Sleepwalking through life

So it’s been a while since my last post. I find myself desk bound on a dark October afternoon desperately trying to study for an exam, and in an attempt to break from it I have turned back to my long forgotten blog.

Reflecting on the time that’s passed since my last post and I’m amazed by how much has happened in life and how much my life has changed:

• I’ve seen so much more of the world and being inspired by its beauty
• I’ve pushed myself to do things I never though I could
• I’ve fought to get the career I wanted and I’m working to develop my knowledge and skills
• I’ve felt the grief as life ends and the happiness as other begin
• I’ve shed so many tears, but I’ve laughed and smiled too
• I’ve had my heart-broken and I’m learning how to put it back together and to look to the future
• I’ve learnt what true friendship means
• I’ve met new people and made new friends.

I’m trying to seize every opportunity as I don’t be somebody that just sleepwalks through life – I want to live it. I want to look back when I’m old and know I did life justice.

I don’t want to live life cautiously. I want to continue to push myself outside of my comfort zone to experience what life has to offer me. This past year alone has made me realize more than ever that every day is a gift and you don’t know how lucky you are until you lose the people who make you happy – the ones you always take for granted.

Cancer Research UK Race for Life 10k run at Temple Newsam

On Saturday morning I completed the 10km Race for Life at Temple Newsam and I actually enjoyed it! The sun was out AND the rain held off ! Pretty amazing considering the current monsoon season!

Before the run began there was a mass warm up session which had me smiling the entire way through! It was good fun and a great way to get everybody warmed up and feeling positive!

Anybody who has ever participated in a Race for Life will know that the atmosphere at the events is amazing! The runs are not really competitive and because of this there are a diverse range of people of all shapes, sizes and ages. The messages on people’s back signs are very humbling and make you realise just how many lives cancer touches. Despite this stark reminder there is always a real sense of hope at these events and a feel good feeling.  I found myself smiling at people who I passed along the course, hoping that it might help them to keep going in the same way that the smiles and encouragement which I received helped me.

The 10km run itself wasn’t easy as the course was fairly hilly, but the ground was mostly dry and, having successfully paced myself as I had been instructed by my better half, I managed to jog the whole way. I even managed to muster a last burst of energy and sprinted the last few hundred metres to the finish line. The feeling of achievement when you cross that finish line is amazing and I admit I felt ‘as high as a kite’ for a good hour or so after I had finished!

After rehydration and hugs from my ever supportive boyfriend, I settled on a hill, with a well deserved ice cream, to watch the  remaining joggers and cross the finish line and experience their own moment of glory.

Next stop, The Jane Thomlinson 10km Run for All in Leeds this Sunday! I think I may have been bitten by the running bug! Watch this space…

Digging out my trainers and diving into a 10k charity run

It’s the time of year again where people are donning their running shoes and taking part in fun runs up and down the country to raise money for charity. It’s also the time of year when I tend to get inspired by these runners and start to think about fishing out my running shoes too.

I am not a natural runner! I battle with myself to go for a run and to then actually keep running. I don’t really have a naturally high fitness level and for some seemingly unknown reason, running sometimes makes my legs, stomach and sides itch like crazy! This burning itch has been known to reduce me tears of frustration.  (Any advice?)

Well this year I have gone a bit mad  decided to go one step further than my usual 5k run, and the ‘epic’ 7k Santa dash that I once did. No, this July I will be participating in a Race For Life 10k charity run to raise money for Cancer Research UK. A 10k run may be the significantly smaller sibling of the marathon or half marathon, but for me it is a challenge, and one which seems a little daunting! 🙂

Cancer is a word which has so much fear and emotion attached to it. It is a truly horrible disease that touches the lives of so many people and devastates those affected by it. If you are reading this and can, please do donate. Even the smallest donations count.

Together we will beat cancer.

The true meaning of Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone, leaving behind the hordes of eager shoppers hunting for a bargain in the ‘January’ sales. People are starting to plan their New Year’s Eve celebrations and telling themselves that in January they will definitely start a diet and start visiting the gym; all the while munching on a left over turkey leg or eyeing up the leftover Christmas cake.

Writing content for content’s sake is not true marketing

This morning I was asked what I thought the main difference between academic writing and commercial writing was. My answer – the audience.

In pursuit of happiness are we losing sight of what we have?

“Life is what happens while we are busy making plans”.

Surviving the Northern Winter

Last week I decided to buy a new charger for my old laptop, which allowed me to switch it on and gain access to the pictures and documents I had stashed on there from university. When I was at university I wrote a few articles for the student newspaper. I was once asked to write tips for surviving the Northern winter and I wanted to share this with you simply because reading it back 3 or 4 years on made me chuckle! Please bear in mind that it is aimed at Newcastle university students and was written when footless tights were cool!

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My magical place and my fear for its survival

Sitting in an old library, surrounding by shelves and shelves of books is one of my secret pleasures. It sounds strange, but I have always loved libraries from being a child. I adore strolling around the aisles, selecting intriguing titles and filling my arms with a large amount of books.

I ponder lonely as a cloud…

There comes a point where you don’t want to dream about your future anymore, you want those dreams to be a reality. There comes a point where success is no longer something that you want to achieve, but something that you have already achieved (or at the very least be on the way to achieving).

Social media and the identity opportunity

Does our online persona actually mirror who we really are in the offline world? Does social media allow us to be the person we wish we were in our everyday life? In my opinion, social media has presented us with a unique opportunity to create a dual identity for ourselves.