The world is your oyster #conquerseries #wk3

Imagine knowing that you have accomplished what you dream to achieve. This is what my goal has given me. Take the significant & highly important sports psychology tab out of the equation & you have something even more pure...self actualisation.

For those that are aware of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs you will know that self actualisation is the pinnacle we all try to achieve. But I'd rather not suggest that self discovery was linear but rather a series of twist and turns, ascents & descents that make up the topography of a mountain. I do not consider that I have come to know myself entirely and am completely content despite my known flaws and talents but rather that in almost 3 decades I have never known myself better than I do now.

Everybody's life teaches them what they need in the timing- pleasant or not initially there is always a positive to be taken away from things. This was one thing that I had to learn. For one reason or another the more I looked the more I found sadness in my life, like life was wrapped up in sheets of blue instead of sunlight yellow. The more I paid attention to blue the bluer things got; yet my affinity was always with yellow. Right now you are questioning my intelligence right? Fair enough. This is what we do when we let choice, our mind, rule over us. One thing sports psychology, positive affirmations and faith gave me was the ability to strive for and live for the positives.

It's not always easy, in fact sometimes it's very hard, but just like running your first 4km of stairs it gets a lot easier and you start doing it more automatically. There's one problem with positivity though...Positivity has many guns being pointed at it. You see blue tries to take over frequently, invade our heads & we have to challenge it back. Till it becomes habit.

I love it when someone says to me, you know your climbing the largest mountain in the world right?! You know it'll be cold right? You know you have to train for that, and like a lot Jules?! I think to myself...no, I didn't know that at all I'm just gonna pay thousands, rock up & wing it. I mean only 1 in 4 die who do. No biggie. Say what?!! Are people for real? People are always trying to undermine each other, it's our power play. But nothing is better than positivity. What can a man say if you know you will succeed? Is he really going to argue with you in that? I can tell you for a fact- No he won't. The only person in life & goal setting that needs to be prepared is YOU. Whether someone believes in you or not has to do with their own faith, motivation, determination, NOT yours.

Sometimes that path is lonely, it took me over a year for people to realise I was serious & they saw me get up for 5am gym sessions, complete 13/14hr days to satisfy work and training. They saw me lift 80kg, jump 800 squats, run kilometres on end of stairs, transform from a meatlovers gal to a doting vegetarian and still didn't believe. None of that matters. You get up for you, when everyone realises you believe in you they are sold. That's all they need. This doesn't mean they'll understand you or want to connect with you though...this is my newest struggle. Being determined and motivated you'd think is what the world is craving based on memes and general popular culture but I'm fact it's the opposite...people don't know how to get there (be someone so acutely aware of what you want and striving so seriously for it) and so you become someone that they respect but nothing more... They are disconnected. Having serious goals, and living them each day, I used to think that is how a lot of people live but in fact it's not. They don't know how to get there.

To me striving for something, being positive and knowing you will be successful makes you confident, better at work and better at life. The fact that you do it completely on your own at times (there's been plenty of people supporting me don't get me wrong) makes it even more of an accomplishment. People always want recognition for what they do, setting goals and achieving them without expecting recognition and knowing full well you won't get it even if you asked, is motivation in itself. Your work (your body, your fitness, your fresh persona) will speak for itself.

Personally I don't want people to miss out on how amazing it is to know what you are capable of and be completely free of self doubt. So my next post (separate to this series) will be about freeing yourself and letting that sunlight yellow in.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Please share any similar experiences with me.

10 Reasons why we should celebrate Valentine's day...loved up or not

Every year, as I've mentioned in a previous post, people think of ways to celebrate or surpress the thought of Valentine's Day. Whether we are American, loved up or not we should definitely celebrate it. Here's 10 reasons why.




1. We need a reminder that love is what keeps the world going around. Too much focus on life is on the negative when we should be focusing on positives...always.

