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Distractions

May 9

Posted by alastair in Life is out there, Personal Growth | No Comments

What have you been avoiding by Life’s distractions. What are you afraid of?

It’s very easy to fill up one’s time on this planet, to keep busy, to occupy the mind with decisions that are really not that important.

To watch a lot of TV.

To shop or wander round shops without really needing anything.

To have a few glasses of wine, to “relax”, when what it’s really doing is quieting the little voice inside you that says “I’m uncomfortable, something is not right”

All of this is a way of avoiding staring the big, important decisions squarely in the eye.

Life is short, and I, for one am gradually realising that I really don’t have time to waste on distractions.

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A Walk along the river at Henley on Thames

May 2

Posted by alastair in Henley on Thames, Life is out there, Nature, Photography | 1 Comment

Sometimes it’s good to just grab the camera and go out into the world.  See what is out there.  Appreciate nature.

I’m lucky enough to be living in a beautiful part of the UK at present, notably Henley on Thames.  If you find yourself around here, in the spring, then walk to the river and take a right turn from the bridge.  From here, maybe you’ll get to see some of the things that I encountered and photographed here.

Henley Ducklings

The first thing that I noticed were some very, very newly hatched ducklings.  And instantly I was smiling.  Whatever your demeanor, I challenge anybody to be unmoved and not smiling after watching these little critters buzzing about on the water, looking like they were made out of cork (they seem THAT buoyant!)

Spring Bossom

Then as I walked along the towpath, this blossom caught my eye – just beautiful in the vibrant red and gold of new flowers.  I don’t know what it is, but I can still be moved by it!

Canada Goose in flight

A Canada Goose flew across the sky, over the playing fields and meadow near to the river.

Henley Boats and Church

Looking back towards the bridge, the moorings were beginning to fill up with all of the pleasure boats that will be plying their way up and down the river during the summer season.

And then I saw him, one of the chaps that just makes me smile.  I don’t know if he’s an escapee, but he’s obviously not one of the usual wild bunch…

Tufted Duck and boats

Scavenging for bread, was this charming chap, resplendent in his head gear.

Tufted Duck

Just asking for a close up!

Swan at Henley

Further down towards the lock, one of the many swans was adding his stamp to the beautiful scenery.

Wooden Bridge

An elderly couple joined me, in taking in the spring air and some moderate exercise.

Powerful water

And as I also crossed the wooden walkway to the lock, there was time to look at the sheer power and beauty of white water.

It was soon time to head back the way I had come.  Approaching Rod Eyot Island, where many lucky people own island lodges and chalets.

Canada Goose flying along the Thames

Another Canada Goose swiftly flew low and straight along the waterway.

Henley Island Boathouse

And I looked at this island retreat and thought that maybe one day, just maybe, I might be able to buy one of these lovely properties.

Yep, it was a good walk and a good way to spend some of my time on this planet.

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Why I Cycle

Apr 15

Posted by alastair in Cycling, Daily Life | No Comments

There are many things in my life that are not quite right at the moment.  Things that I kind of know that I need to change, decisions that need to be made, things that don’t feel right.

But when I got on my bike today and took the trusty Orbea Aqua out on a 10 mile lunch break blow out the cobwebs kind of run, well things for a moment changed.

It was about the 7 mile point, a nice flat run, in a high gear.  I was labouring just hard enough, yet moving swiftly and effortlessly.  The bike and I just seemed to pull the horizon near to us.  I didn’t need to do anything more.  I didn’t need to examine anything or think about anything.  For those moments I just happily existed, doing something well, natural and seemingly organic.

Everything, yes everything just felt OK at that moment.

And it left me feeling, that maybe, just maybe, other parts of my life can get to that point too.

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Cycling and Muses

Mar 28

Posted by alastair in Cycling, Personal Growth | No Comments

Orbea Aqua

What have I achieved this week?  What have I done to work towards my Extraordinary life?

I thought I would post a quick update on my progress.  I intend to make this a regular posting in order to keep track of my progress and also to make myself accountable.  As far as I can tell, accountability is a great tool to aid achievement.

So, this week I have taken some time away from my day to day job and used that time to think as well as take some small steps.

