Hey Reader, Tonight I’m doing something that scares me a little. It’s my first aquathlon - an 800m swim followed by a 5k run. I’ve done multiple long-distance events. I’ve swum much further. I’ve run much further. I’ve even done both in the same day with a long ride in the middle. But this has my stomach doing flips. Why? Because it’s new. And because I’ve gotten comfortable in the distances and formats I know I can do. And let’s be honest, it’s also easier to hide being slow when you have...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, We’ve had a new houseguest for a week now . . a Guide Dog puppy we’re fostering. At 15 months she’s sweet, incredibly smart, and, it turns out, very good at testing boundaries. She came to us with some excellent training already in place. She knew where she was supposed to go, what she was supposed to do, and how to behave around people. But the problem wasn’t her training. It was ours. We didn’t yet know the rules clearly enough to stick to them consistently. So of course, she...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” I thought of that recently while listening to someone (myself) complain about the same thing for the tenth time. You know the drill. It’s the friend, the colleague, or even your own inner voice that keeps circling the same frustration over and over. It might sound like: “I hate how much time this job takes from me.” “I can’t stand how cluttered my home feels.” “I hate these extra pounds I want to...
21 days ago • 1 min read
The other day I was catching up with a girlfriend. And I don’t even know if catching up is what to call it, we talk at least once a day! We’ve known each other for years, and our conversations cover everything. Work challenges, politics, music, books, travelling . . anything and everything. The other day she said she’d been thinking about what makes a good friendship. She’s been noticing how easy it is to stay in certain friendships simply because they’ve been around forever, or even because...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
A few months ago, we planted a little garden. I didn’t go into it with high hopes, seeing as how I’ve kept a total of 2 plants alive . . ever. One of my neighbours who keeps a nice garden did assure me, “the worst that can happen is they die and you buy new ones, they’re cheap.” That’s the kind of motivational encouragement I needed to get started. At first, it was mostly soil and unfounded hope. But now 6 weeks later nothing has died, we’ve got bees, butterflies, and ladybugs making...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
This weekend, I was working at the finish line of the Outlaw Holkham 70.3 triathlon. If you’ve ever been near the end of a big endurance event, you’ll know it’s heavy with emotion - exhaustion, relief, pride (sometimes disappointment), all coming out at once. One thing that hit me over and over was how many athletes crossed the line in tears. Some cried quietly, some absolutely sobbed. And every time, myself or one of the other volunteers was right there, offering a hug, a hand on the...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Last year we redid our guest bedroom. I had visions of a blissful hotel room, always looking perfect and welcoming. You can probably guess what’s next . . You know the clean laundry pile? The one that starts as a neat little stack you promise to yourself you’ll put away later, but somehow by the end of the week, it’s turned into a mountain of clothes you’re now dreading to tackle? That’s what’s usually sitting on our hotel-like bed in our welcoming guest room. Our thoughts and feelings can...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
The other weekend I completed my 4th Iron-distance triathlon, Ironman Austria. I was prepared. I’d done the training, felt rested, fuelled and strong. But as anyone who’s pursued a big goal knows (either in sport or life), sometimes the day has other plans. So what happened? Click here to read more. Sport and life ask us the same things. Whatever you’re aiming for right now, a big career change, a personal goal, a relationship shift, chances are, you’re going to hit a stretch where it’s...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Have you noticed how common it is these days to type out frustration online? To share the things that annoy us, disappoint us, or make us feel unseen, often without naming names, and definitely without inviting a response? Venting has its place. I’ve been thinking about the difference between broadcasting and connecting. Change doesn’t happen in the comments section of social media. The next time you’re tempted to post a cryptic message on social media, please stop and think. Change and...
3 months ago • 1 min read