2. Love is worth celebrating in all its forms it shouldn't take a 2013 Disney movie, Frozen, to show us that we focus on romantic love too much.

3. Loving yourself is important. Those that love themselves exude happiness and confidence. You should enjoy at least one day a year where you celebrate the loveliness about yourself.





4. Love makes you feel good. Whether it is love of another, loving acts of kindness or love for food we never lose from loving- worth remembering!

5. Love makes us hopeful. We need to stop and remember how positive hope in our and others' lives and place it in our hearts everyday.

6. Love makes us childlike. As adults we are always calculating moves like pawns in a chess game- love removes knowledge and makes way for faith; trusting despite fear. Its worthwhile reliving those childish, brave and funny moments.



7. Love makes us stronger. We all get hurt but we should remember these with smiles on our faces today because those experiences all grow us emotionally and make us the strong, more lovable people for the right ones we meet.



8. Love softens us. It might sound silly but we all have worked with play dough as a child that was stiff as a rock and decided it was better throwing out then trying to work with it. Love mellows us, makes us malleable- someone that is open, friendlier, more kind and better to be around, irrespective of how we experience love romantic or not that's worth remembering.




9. Love leaves us preciously vulnerable; allowing yourself to be bare butt and naked in emotion means you'll get to see someone else for ALL their glorious beauty as well.


10. Love...real love...always makes you a better, happier person. Whether we have it right now or it's just around the corner the excitement of not knowing what comes next is fantastic in itself.

Where did it come from? #week2 #conquerseries

Now that we have established and have hit off any notions of 'crazy' from random readers I wanted to share with you how I began this process of turning my goal into a reality.





Since high school, throughout University and in my private life I have enjoyed learning about training programs, holistic health, nutrition and how it builds the athlete's body. In my teenage years always determined to be a professional footballer I grasped all the concepts, understood the importance of ensuring healthy body, healthy mind and balance between work and play but it wasn't until I attacked this goal of mine that I really learnt about it.





When I decided, and I mean, really decided I wasn't wavering in my thoughts at all, that I was to climb Mt Everest base camp I began watching Youtube videos, following Instagram channels on alpine climbing, Mt Everest, hikespo (what I call hiking inspiration images) and snow gear. My Instagram channel became full of everything that my goal was about- ice, snow, freezing cold temperatures. Thanks to my knowledge of sports psychology and ongoing learning about health and fitness I knew that any approach to making sure I would conquer Everest and not just attempt it was all about living it, breathing it and most importantly having my head in it. This is where I took time to sit down and think about all the things I would require to keep myself mentally strong.

Before I go on I'll explain that last statement, it is really important to understand that any physical goal is more mental than physically challenging. I have participated in sport my whole life and enjoyed it all but nothing compares to having no doubt in your mind about the success you'll have. You see previous experiences in sport had all been about a long term goal which seemed (call me crazy) quite easily attainable, probably too easily attainable- I was trialling out and playing premier league for a sport I loved, was prepared to train for- I'd finish games mentally exhausted more than physically but it wasn't anything out of my comfort zone. This is what I believe draws me back to Everest every time.





You see mountain climbing whilst always enjoyed was not something that would produce the same results or have the same effects, every hike (not so many before I began training) was different. Each pathway you needed to think about and at the end of each pathway (unless you walk/run it twice) gives you a different view. The varying lengths of hikes presented new physical challenges, the ability to pack for them, enjoy your own company and understand how you'd get through each situation.








The hikes that I complete through a variety of national parks, mostly on my own, are challenging in a different ways. Yes it is a little crazy that I am doing it on my own (the majority of times) but it is also part of the challenge because any concerns I face, either with wildlife (I've met a few brown snakes and taipans on the way) or otherwise I have to overcome them on my own. This is not something that comforts my family however, but I still consider my risks to be calculated, healthy risks and I'd rather be taking those risks than unhealthy ones.


