The year that will be.

Wow, what a year 2012 was. A real roller coaster of a year. Ups and downs with a few twisty curves in there for some added self growth. But however challenging it was as a year I do believe I have grown from it exponentially and for that I am eternally grateful. So with all of those experiences banked it is time to roll into the New Year grinning from ear to ear with all the exciting opportunities that lay ahead.

I have made a mental list of all the things I hope to achieve out of this year and whilst some are a roll over from last year as I feel some things need to be continually worked on - some others are brand spanking new. I feel that 2013 is going to be really exciting for all the right reasons, brimming with possibilities and new challenges to grasp with both hands and do with them as I will. And I will.

I read a book over the Christmas-NewYear period "A life without limits" by Chrissie Wellington. Probably the best book I have read in I don't know how long. Aside from the fact that it was a good easy read - I hate books that have technical words that I have to decipher, I really found it totally inspirational. It really helped place alot of things into perspective for me. Her words really struck a cord. 

One part in particular really hit home. And it was all about positive words and how they affect your everyday living. How what we say to ourselves day in and day out affects the outcome of our lives. "But I cant lift that weight, I can't run that fast, I can't complete an Ironman. You may not be able to right now, but, with a positive frame of mind and a willingness to work, anything is possible". This couldn't be any more precise. I do that negative self talk all the time - like a form of self sabotage. On one hand I get all excited and sign up for things and then I get cold feet and start questioning my ability instead of just getting out there and giving it a real good shot. A bad habit but one that I am determined to crack this year. Im digging my heels in and not letting my negative mind win, I deserve this much.

With this new positive mind frame I will go into my Ironman training with as much zest as I can muster up. I want to overcome my fear/hatred of that Ironman swim start they call the WASHING MACHINE. I have to man up and get tough - make my mark in that water and leave as much of it behind me as I can. I know I can do it - I just have to grow a set of "you know whats" and plough through the water showing others that I wont be pushed around. After all Im not shown any either - it's just the nature of the game - so if I can't beat em I shall join em. And whilst things can and will go wrong along the way it's h.ow you overcome them that matters. I'm going to try to put myself into as many uncomfortable situations as I can to help me overcome those negative feelings along the way. It's all about training the mind. After all what the mind can conceive, the body will achieve.

And whilst I have a goal time for the Ironman my main goal is to finish. Being hard headed I hope will get me to that finishers chute. I have proven to myself at Yeppoon 70.3 that I can be stubborn enough to finish even if I wasn't all that prepared. So I can only imagine what I will achieve being as prepared as I will be - it's very exciting indeed. Im really looking forward to it - and whilst I am 100% certain that there will be alot of tears and frustrations along the journey (allow me to apologise up front to my coach, family, friends and training buddies) I am sure there will be alot of fun times too. Bring it all on I say.

But enough of me - what are some of your goals for this new year, this clean slate? What words, dreams, memories will you leave transcribed upon it. What do you hope to achieve when you reach the 31st of December 2013? The choice is yours. Live it, love it, do it.