#NoRegrets this 2018
I have an anthem for 2018. It’s sung by the indomitable Edith Piaf - her epic voice demanding that she have no regrets. None. Not a one. “No!” She throatily soars on notes I can only dream of achieving (and when I do, people hit the shower door and beg me to stop), “I will have no regrets for all the things that went wrong for at last I have learned to be strong.”
The song is, of course, Non, je ne regrette rien. The perfect fit for 2018 and the #NoRegrets commitment I made in January because a friend bullied me. “Tam,” she said, “Why don’t you do #NoRegrets with me as you have been complaining about your life and ruts and being stuck in them.”
I’m sure the ruts I was talking about had to do with my Land Rover and my disastrous 4x4 weekend, but I was giddy with the fresh joy of the New Year and all its delectable potential so I agreed.
Last year, I did the Inca Trail. I had to train my battered, chemo-damaged body to hike up giant vertical steps in the Andes. My heart was all excited about achieving a bucket list dream from my 20s, my brain was worried about muscle tone and the new limitations my body had. I used to be able to leap about like a happy gazelle, getting fit on a whim, but post-melanoma and immunotherapy and the bundle of drugs I had to take (some I am now on forever) meant that I took longer to get fit and got tired a lot sooner. Still, I did it and I was remarkably fit by the end of it. I could even take on longer than 10 seconds of sparring with Skull Crusher, my lovable boxing trainer.
Then life happened. I lost the fitness and found cake.
I am not entirely sure finding cake was a bad thing, but anyway.
So, my first #NoRegrets was to fix my back which had gone out spectacularly in December and start trail running again. The goal was to be running 10km easily before July. So far, I’m on 7km without stopping, so on track (LOL) there. I have also pushed myself to run a trail run every, single weekend and to do at least one PwC trail run a week. No matter how bad I feel. It’s been hard, but I do feel rather smug when I eat the cake.
February saw me commit to becoming even more hardcore with my boxing. Last week I teamed up with another person to train and kicked his butt (yeah, you read that right). It was a defining moment for me as both Skull Crusher and My New Friend shook my hand in genuine admiration. I almost cried with joy.
March was getting to know my Defender better – she’s called Matilda and I’m challenging myself both offroad and on as I learn how to drive her properly.
April was transforming my hair from brown to unicorn. Oh yes, I have secret unicorn hair – business on top, all the colours of the rainbow underneath. I recommend it, especially if you have meetings. You sit there with your hand in your hair going, “Yes, Bob, you may have KPIs, but I have a unicorn on my head.”
May was accepting a huge work challenge that is terrifying. TERRIFYING. I’m doing it. But I’m terrified. Feel free to post cake. Not lemon or carrot though. Thanks.
Coming up is my promise to finish my book, prepare a new one and get a 3D tattoo on my arm. Sod the regrets, I’m nearly 100, I’m not skinny, I dislike judgemental people, I really dislike bad BMW drivers, I love Land Rover Defenders, I adore people who just ARE and I plan to haul that revolting #NoRegrets friend to Namibia to do the 90km Fish River hike in 2019. After all, if I book it in 2018, doesn’t it count as part of my 2018 campaign?
I’m sure the ruts I was talking about had to do with my Land Rover and my disastrous 4x4 weekend, but I was giddy with the fresh joy of the New Year and all its delectable potential so I agreed.
Last year, I did the Inca Trail. I had to train my battered, chemo-damaged body to hike up giant vertical steps in the Andes. My heart was all excited about achieving a bucket list dream from my 20s, my brain was worried about muscle tone and the new limitations my body had. I used to be able to leap about like a happy gazelle, getting fit on a whim, but post-melanoma and immunotherapy and the bundle of drugs I had to take (some I am now on forever) meant that I took longer to get fit and got tired a lot sooner. Still, I did it and I was remarkably fit by the end of it. I could even take on longer than 10 seconds of sparring with Skull Crusher, my lovable boxing trainer.
Then life happened. I lost the fitness and found cake.
I am not entirely sure finding cake was a bad thing, but anyway.
So, my first #NoRegrets was to fix my back which had gone out spectacularly in December and start trail running again. The goal was to be running 10km easily before July. So far, I’m on 7km without stopping, so on track (LOL) there. I have also pushed myself to run a trail run every, single weekend and to do at least one PwC trail run a week. No matter how bad I feel. It’s been hard, but I do feel rather smug when I eat the cake.
February saw me commit to becoming even more hardcore with my boxing. Last week I teamed up with another person to train and kicked his butt (yeah, you read that right). It was a defining moment for me as both Skull Crusher and My New Friend shook my hand in genuine admiration. I almost cried with joy.
March was getting to know my Defender better – she’s called Matilda and I’m challenging myself both offroad and on as I learn how to drive her properly.
April was transforming my hair from brown to unicorn. Oh yes, I have secret unicorn hair – business on top, all the colours of the rainbow underneath. I recommend it, especially if you have meetings. You sit there with your hand in your hair going, “Yes, Bob, you may have KPIs, but I have a unicorn on my head.”
May was accepting a huge work challenge that is terrifying. TERRIFYING. I’m doing it. But I’m terrified. Feel free to post cake. Not lemon or carrot though. Thanks.
Coming up is my promise to finish my book, prepare a new one and get a 3D tattoo on my arm. Sod the regrets, I’m nearly 100, I’m not skinny, I dislike judgemental people, I really dislike bad BMW drivers, I love Land Rover Defenders, I adore people who just ARE and I plan to haul that revolting #NoRegrets friend to Namibia to do the 90km Fish River hike in 2019. After all, if I book it in 2018, doesn’t it count as part of my 2018 campaign?
