I’ll be honest for most of my years on the planet I have dodged the use of meaningful quotes like a word ninja.

However the handing down of life changing diagnosis meant I did a bit of re thinking recently.

I was mid workout with Jillian Michaels shouting out words of encouragement when she said something that has subsequently become my go to mantra.

The saying was this ‘if you fight for those limitations you get the keep them’.

When the doctor gave the diagnosis they pretty much implied that it was ‘game over’ for most things giving rise to a potentially bleak future.

For a short moment I was nearly taken in by this until I heard Jill. In what could be described as a light bulb moment it occurred to me that if I started to think I couldn’t do things pretty soon I wouldn’t be able to.

Obviously I can’t control the speed at which the disease will progress or how it will ultimately impact my life but I can definitely not impose premature limitations on myself.

It really was a game changer mentally & it’s set me in a path of trying to work out how I can still do things rather than just accepting I can’t. It’s meant some adjustments for sure but I am looking at it from a different perspective.

I may not be able to do Taekwondo training in the open sea anymore but I can still get to class twice a week and spar with folk forty years my junior. I may not be able to spend a week in a tent at a festival but I can get day tickets & stay in a hotel.

My thermoregulatory system may well be shot but I can still tog up well & ride pillion on the back of hubby’s motorbike.

So on the odd dark day when living with a rare & challenging condition gets a bit much I think of JM & her words. They do inspire me & make me determined to live my best life.

I may not have them in a frame on the wall or embroidered on a cushion. They are not in a meme or giff or inspirational format to share on social media. However they are imprinted in my cortex & now silently underpin almost everything I do now.

So if I was ever lucky enough to meet Jillian Michaels I would really like to shake her hand & say thanks for her wise words.

Some of my earliest memories stem from being cold & wet on holidays in the U.K.

As a family we went with extended family & shared what I think was an ex army bell tent. Made of heavy tarpaulin & had a central pole. One year I ended up asleep in the car with my parents as it rained so much the tent flooded. Happy days.

Over the years I went on various camping trips. A memorable trip was to complete the Three Peaks of Yorkshire. Still have the pin badge somewhere. I joined my then boyfriend ( now husband of 40 years) on a ‘exped’ with some of his Navy chums who were less than impressed I was coming too.

Determined I traipsed up hill & down dale knocking back pint for pint in the pub until we got back. I think I even took my turn with the rucksack too! We got back to the tents & the next day it had snowed. Crazy days.

Camping then sort of took a back seat until I took up Taekwondo in my 40’s.

One year in a small tent sent me shopping for one you could stand up in. This led to the purchase of what became known as ‘the Ballroom’. This worked while son & I participated in camp but later when it was just me I downsized from a 12 person tent to a 4 person one. Sadly don’t seem to have photos of these older tents now.

Then came the chance to go to some festivals & even both the 4 person tents were too big.

Out came a the two person tent that I had not been keen on as it was a bit poky. I was even less impressed when the thing leaked & I had to go buy a new one.

So the last bit of camping was completed in a 3 person tent. This really is only suitable for 1 really if you don’t travel light. Having said that it does fit in the top box of the motorbike. It has been to a festival with us on the bike.

Not sure if my camping days are done. Best never to say never.

Well this is something I think I can say ‘been there done that & got the tee shirt’ for!

Last year saw the completion of a project that took just under two years to complete.

The old community sports area was pretty run down & only just about good enough to play tennis on. However even those courts didn’t meet the LTA requirements.

So I led the project to completely revamp the whole facility.

From literally drawing out the courts on graph paper to calculating the amount of tarmac the project was able to get under way.

I applied & won £55k in grant money to top up the funds. Then it was possible to commission the contractors. Then came the news we would need planning permission which as a conservation area meant even more work for me to draft the correct documents to gain us the permission. Once this had been achieved it was a green light to the contractors who then came in to build it.

From the first spade to the last sweep it took about 8 weeks to finish. The weather & a few other obstacles didn’t help but it was soon ready for opening.

In fact the community was so keen we opened it a month before having the official ‘opening’ ceremony.

It was not all plain sailing but now it’s there is a growing number of people using it.

The number of sports increased from tennis to include netball, football, pickleball & basketball. All the courts now meet national standards so are much safer to use.

Ironically I don’t play any of the sports on offer but as a martial artist for 20 years I understand the need to participate in an activity that provides physical exercise & social contact.

I hope my community get lots of fun & enjoyment out of it for years to come. As for me I got the challenge of doing something I didn’t know I was capable of. Who knows what the next project will be.

Moral of the story – never be afraid of having a go at something you never know what you might discover about yourself.