Grrrr to mediocrity!

I have had a fantastic 2008 but I'm ready for an even better 2009! Whilst it is impossible to completely map out and plan your life my one big goal for the year is to perform every task I set my mind to without exception. I don't want to live "average", I want to be exceptional. I want to challenge my boundaries and become a better person for it. I want to push the edge and see where it takes me. I don't want to "settle" for a state of being because that's what "everyone else does".

Why all the hoopla? I witnessed an amazing conversation on Christmas Day - between my brothers-in-law and their brothers - you see all of them used to be amazing waterskiiers and avid sportsmen. Yet, here they were sitting, all pretty overweight and out of shape, discussing how one of them tried waterskiing on holidays and was so exhausted that he couldn't actually take all of the runs he had purchased. Then they started talking about age and how they'd let themselves go over the years and I felt sad as I feel this theme running through general society. I didn't think it was the time to say that I was feeling as fit as ever nearing 40 as I was when I was younger. In certain cases, I'd actually bet that I'm fitter.

The good news is that over the years I have read so many great stories about people who came to love fitness in their 40s and beyond and the amazing things they have achieved. The bodybuilding and figure world is full of them. So is the multi-sports world - in the last triathlon I did, I shared the run with a 76 year old tri veteran and she was awesome.

So if anyone is reading this blog feeling like things can't change, take heart - THEY CAN ....YOU CAN....if you're prepared to put in some work and apply some discipline. THe process can be painful (I'm thinking of the few weeks of Paleo I have done) but you feel so awesome for nailing it (on the paleo front, I've reintroduced dairy products back in but ditched the diet drinks altogether).

Who wants to be normal when you can be awesome?