2014 its a start

Well the party is over and the head is a little fuzzy. Who framed Roger Rabbit is on the tv and Lynne is just putting on the bacon and egg rolls. It's 10:40 on New Years day and I'm still in my pyjamas . The dog is sleeping on the sofa and I have just put the work laptop down having checked my emails.

2014 is turning out to be much the same as 2013.

I'm struggling to see where I let my motivation fall so low and more worrying how I have let my job take over my life and health.

As it's new year I can now take time to reflect on different roles I have found myself in over the past few years. Hopefully through this blog I will start to work through what I have to do now to move my life and fitness forwards.

Currently I am Head of Operations for a small electronics company. But leading up to that over the past few years I have been a Gym Instructor, Lifeguard, Personal Trainer, athletics coach, events stand manager, support technician, Quality manager oh and for a brief period I was also unemployed.

It is only when I am looking back at this that I can now start to appreciate why I am struggling with the turmoil this has created in my life.

I generally find that looking back does not help the way forward but we should never forget what has come before.

Prior to 2009 my life was the definition of stability. I had held my job with the same electronics company since 1998. I had moved up through the ranks from assembler to engineer. Celebrated the birth of my children, my marriage, graduation from university and various promotions through the company. I had friends peers and mentors. I had grown as an individual and travelled the world. But all the time through a bubble of stability.

The friendships that I made took me deep into sport and defined my life in a new way. I tested myself  daily both physically and mentally. I was always looking for the next challenge. All the while being supported by my wife and kids, friends and family. Things appeared easy and I was convinced that I was living life and that things would remain this good forever.

Things did not remain that way and in 2009 I was made redundant. Hey that not all bad I thought I now have an excuse to start my own business doing something that I love. I was convinced that my love for sport could take me on to the next level of personal fulfilment and allow me to provide for my family. Ha was I wrong. Starting a luxury bespoke personal training business with no help or experience and limited funds in the middle of a recession. It was only going to end one way. However I retrained myself and embarked on my new chosen path.

As thing usually do with new endeavours things started well. I found contacts, and clients created leads and opportunities. All balanced precariously on enthusiasm  and energy. Then the realisation that I was not making quite enough regular money to support the family. I took on other jobs working for the local authority as a freelance instructor. I also worked at the local sports centre as a lifeguard and gym instructor. Each job took me further away from my goal of creation my own vision of personal fitness. I did manage to keep a few client but ultimately my growing lack of availability due to my need for regular income meant that they soon fell by the way.

With that fell my confidence, health and fitness. My friendships waned and all that had come to define me was apparently slipping from my grasp.