Checking the rear view mirror, then looking ahead

 

My process over the New Year is much like driving a car.  I spend some time checking behind me and looking back, but the majority of my attention is on the road ahead. If there is one thing which I can recommend you do over the next few days, even before you dig into those ‘resolutions’, it is to do something very similar.  Spend some time evaluating your victories and challenges from 2016, the lessons you learned,  areas where you still want to improve, and things which are important to you. Self-evaluation is a vital part of growth as a person, and all too often overlooked.

So what was the last 12 months like for me?

2016 was a year filled with a lot of change, most of it positive. Health wise it started with an incessant cough, an early December gift which kept on giving.  I finally kicked it into touch mid-January and was just starting to rebuild my fitness when things took a bizarre turn and I had a stroke. The heart rhythm issues which I have been plagued with for many years (a legacy of my multiple heart surgeries), finally got the better of my blood thinning medication, I threw a bunch of clots and am now minus a working left eye.

My optic nerve lost its blood flow, and as I rather jokingly like to say, ‘the lights and camera are on, but the download cable is broken’. My left eye looks fine to anyone else, but for me is a bit like looking down the wrong end of a very tiny, very blurry set of binoculars. It has added some extra challenge to my life, but after some crying and why me moments I reconciled that it could have been a lot worse, and made the decision to get on with living my life as best as I can.

One thing which a big life change tends to precipitate is a re-evaluation of what is important, and a heightened awareness of the fragility of our existence.  For me, this soul-searching involved closing half of my fitness business and consolidating all my classes into one studio, thus reducing my frantic work schedule to allow more time to enjoy life. This has proved to be very successful, and I have been trying out some new hobbies, and pushing into a reinvigorated fitness regime to prove to myself that I am still relatively invincible.

Kayaking

Of note, this activity has included kayaking, where I have been meaning to up my skill level for several years. I have long had a ‘sit-on’ ocean kayak, but have aspired to go further and explore the amazing coastline in this area, necessitating a ‘sit-in’ boat with its propensity to turn turtle and deposit you in the drink. I still have a lot to learn, including the eskimo roll, a fiendish trick which allows a kayaker to roll the boat through 360 degrees and emerge right side up and looking like they meant to do it, rather than be left bobbing about in the water and contemplating how to get back onboard.

Kayak

Many years of endurance athletics have left me with irritable knees which moan and groan, if I am honest likely not helped by a few extra pounds around the middle. A sit-down activity sounded like a good idea, as did finding a new physical challenge to master. The issue with getting older is that we are all too often comparing ourselves to the person we used to be in terms of sporting prowess, and unfortunately the passing years tend to make fools of us all. I love my borrowed quote from the movie Cocktail – ‘my brain is writing cheques which my body can’t cash!’

Either way, the kayak therapy proved to be marvellous, and members of the local club, PPCA (Port of Plymouth Canoe Association), threw me a super warm welcome. As my skill and ability slowly improved I was able to join them on some wonderful coastal adventures. I love the dichotomy that in a long sea-kayak it is a trick to go anything other than in a straight line, whereas in a short playboat I have a miraculous ability to go around in never-ending circles with every unwanted twitch and wobble. Master it I will, although I have temporarily hung up my ‘cag’ and boots until the weather warms up to at least 10 degrees!

Cycling

The next hobby which had been missing from my repertoire for many years was road cycling. Since my return from 9-years living in Ft Lauderdale in 2003, I have pretty much avoided outdoor cycling, mainly due to a lack of faith in my ability to ride in the undulating south-west England terrain which is physically much more demanding than in the flat lands of south Florida. It had always seemed like a poor excuse for someone who had been such a dedicated cyclist, but after several months of attempting to keep up with the weekly group rides of the local triathlon club, my confidence finally failed me and my only forays on two wheels were on my own where I could be saved the embarrassment of holding anyone back.

I have never lost my love of cycling completely, and have kept to a regular schedule of indoor cycling (aka Spinning) classes in various local gyms, including many years as an instructor. Ironically, my partial loss of vision reignited a desire to get back to cycling, and as fortune would have it a group of great friends from the local gym also started an outdoor riding group.  Although they are far more accomplished than me, they have been good-natured enough to let me tag along and we have been blessed with many days of glorious cycling trips in the Cornwall/Devon countryside.  I have fallen completely in love with cycling again, and although the less favourable winter weather has started to challenge my resolve, I am continuing to get out when possible.

Motoring

One big 2016 bonus is that mid-year my Mum treated me to a new car – or more accurately she paid the deposit and I am contributing as much as I can to the monthly payments. I had an interesting car buying strategy, in that when the dealer asked me which model I was interested in, I said that I didn’t care providing it has a heated windscreen – inevitably, this was the most expensive model! As someone who leaves the house at 6am, I dislike having to spend 5 minutes in the winter dark with an ice scraper, and the resulting freezing cold hands make me miserable.

