindset or Ride for Resilience!