So I guess if you had to pin the point at which things started becoming real it was not with the exercise, it was with the understanding I gained from learning about the hike. Without gaining information about fitness programs, altitude sickness, dietary habits of Sherpas, the ways to pack to name just a few things I do not believe I could walk into a gym knowing that my 25hours a week (minimum) would equal success. This is where I began not just learning but fully understanding exactly what it means to have the head space to achieve anything.


Apologies for the differently sized images my computer decided to present me another challenge and not allow me to resize them!

Get a special person who....

Lately you have probably seen the article titled, 'Don't date a girl who travels.' Perhaps you have even seen the responses to this rather jaded attempt to force all the positive attributes of a travelling lady into a negatively minded, picky nit wit. I don't know about you but my Facebook news feed is already starting to fill up with positive and negative memes about Valentine's Day, its the usual hoorah about 'poor me I'm single' or 'can't wait, its going to be such a special day' either way I want to say this, forget the rubbish about why you shouldn't date someone or what 'issues' a potential partner might see in you and do this....

Get a special person who...

• Isn't afraid to acknowledge their feelings & your significance, to you or their friends.
• Remembers you even on days that aren't special.
• Knows what they want and strives to achieve it (including you, don't invite laziness).
• Fights with you & wants to make up afterwards...always.
• Likes you- because they'll always be able to love you regardless what you go through.
• Thinks your most outstanding when your ordinary looking (sweaty, dirty, tired, hung over). 

Don't...

• Torture yourself if people don't have the same ideas as you, there's billions of people in the world, make your life interesting and as corny as it is...you'll find the Valentine where you are meant to. Not because you've stopped being a traveller because you read an article with a biased view on independent women or somehow internalised that perhaps blondes do have more fun so you best pretend you were never a brunette to snaffle that handsome dude at the local meat market but because you haven't sacrificed who you are to be what someone needs.

I hope you all feel super loved this next week & a bit. Ciao!

You're crazy! #conquerseries

You're crazy! The words that I hear on a regular basis. Nothing has changed really, the same friends hear what exercise I do on a regular basis, they in fact know my whole schedule I'm sure but they still tell me I'm crazy. So how did I get crazy and decide that climbing Everest was number one on my fitness goal list? It's pretty simple really, I like mountains.

Right now some of you are probably laughing and talking at your computer screens, 'yeh right, your still crazy' is the mantra your saying to Mr Toshiba seated in front of you; but seriously that is where it started. As a young child I always enjoyed climbing, dirt mounds, rocks, mountains on family trips- I liked it all. Pretty quickly I learnt that I probably have a closer affinity to mountain lions than some of my peers, whilst not always surrounded by mountains I'll climb one when I see one. Yes, yes I am one of those random people who drives down a highway, looks at a mountain and sees an opportunity- not for the chance of being able to climb it but an opportunity to see the view from the top of it. The curiosity of the view at the top is what motivates me. I guess it's my real life version to the question of 'what animal would you be if you could?' because when I am on top of a mountain I'm like a fly, mosquito or ant completely insignificant and completely in awe of the marvellousness that surrounds me.

 

'Mt Everest though?' you say. Well it is simple, its just another mountain. Yes it is the tallest mountain in the world but if we got caught up on the biggest things in the world there would be plenty of things we wouldn't do- wouldn't travel to countries with the most people, places with the most non-English speakers- all sorts of things we should absolutely experience.

