"On an afternoon bike ride in the Blue Mountains Janine Shepherd's life was altered irrevocably. When the champion cross country skier in training for the Winter Olympics was hit by a truck, doctors warned her parents that she was not expected to survive her ordeal. The bleeding alone was enough to kill her. Even if by some small chance she recovered, she would never walk again.
Coming to terms with her shattered Olympic dreams, refusing to believe what expert medical staff were telling her about her chances of any kind of recovery, Janine focused every sinew of her being on healing her broken body and crushed morale.
Her fighting spirit was rekindled watching small planes flying overhead. She said to herself, 'If I can't walk, I'll fly'. And fly she did. Within a year she had her private pilot's licence; twelve months later, her commercial licence; then her instructor's permit. Never Tell Me Never is her stroy, a testament to the power of the human spirit, and one that will move and inspire all who read it."
Reading these sorts of real life stories really puts things into perspective. Sometimes, the gifts and talents we have...hell...just the fact we are fit and healthy and have all our limbs, we just take for granted. Though, it serves no purpose feeling guilty that we have these things. Instead, I think we should take from these observations and appreciations, the lessons and learnings by people such as Janine, and put them into practice in our own lives, especially if we have the opportunities to do so. Stories and experiences like these, give us little excuse not to excel and be the best person we can be.
So what does the photo have to do with all of this? Well, it got me thinking about my own aspirations in regard to achieving 'my ideal body'. Thanks Raechelle for the website link BTW.
However...in saying that...yes...we're never completely satisfied are we, us women? But you know, it's not about 'not being satisfied'. Honestly, I am very happy being where I am right now, and even if I only stayed looking like this, I'd still be happy...to a certain extent. What it IS about, is that I think we all need to know that there is the possibility of progressing...improving...moving forward...becoming better that what we are right now. We need goals to work toward, in order to remain happy and motivated, and avoid stagnation in our lives. Goals and dreams are what keep us motivated and keeps us young and full of drive, energy and enthusiasm, to make the most of what we have,
and help us to experience life to the fullest.We are different things to different people, and what others think is enough, is not always what we think is enough, purely because how we see ourselves isn't always how others see us (hope that hasn't confused you). Just as long as it's what WE truly want, not what others want us to be...."To thine self be true"....
I say this, because truthfully, just prior to this comeback journey, and even at the start of it, even though I really, really yearned to be that super fit gal of my mid-to-late twenties, I lamented for fear that it would never become a reality. My heart was heavy for a very long time. Actually, my heart was broken because I felt like I had failed and my body just couldn't do what I knew it was meant to do at the time. I pined alot of years, firstly over my loss of having my own business, club and students who were like family, and then after that, I pined over my 'loss' of physically not being able to do martial arts. So how did I get beyond that? Alot of tears, soul-searching, failing, one step forward - two steps back...perseverance mainly, and the HOPE that my dreams of something better were still possible. And most importantly, the fact that my will and vision has always been stronger than my fear - luckily for me.
So anyway...I have had people tell me continually throughout my life, and still recently, when I've hit a wall (mentally or physically) that I should be happy with that and accept my fate. Well, when anyone tells me that, it's like waving a red flag to a bull. It just makes me more determined to find a solution. Nothing makes me happier than proving people how wrong they are....so....NEVER TELL ME NEVER! :)
3 comments:
Hi Kerry,
Yes, the book I am alluding to is "Failing Forward" by John Maxwell :)
Nice post. Here's to celebrating our 40s - I'm the big 40 in September!
Hi Kerry... thanks for this post. How ironic is it that after i read your post today, a work colleague mentioned Janine Shepherd's book to me also. Something I just could not ignore - we've sent a proposal off to her to invite her to speak at the Believe Conference.... fingers crossed !!
Yeah Liz...you too hey? It's quite exciting, especially when you're in great shape! Is the comp something you're doing as part of your 40th birthday goals?
Nicole...I think it's something which resembles serendipity! Hope it works out for you. I've also had the pleasure of listening to Janine Sherperd speak at a conference. She is an amazing woman (I think she was the also the first woman allowed to fly an F1-11 in Australia).
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