Three simple rules in life: 1. If you do not go after what you want, you will never have it; 2. If you don't ask, the answer will always be no; 3. If you do not step forward, you'll always be in the same place....carpe diem!
Both good rules to live by in my opinion - and rules that have led me down some rather weird and wonderful and down right stupid decision making paths in life....but hey - they all make me who I am today!!!
I'm compulsive, passionate, stubborn, a risk taker, I believe life is short & you have to live it. I need challenges to keep me focused - especially at times where the rest of life isn't doing what it should be and behaving nicely....Ive had a good few phrases that have carried me through and served me well in life - let me share :
"when god hands you lemons, make lemonade!" - so so true - you have to make the best out of a crappy situation. Its the only way to come out smiling at the other end after all!
Obviously the title of my 1st ever blog is another....Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away. Oh my god. I wish I had written this one myself. Whats the point of living on this planet for 80/90/100 years if you cant walk off to meet the maker without some cracking stories to tell him?? Now I cant afford to travel the world and I cant afford a wardrobe full of fancy labels or the latest phone or car....but I am a firm firm believer that money cant buy you happiness (it can help at times I admit), but I don't think that you can measure your life for greatness on how many holidays you have had, how many places on the planet you have been to, how big your plasma screen TV is etc etc .....dear god - if i EVER get like that please shoot me!!!! No - to me its about the memories. And they my friend cost nothing, last a lifetime, and can be created on any budget, without having to leave your won country, amongst strangers or amongst friends....
I know too many people that live to work. Dear god folk - we are only here for a short time - its about working to live....don't walk into the office each Monday with some lame ass dull story of how you didn't do much at the weekend, or that you did the same old same old - bit of shopping, stayed in blah blah blaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh. Jesus. Next time you look at your watch another decade will have passed!!!
Ok - stop with the sanctimony Suzanne....I'm not out bungee jumping or eating fire every weekend myself but I'll give you a brief synopsis of why I have come to the point I'm at today - writing my first ever blog - something i never ever in a million thought Id be doing btw....with the view that you will want to follow me on my next new madcap adventure into 2012! I'll come to that part shortly - promise!! ;)
It all started on my 28th birthday. I had "a moment" where I looked back on my life & really didnt feel I had much to show for it to be honest. I'd never stuck out any career for long (itchiest feet EVER!!), had no partner or kids, no real aims or goals. I had a mortgage & a horse (on loan so not technically mine) but that was it. I had already attended my ten year school reunion the year prior which was fun and yet depressing...sat at dinner knocking back the wine to drown out the stories of peoples success around me - doctor/lawyer/brain surgeon really??? waiter - fill me up please......a dark cloud of doom approached on that birthday - and its over-riding message was "what tales will you be able to tell your grandkids when you are older Suzanne???" - so granny what did you do with your life??? "erm.......custard cream my darling??"
So - you ask looking at your watch ..... ok ok - to the point..... (apologies to Mr John McCall my senior 1-3 English teacher who inspired me so at school - my hideous lack of proper grammar, over use of ........ and !!!!! is no direct reflection on you. Its just laziness. Apologies now & in advance of all future blogs. Life's too short to care frankly. I'll keep the LOL's to a minimum ;)
Yeah - point - I decided then that even if I couldn't afford the trips to Thailand & spiritual breaks to India or hand rearing orphaned gorillas on some misty mountain side, then I'd damned well do my best to do ONE thing that challenged me/scared me/pushed my boundaries a year. That was achievable surely?? And to that ethos I've done my best to stick.....
From there - I jumped out of a plane for charity despite being terrified of heights, i've learned how to eat fire, I've walked on fire, I've learned how to survive in the wilderness, I've learned how to make fire with sticks, skin/gut/cook/eat dinner, make shelter to sleep under the stars, I've abseiled off the forth rail bridge, I've completed the 3 peaks challenge, I've jumped off cliffs, canyoned, river tubed, learned how to kayak, I've taken on organizing a massive online adventure group - a huge challenge on its own!!, i've stepped into a room of strangers and made friends, I've taken hard hard decisions against everyone's advise, I've walked away from things knowing it was right for me even if no-one else agreed, I've dared to be different - not run like a sheep but stand tall and independent, I've made mistakes but know that all of the above has made me strong enough to get though them...god n lemonade & all ;) ..... so it doesnt all have to be things that are outwith your economic grasp. Life altering moments are only limited by your imagination!!!
Carpe Diem :)
So what next?? well I was shamed into action by a pal highlighting something I posted on facebook a year ago about my 2011 challenge was going to be swimming the english channel. Oopsie - life kinda got in the way on that one. Plus they are trying to ban it....
SO re-evaluate. Im not in the best of shape. A good few dress sizes over what Id love to be (and yet never have been since I was 18/20 odd).
In case you hadn't grasped yet - I don't do things by half - its all or nothing. So by putting this in black and white I know you guys wont let me back out!!!
In 2012 I'm going to sign up to do the Artemis Quadrathlon - its in July - then in September I'm going to do the Scottish Coast to Coast - both links below. If you know me - Id make sure you are sitting down before you read them to absorb the buckling of your legs as you crease in laughter at the prospect!!! ;)
http://www.artemisgreatkindrochit.com/the-challenge/
http://www.scotlandcoasttocoast.com/challenger.html
JESUS!!! IM SO HAVING A MIDLIFE QUAD CRISIS!!! What the hell am I thinking?? I havent entered a race since I was in primary school - and even then I never came in the top 5.... I cant run the length of myself - only willing to run if being chased by knife weilding thugs. Im so so average at cycling, having only just taken it back up 4mths or so ago after a 20yr sebbatical, Ive only just learned how to kayak this year, and my mountains havent been looked at since my 2009 3 peaks challenge (3 highest peaks in UK to be hiked in a 24hr period : Ben Nevis, Scotland > Scaffell Pike, England > Snowden, Wales - never ever again! but delighted we did it all from start to finish in the 24hr timeframe!!)
And as such I hope I have you sold....join me - the virgin blogger/quader on what promises to be a hysterical adventure of learning & pain as I train to get fit in the disciplines of running/hiking/swimming/kayaking/running & cycling over the next year - 1st quad is in 10mths, next one 2mths later. Hell if you are ever going to do it - do it before touching your toes becomes more of an effort than it already is at the tender age of 36. It WILL be the death of me. But I want you all there at my cremation killing yourself laughing at my spectacular demise!! ;0)
Oh yeah - training starts Monday (12th Sept 2011) - as Ive signed up for a 5k run on the 2nd Oct & another on the 7th Jan. Holy crap - couch to 5k in 3wks literally - i sooooo hope that training literature works!!
All advise and support along the way appreciated to the max - comment away, correct me if im making bad training decisions - Im a total rookie - doing it on my own, with you as my crew :)
Let the madness begin........