Rock climbing, mountaineering, bouldering, hiking all of it is problem solving. I understand it's not for everyone (I've taken people on hikes and they whinge that they had to think about where their feet were going) but I personally love that it engages my mind and my body. Everest has its own challenges, it always has, currently I am reading a book titled 'Everest, The First Ascent' it talks about Mr Pugh's role in uncovering the science that would make the first ascent successful after almost 3 decades of failed attempts, whereby people didn't understand or weren't prepared to acknowledge the effects of high altitude, acclimatisation and fatigue on individuals. It fascinates me how some individuals were adamant they could attack the mountain with little or no training and no oxygen and others were dedicated to investigating ways to ensure a summit success. Since I began training and I became comfortable enough to tell people it was my goal to reach base camp I have met people who have completed it by simply 'walking 3 times a week for half an hour' or just 'rocked up' to Kathmandu and hit up the base camp and then there's....me. Training 20 hours (minimum) a week plus 5/6 hour hikes regularly on the weekend non-stop and still working a 40 hour week. My logic- I refuse to be conquered. I don't care what mountain it is, I'm going to see that view. In fact, I've dreamt about it, the tears on my face, the smile from ear to ear and my face getting sore, my mass sighs of relief and screaming in excitement that all my hard work has paid off to be sitting on top of the world.

So crazy or not I care not. My dream will come true there is no doubt about it. Every gym session, every hike is not for some fickle obsession to make my body society's ideal, its for an intrinsic love that I have to experience the freedom, majesty and the awe of life when I witness a great view that reminds me of my own insignifance. That is why 5am mornings, 3hour gym sessions, regular bouts of 800 jump squats (for example) and regular 5/6hour hikes can be done.

Over this series you'll notice, even in the picture below that I am ME. My training isn't perfect, I've never not lost motivation, I've eaten cake more than twice a week since I've been training, I look in the mirror and wonder why my stomach won't go away (probably that cake haha), some days I feel super confident other days I want to rip my face off and replace it with another face out of frustration. Yep, I am just a plain jane woman. Whilst people go on at times with crap about me being inspirational I'm not, I'm just a person who chose a goal, has intrinsic motivation for it and decided how I will achieve it. Anyone is capable of achieving what they want. I guess you just have to be crazy enough to think you can.

I hope you liked the first segment of the series.... Any comments/queries are welcomed.

Julia

The beginning of the end



Over the life of this blog I have shared with you some information about what I love and one of those things is fitness. For those of you who do not know I'm climbing Mt Everest base camp this year, something that I have been in training over the period of about 16 months. 5am mornings, long hikes on weekends and late night workouts combined with watching what I eat pre, post and during exercise has been essential. Mt Everest base camp is just base camp, its not the summit but then I suppose I understand when people think I'm a little crazy considering I'm hiking 6 kilometres into the atmosphere. Training, psychological and physical, has consumed a lot of my time and I suppose in some respects I disgust friends and family but for the most part I think they just get worried about my end goal and all the horror stories that media is so good about circulating. Either way since training has been so much a part of my life I have learnt a lot about myself, I have psychology training to thank for this as my art- training- really mirrors life in every aspect of it.

I really wanted to share with you how this personal goal of mine, climbing Mt Everest, has made me a better person. There is plenty to talk about so I am going to do it as part of a series, I will begin with how I got this crazy idea in my head and then move on to training and the personal discovery of myself and others in the process of achieving my goal. Each week a new part of the series will be posted for you to engage with, comment on, laugh about. Even if you are not interested in hiking or sport I beg of you don't switch off, it will be worth your while. I hope you enjoy what's in store.

Julia :)

Snapshots- the resume of life



Hi All! Happy New Year! I hope that your Christmas was fabulous and that you are feeling super positive about 2014. This year I have no resolutions (lets face it most people don't complete them anyway so its more of a for-the-sake-of-it tradition anyway) but rather I have goals that have been in place for over a year now already that will continue to make me feel fantastic. This year is a big one, of course you would be aware from my countless deviations away from writing to fitness that I am climbing Mt Everest this year. It is going to be amazing! Lots of hard work to go so no need to get all airy fairy about it, its no walk in the park.

Anyway today I had begun my day by fixing resumes I need when I head over in April to live on the other side of the world... again. Resumes are interesting things, all about marketing yourself. I'm not really one to do that- I just am who I am and people can take it or leave it, I'm beyond thinking that it'll be a great personal loss to myself. So amongst this resume writing it got me thinking about job interviews and how really at the crux of it all people want to know who you are and why you would be the best person over everyone else. Considering a lot of jobs get 50 plus applicants you've got to do some good marketing, right?

