In this riveting and candid memoir, "Vera Jo opens up her world to us in a vulnerable yet captivating way that elicits every thought and emotion from the reader; it's relatable, heart-wrenching, surprising, funny, challenging and encouraging," said Ronald Nored, NBA assistant coach of the Charlotte Hornets.
At twenty-two, six thousand miles separated her from her comfort zone, but Vera Jo Bustos signed a contract to play professional basketball in Greece. So, she said goodbye to what she knew and plunged headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime. A Mindful Journey gives the reader a first-hand experience of Greece and its culture. With humility and humor, Vera Jo tells a story of resilience powered by connection to others. She takes us with her as she discovers the honest and sometimes brutal truth of the struggles of learning a foreign language, the obstacles of self-doubt, homesickness and loneliness, and the heartache and heartbreak that accompanies constant defeat.She learns that defeat is not a dead end. It's a detour to what really matters-what's most important in life. She unearths who she truly is, and most important, who she's about to become.
The practical training Vera Jo used to hone her mental skills alongside her physical skills and life wisdom are interwoven throughout the pages. With the nuggets shared throughout the book of mental toughness, wisdom, and resilience, the reader is compelled-and challenged-to go on "a mindful journey" of their own.
Bustos, Vera Jo: - Vera Jo Bustos, commonly known as "Coach VJ" is an experienced keynote speaker and author. At her core, she is a mental performance coach specializing in helping athletes, coaches, and teams improve their performance through the mental game. Through her mental performance business, Mentality Solutions, Vera Jo has helped over 2,000 athletes take their mental game to the next level. Vera Jo utilizes her knowledge of performance psychology as a speaker to engage, motivate, and transform the mindset and approach of everyone in her audience. She received her BA in Exercise Science, BA in Sports Psychology, and MA in Human Performance from Adams State University.She has worked with professional athletes, coaches, veterans, surgeons, businesses, and business professionals. A highly sought-after speaker, she travels the country inspiring, motivating, and teaching the mental game to athletes, high-performers, teams, and coaches-of all ages, ability levels, and sports-at conferences, conventions, workshops, school assemblies, and 1-on-1 trainings.Vera Jo worked as an assistant basketball coach at Western Colorado University for two years and spent five years on the coaching staff at The University of New Mexico. Since 2012, she has implemented her knowledge of performance psychology by training the athletes at WCU and UNM on the mental game.Previously, Bustos had a celebrated basketball career at Adams State University (2007-11). A 3x College All-American, 2x All-Region First Team, 4x All-RMAC First Team, Player of the Year, and Freshman of the Year selection, Bustos helped lead ASU to two consecutive NCAA Tournament berths and made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history. Her storied career led to a Hall of Fame induction in 2019-making ASU history once again-as one of the youngest inductees in school history at 30. Learn more at: www.VeraJoBustos.com & www.MentalitySolutions.com
