"Life is a series of moments." Jon Kabat-Zinn
Are you making the most of yours?
This month I was saddened, like many others, to hear the news of Laurent Vidal passing away. Laurent was a well-loved member of the triathlon community, fiancé of Andrea Hewitt and double Olympian. It was reported he passed peacefully in his sleep of a heart attack at the tender age of 31. Whilst not knowing Laurent personally, I had seen him race and it felt very close to home that a fit young man could be taken away so suddenly.
In the wake of the Paris terror attacks, and so many tragic stories we read about every day, I reflected on these lives lost and found myself thinking what it all meant to me?
Parts of the future are uncertain for us all, some of this exciting and also a little unnerving. The message I took away, was a feeling empathy for the family and friends of the deceased and a feeling of gratitude to be on this wondrous earth. I decided to make even more of a conscious effort every day to cherish moments.
Here are some lessons I've synthesized after recent events and life learnings:
Don't sweat the small stuff, keep perspective
It's easy to sweat the small stuff, play the victim in life and wallow in self-pity. I like many can fall into this trap at times. However I truly believe we have a choice to snap ourselves out of this and times of tragedy should spur us on even more to keep perspective.
Practical Tip: Try some perspective taking self-talk when you're bothered by the small stuff. One saying I've picked up recently is Ironman World Champion Mirinda Carfrae's "It's time to toughen up princess!" Another is "First world problems."
Taking your opportunities
Although we may like to plan, nothing is an absolute and we need to grasp and take opportunities when we can. My husband Owain lives by this example and inspires me to do the same.
Practical Tip: Try something new over the next month, life's too short not to.
Live rather than leave your legacy
I read a great blog post by my friend Oscar Trimboli stating: A legacy is something you live rather than something you leave. The opening to this blog which is well worth a read says: "A legacy is a state of mind. It is something you do every day rather than something you think about later on. Your legacy is a habit; it's about consistency and daily improvements rather than an individual event."
Practical Tip: Reflect on these few questions. The first two are inspired by Sir Clive Woodward who utilized these to help unite the GB teams in the London 2012 Olympic Games: What do I want to be remembered for? What do I want to remember this time for? And a new one inspired by Oscar, are you living your legacy?
Be the best version of yourself
Earlier this month before hearing of the tragic events mentioned, I had the privilege of watching Turia Pitt race in the Forster Challenge. For those who don't know Turia's story, she became trapped in a grassfire in a 100 kilometer ultra-marathon in September 2011 suffering 65 percent burns to her body. She has made a choice to live her legacy and inspiring many others around her to become the best version of themselves.
Practical Tip: Smile and laugh often, when we're happy it's much easier to be the best version of ourselves. Baby Ethan's daily giggles and gurgles help inspire me with this one.
I hope these tips help others to cherish more moments.