There’s an outpouring of support for the NHS here in the UK, which is unequivocally a good thing. Once the crisis is over, I hope the fervour remains and that we act and vote in ways that show a solid commitment beyond applause on the doorstep. There lots of other folks that the nation is leaning on right now, too. I’m humbled that there are … Continue reading The others

Third hand wisdom here… one my blog crushes, Rohan Rajiv, drew out a few of the ‘68 Pieces of Unsolicited Advice‘ offered by Kevin Kelly, founding editor of Wired. One of the 68 pieces was about adventure. It reminded me that most of my fondest memories involve something going wrong and finding joy in the unexpected. I bought a (probably) tenth-hand motorbike for next to … Continue reading A vacation + a disaster = an adventure

Can’t remember how I came across it, but I’ve been reading Robot Hugs comics for a long time now. The author is a person that’s not like me, but at the same time really a lot like me. They want recognition for who they are. They don’t like being put in a tick box. They want the world to be better. My character has been … Continue reading People not like us

I can’t remember where I first saw it, I’m going to paraphrase it, and it’s not universally true. But there’s truth in it and I feel it’s worth repeating. Did you really have a bad day or did you have ten to twenty minutes where you let your thoughts get out of control and then you couldn’t get out of the funk you went into? … Continue reading You run this show

I’m running a lot more than I have in a while – I need to because I’m getting ready for a charity challenge that’s less than three months away (lockdown permitting). Most of my life, running has been a release for me and key to it feeling that way is for there to be options. My beloved normally asks where I’m going and the answer … Continue reading Make it optional

There are some things that improve the day, almost no matter what is going wrong. For me, cherry blossom is right up there. And dogs that are bonkers. Some of these things will be very personal and related to a particular place and time. Some of them crop up in lots of places and are great whenever you see them – you’ve no particular memory … Continue reading Cherry blossom

I’ve not often had trouble choosing what to write about, until just now. The day to day usually suggests something to me. When I go running, especially, more springs to mind than I can remember once I stop. So much so that I try to remember only one idea before I sit down to write and a number of times I’ve semi-drafted a ‘one is … Continue reading Stage fright

I don’t want to wait. I’ve put in the work and I want to see the results. Although I haven’t created this before, everything (so far) tells me I’m going to be delighted and will want to share. This is something that could make life better for those around me, which is sorely needed at the moment. If it’s not ready though, if it’s not … Continue reading And now we wait

Those things that provide a rush of emotion – almost before you’ve realised what’s happening – they’re really pointers. From your body’s reaction, you need to tease out what will create positive change for you, if it isn’t already clear. That split second provides great insight on what’s been inside you for a long time. Don’t waste it by merely indulging in a reaction. Also, … Continue reading Triggered

Chris is a former soldier who struggled with ‘civvie street’ and became homeless. With help from SSAFA he was a single parent for his daughter until she was able to attend college with some independence. Still finding ‘normal life’ difficult, he decided to walk the UK’s coast to raise money for the organisation that helped him massively. His story is inspirational and unconventional. It resonates … Continue reading A powerful story, if told that way