This is where it got me thinking, if resumes were snapshots of our life wouldn't that tell you more about someone than just their occupational history? I mean let's face it, there are those who vie for a top position in a company/business and everyone knows they have no long term invested interest, so while they get the job they still aren't the best person for the job. Then there's others who are simply there because its easier then finding something they are actually passionate about. In this thought process I got thinking about genres and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Whilst I'm certainly not into internet dating (though I know it's the thing for some) it helped the juices flow to create a really simple life resume of myself. I found it positive and rewarding, but reflecting on anything always is. Anyway perhaps you will find time to share your personal resume with me or what you learnt about yourself along the way. The hope you enjoy, till next time, have fun!

Julia Trask

 

 SUPPORTING STATEMENT

 

 I am an Australian, British dual citizen who has worked with motivation, determination and a positive attitude towards all aspects of work and personal life. Throughout the years I have experienced several different cultures through travelling expeditions and have also learnt what it means to find your true identity when I lived in a country otherwise only appreciated for long periods by my ancestors. With a sense of adventure in tow and approach to finding the good in all people I have managed to see life from the outside in. It is these values of determination, motivation, positivity, adventure, faith and a fair amount of healthy stubbornness that I succeed in all that I do irrespective of what life throws at me.

 

 RECENT LIFE HISTORY

  

Date/s of Event: 1986-1999          

Location: Family home & town    

Position Held: child, teenager, pain in the neck (for parents), sibling.

Roles, Responsibilities: To demonstrate understanding of suitable qualities for a respectful, decent person as instilled by my parents; to recognise wrong doing when in the role of ‘pain in the neck’ and to provide good fun and emotional love and support to siblings. Also to appreciate, understand and uphold the safety of others when in my care.

 

 

Date/s of Event: The Year 2000

Location: Australia                      

Position Held: Survivor               

Roles, Responsibilities: Develop resilience to tragedies and triumphs of life and death. To appreciate Silverchair’s lyrical attempt to wonder what this odd new generation would bring. Most important responsibility; finding myself and gaining personal strength.          

 

 

Date/s of Event: 2002-2003

Location: Family home & town

Position Held: Student/footballer

Roles, Responsibilities: Balancing and prioritising responsibilities between dual positions. Training the mind and the body for physical, emotional, intellectual challenges and creating a future (thanks high school).

 

 

Date/s of Event: 2004-2007

Location: Toowoomba

Position Held: Student/footballer/5 jobs ‘Betty’/frugal living expert

Roles, Responsibilities: Develop deep knowledge in biomedical science and English literature studies, applying mathematics to serious lifestyle situations where prioritising is the key to success eg: going out all night and completing the washing on $2. Advanced development of juggling routine and creation and mastery of ‘half-awake’ learning.

 

 

Date/s of Event: 2008-2011

Location: QLD                            

Position Held: ‘Be a passionate learner’ provider           

Roles, Responsibilities: Infect the minds of those who can and cannot see their ridiculously good looking potential in life, maintain sanity, develop through social skilling or random spiels in ‘out-of-blue’ conversation passion for a life of… learning.

 

 

Date/s of Event: 2012-current       

Location: The world- Australia and the world      

Position Held: Nomad

Roles, Responsibilities: Enjoying work to live a passionate life full of adventure, fun, laughter and cultural experiences. Developing worldly knowledge to improve my person; creating opportunities for random acts of anonymous kindness.

 

 Skills & Talents

·     Hosting ‘impromptu’ parties

·     Living frugally for an end goal

·     Creating a toga

·     Holding on in rollercoaster rides

·     Communicating with ‘tough nuts’ who hate everyone

·     Connecting with the disconnected/rejected

·     Juggling

·     Sanity survival in remote places

·     Being happy to be alone

·     Being crazy enough to try pretty much anything.