I managed to do two things, which I am proud of.  Firstly, one of my goals is to regain a good level of fitness.  My chosen method for this is cycling, in particular, road cycling.  I’ve tried gyms, and running and they just didn’t seem to work for me.  But I have always enjoyed the process of cycling – the speed, precision and sense of movement, combined with working with a well engineered machine.  It’s something that I have recently begun again and after a few weeks of inactivity due to illness, I was aching to get back in the saddle.

Thursday it raining all day, but I just decided to get out anyway and hang anyone who thought I looked a bit silly.  So I took my mountain bike out for a good 6 mile run.  (I don’t take the road bike out in these conditions as it seems a wee bit dangerous)

But yesterday I thought I’d have a proper run.  Out came my precious bike – an Orbea Aqua. (I’ll write a more detailed review on it later, suffice it to say I LOVE it)  I set off on what was supposed to be a 10 miler.  But at the halfway point I just decided to go a bit extra.  And in the end, with the benefit of Runkeeper on my iPhone, I realised that I had done 15 miles.  There were a couple of steep hills, which I just dug in and attacked.  Coming back on the home run, a long, fast stretch had me smiling as I just felt the joy of my body working well, pushing power down through the aluminium and carbon fiber and watching as the road just vanished underneath me.

I set a target and went further.  I burned off over 500 calories.  I achieved something and felt great!

My other success?  Well I am working on a ‘Muse’ a la Tim Ferris 4HWW.  It’s an idea I have had for a long time and I will share more here later.  But in brief I have an idea for a web business that I want to set up to run almost independently, yet hopefully provide a reasonable passive income stream.  I have high hopes, yet I know it may not work.  But the way I see it, either way I will have gained experience and if I don’t actually try, then it will be guaranteed to NOT succeed.

So, overall I have moved a bit forward and achieved some good stuff this week!

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Gotta hava plan

Mar 24

Posted by alastair in Personal Growth | No Comments

Arrow in woods

What do I want?

I think that this may be the biggest and most difficult question to answer, but it is the one that I really need to spend some time with.  And I don’t have the answer yet.  But, I have a rough idea of some of the things that I want to achieve and as a way of becoming accountable I will begin to share them here.  This list is by no means complete or exhaustive, but I figure that it is best to make a start, any start, however small, rather than to remain inactive.

So, here are some of the things that I want or need to achieve

  • To have a happy and fulfilling relationship
  • To be able to choose to be location independent if I want
  • To achieve a great level of fitness and health
  • To be clear about what I offer to the world
  • To be financially secure – not necessarily rich
  • To feel that I have made a difference in the world
  • To have a rich and varied group of friends who care about me.
  • To have fun
  • To be living a life that I have designed and that is right for me.
  • To live life to it’s fullest
  • To slay some of my demons
  • To grow as a human being

These are a start.  I have a number of lists of things in more detail which I will share over the upcoming days and weeks.  But this, I think, is getting to the heart of the feeling deep inside me – the one that is telling me that things aren’t quite right.

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I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?

Mar 15

Posted by alastair in Introductions | No Comments

It’s just gone 8.30am on Monday 15th March 2010.  I’m up and writing.  I’ve showered, had my first cup of coffee and porridge is cooking in the microwave.  This is a big result.

My name is Alastair.  41 years old and looking at life and asking some big questions.  My life is not as I would like it; really far from where I would like to be.

I’m sad inside.  I am so much bigger and better than my current situation is showing. And that gnawing feeling that things are not right, just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Recently I have hurt my back, for the first time in my life.  Just as I was getting over this a nice bout of gastroenteritis kicked me down for another week.  My relationship has been going through turmoil.  My motivation has been rock bottom.  Jealousies and wanting what other people have got have grown.  My body is out of shape.

Things have gotten so bad that just the effort of getting up in the morning have been hard work.  Flossing my teeth has been a thing that I have to really motivate myself to do, despite knowing that it is so, so important.

I have felt just like the title of this blog post.

But I’m here now to change things.  Now.

This blog is my way of becoming accountable, seeing my progress and hopefully building a community of friends who will help me and each other.

Today I got up, showered and began some work by 8.30.  It is a very small step, but I hope (and need) it to be the beginning of something very, very big.

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