Kelda writes-2017 Here We Come!!
So, that’s 2016 put to bed and all eyes are now looking towards what 2017 will bring!
I know a lot of people have considered 2016 to be a bit of a stinker of a year….for me, I wouldn’t say it’s been a stinker, but it’s definitely been one hell of a journey and had it’s fair share of challenges!
This time last year I was just about to head out to Rio for a 3 week training camp in preparation for the Paralympic Games. From there followed the appeal against my non selection for the World Championships, the World Championships themselves, the final selections for Rio, coping with not making the team…..which then all lead to me joining the Adaptive Grand Slam Team and heading out to Chamonix in September. And now, I’m sitting here 12 months later, just 5 days away from getting back on a plane, but this time to take on a very different challenge!
I could never have imagined what these last 12 months were going to bring, and looking back, I’ve learnt 2 important things. Firstly, to enjoy the journey.
One thing has led onto another in a slightly crazy kind of way, but I could never have planned or expected the journey I’ve been on….so who knows what’s going to happen in 2017! But I’m determined to embrace and enjoy every bit of it, because the one thing I do know is that it will take me somewhere….it’s then up to me to make the best of wherever I end up.
The second thing I’ve come to realise, it’s that I’ve got a choice. 2016 had it’s testing times….but I made a conscious decision to choose to value all the amazing experiences I’ve had, good and bad, and to look at everything I’ve learnt, and use those learnings to keep moving forwards in a direction I want to go. And I’ve learnt so much….about the core values I want to live my life by, about the person I want to be, and about what is truly important to me. And with that in mind, I’m stepping into 2017 with a smile on my face and a determination that I may never have found if I hadn’t had the challenges of 2016…..and I’m making the choice to approach these next 12 months with a sense of belief in who I am and the person I want to be.
So, the first challenge of the New Year is Aconcagua! I’ll be setting off with the rest of the AGS team to climb the 7,000 metre peak in Argentina on the 6th January.
I know this is going to be one hell of a challenge! With the injury I have to my leg, it’s going to painful, there’s no escaping that….but I’m making a choice, and that choice is that I’m going to do everything in my power to climb this bloomin’ mountain!!!! I’m aware there are outside influences that we’ll have no control of, such as weather conditions and altitude, that may prevent us from submitting, but I’m choosing to approach this with a determination and positivity, that if this alone could get us to the top, then I’d have not a single doubt that we’d get there!
I know my leg is going to be painful, but when it starts to get tough, I decided to ask myself this question “Do you want to stop, more than you want to summit?”
I think we all know the answer I’m going to choose!