If it is true that little things please little minds, then I don’t mind admitting to a rather smug look when I get in and press the relevant ‘de-ice’ button, then wait a few minutes before the wipers clear the slush away.  The heated seats are a definite bonus too! Unfortunately, all the clever features in the world, including front and side cameras, multiple alarms, blind spot warning lights etc, were not enough to stop me ‘personalising’ the door panel on a light post, an unfortunate modification which I still need to get fixed.

Looking forwards

So, 2016 was an eventful year, and far from knocking me off course the obstacles which appeared in my path have simply fuelled my resolve to make even more of whatever remains of my life. I can reflect that I am happier and healthier than I have been in a long time, and as a way of looking forward I want to share my big goals for the year ahead. I have often hesitated to do so, as it is easy to feel that we will be judged for wanting certain things, or that others will poo-poo my ideas.

My main desire for throwing them out there is that sharing our goals and dreams with others is perhaps one of the best tactics when it comes to keeping ourselves accountable. If we keep these things to ourselves, then it is easy to back out when the going gets tough. Equally, having the support of others vastly increases our chances of success as it draws like-minded people towards us who similarly want to take action.

So here are my ‘big 3’ for 2017…..

1. To complete Ironman UK in Bolton in July.

For those of you who don’t know, an Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and 26.2 mile run, completed back to back within 17 hours. I have a lot of history as a triathlete, but this particular race has been hanging over me as unfinished business for over 10 years. There are so many reasons why trying to do this now is a foolish idea, but none of them are big enough to prevent me from giving it my best shot.  If you want to follow the journey, I have set up a Facebook page and website (both still a work in progress I am afraid), at either www.heart2tri.com/home or www.facebook.com/heart2tri

2. To follow my Ikigai.

I was introduced to the concept of having an Ikigai by a wonderful coach I have spent some time working with this year, Pete Cohen (if you want to learn more about Pete and his amazing work, go to www.facebook.com/mi365.me ). Ikigai is a Japanese word which put simply translates as ‘a reason for being’ or a deep held passion which drives you to get up each day. I am still refining my Ikigai, but I know that I am heading in the right direction with this:-

My ikigai

There will be many facets to my taking my vision forwards in 2017, as I very acutely feel that this will be my lasting legacy.  I have been dipping my toe in the water over the last 5 years by running rehab classes from my studio for people with long-term medical conditions, but the ultimate goal is to have a dedicated facility, remote workshops and groups around the country, retreats in different locations, an online presence where people can learn from each other and share their success, a team of ambassadors to coach and provide support, and so much more! I’m thinking big, and putting little blocks in place every day to make it happen.

3. To progress my work as life coach and motivational speaker.

Again, I have been dabbling at this for a while, but the time has come to go all in! I believe that I have a story worth telling, and that if I do it right then others can learn from my experience. I love inspiring people to believe in themselves and the possibilities to dramatically improve their quality of life. Public speaking is not my forte as my self-confidence lets me down, but I am determined to confront my fear and overcome it.  The best way to do this, aside from learning skills from people who are already successful, is regular practice.

With this in mind and for those local to me in Plymouth, I will be holding a series of monthly seminars and workshops in my studio. The first of these will be at free event (I will ask those attending to make a £5 donation on the day to Macmillan) on Monday 16th January at 7pm entitled ‘How to make 2017 your best year yet’.

The 1.5 hour workshop is aimed primarily at anyone wanting to work on a big fitness or health related goal this year, and aside from sharing some of the lessons which I have learned on my journey,  we will dip into goal setting, willpower, mindset and the importance of self-belief.  If you have struggled before to make lasting progress towards your goals, then this is an opportunity not to be missed.

To register your interest, please visit www.merlinfitness.com/best-year-yet1 and if you know of anyone else who might like to attend, please do send them the link. I have only a limited amount of seating, and I don’t want anyone to miss out. Once you register, I will be able to send you a ticket via an email a few days before the event, so please fill in your details carefully.

As the year progresses, I will be looking to expand my opportunity to speak with a wider audience, other groups in my area and hopefully beyond.  If this is something which interests you, please do get in touch with me.

A new start

So there you have it, my overview of 2016 and a look forward at the big projects I will be working on over the coming 12 months. I would love to read your comments and feedback, so please do let me know what you think.  Perhaps you could even share your own Ikigai or a big goal for 2017?

That only leaves me with the desire to wish you a wonderfully healthy and happy 2017!

  • Latest Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories