MOTIVATION/CYMHELLIANT/MOVERE – we all need it!

I have been thinking about the meaning of the word motivation and how it can affect us all at some time.

Intrinsic Motivation - is being moved from within
External Motivation - is when we are motivated outside of ourselves to do something

Whether it is for intrinsic or extrinsic reasons, motivation is usually attributed to goal-orientated behaviour.  Without a reason or an incentive to do something, most of us lack the enthusiasm or energy to simply “do it”!  Whether it be as simple as ‘washing the dishes’ or as daunting as ‘losing weight and getting fit’.

Most people go to a personal trainer for help with achieving personal goals such as weight loss and physical exercise training.  They receive lots of encouragement, programme design and that lovely word - motivation.   But even a Personal Trainer may need to be motivated once in a while (we are only human!) which is why a lot of us attend workshops, seminars and fitness events. 

For example:  last Sunday it snowed, we had a huge flurry of snow and the day was cloudy, dull and cold.  For those of you who have followed my blog you will know that I love the great outdoors, I love the sun on my face, the wind in my ears and am quite happy to don my rain gear and take a walk or a jog in the wet weather, either at the seaside, out on the road or up in the mountains.  But last weekend I lacked motivation!  I simply “couldn’t be bothered to go out” and was quite happy to lie on the settee and watch TV!  I am not making excuses for my behaviour,  I am a firm believer in listening to your body and understanding when it needs a rest, but I also know that if I don’t manage to get out for a long walk or jog at least once over the weekend, I can be unhappy and miserable.

I needed a motive, something to make me want to do it!  From experience I knew that once I had managed to get out and take a walk I would feel better about myself, I knew that the fresh air would do me good, the walk would help burn off a few calories, the physical benefits would reap rewards and that I would experience that “feel good” factor.  But, still, this wasn’t enough.  There was no external reason, no prize,  no certificate, no money or golden medal for making the effort, so what was the point!  I needed motivation.

And then it happened! My husband Glyn had been keen to get out with me for an early walk  into the snow covered mountains for some good old “quality time” and I was preventing this.  At about 12.30  p.m. I had turned to look at him sitting next to me and suddenly realised that I was ruining our chance to do just that, I felt guilty,  and that was the turning point.  We see so little of each other, we are always busy running our own businesses and rushing around on a daily basis, that Sunday’s have become the only time we get for some “time out”.  Glyn, therefore, in a roundabout way, became my motivator, my reason for getting up off the settee and moving!  He supplied the motivating stimulus, the driving force behind the action, the reason I finally went out and had a fantastic two hour walk in my new boots in the snow and I’m so glad I went.  I felt better for two reasons,:

Intrinsic satisfaction - I felt so much better for it.
Extrinsic satisfaction - the happy look on my husbands face  :-)

Motivation – think about it!

"Now can anybody motivate me into cleaning out the attic"?

These Boots were made for Walking!

and that's what I'm gonna do!

After a trip into the foothills of Snowdonia on Christmas Day, I realized that, although I love walking on the beaches of Anglesey, I really miss walking in the mountains.  As a busy full-time Personal Trainer running my own company, a part-time student and a full-time mum, I find it really hard to plan and then get out for a good old stomp up a mountain.  Sunday is the only day this is possible, and as you will all appreciate, sometimes other things 'just get in the way'!  So Glyn (husband) and I have decided that we will commit to venturing out into the wild unknown at least once a month!

Over the last 18 months I have been wearing a pair of lightweight summer walking boots,  but during our lovely recent wet and snowy weather realised that they were sadly developing a  leak.  So last Sunday,  instead of walking up mountains, we found ourselves walking around outdoor gear shops!  Not quite what we had in mind! (but good fun)  and with the help of a lovely  assistant, I finally found a fantastic pair of boots in the Joe Brown's shop in Capel Curig.

This took me over 1.5 hours but I wanted to get a pair that felt right, fitted well and were extremely comfortable!  It has been a while since I bought a decent pair of winter boots and couldn't decide between two makes and styles, but finally decided on the Asolo Stynger GTX ML.  I hope I made the right choice,  there is nothing worse than getting nasty blisters!  Luckily I am not the type of girl that worries too much about the colour!  Just as long as they were BLUE! I then spent another 30 minutes choosing a new back pack and some snug woolley organic socks!  Retail therapy - wonderful :-)

We then moved on to Betws-y-Coed, for copy-cat Glyn to find himself a new pair of boots!  So by and by, we didn't actually manage the walk we set out for,  but did get some great new gear in preparation.

So this Sunday we will definitely get out and walk ........    we just have to agree a route!

CHRISTMAS 2009

Well after weeks of rushing around, shopping, wrapping and preparing food, presents etc, it's all over!  Christmas 2009 officially done!

Every other year my kids take it in turns to spend the day with myself or their father.  This year it was their father's turn, so, as I cannot bear the house so quiet and empty, presents still under the tree and the turkey in the fridge it was a chance to get out into the Snowdonia mountains.

So armed with flasks of coffee, sandwiches, mince pies and warm clothing, Glyn and I headed off to find some snow.  Unfortunately, I was suffering with quite a bad head cold (and still am!), so didn't fancy going up too high into the cold ice and deeper snow.  We, therefore,  headed for the Crafnant Valley, Trefriw, as recommended by one of my friends, Sharon. (Thank you Sharon :-)

There is a lake in the valley and a walk around it, which at a fast pace, would probably take about 1.5 hours, but we weren't in any hurry.

We spent our time, mooching, taking photographs, sitting and talking, walking, exploring and generally enjoying a bit of "time out" from the stresses and strains of life!

At the first coffee break, Glyn surprised me with a new "fish" charm for my Pandora bracelet, which was a nice treat as we had agreed "not to give presents this year"!    At the second coffee break, I surprised him with a small bottle of champers and a mince pie! (well it was Christmas day after all!)

All in all, a peaceful, relaxing and brilliant day, and I would like to thank Glyn, my gorgeous husband for sharing it with me, and making it so special.

It is always a difficult day, when the kids are not with us, but to get out and be at one with the environment and find a bit of peace and quiet is also such a bonus, especially when the rest of the world is caught up in the madness of the day!

By the way,  Boxing Day was our official Christmas Day and the peace and quiet was definitely broken!  But still lovely :-)

Dressing Up!!

Well the silly season is almost upon us, and what better way to enjoy it, than taking the opportunity to dress up and look silly!


So, last week saw me at the Victorian Extravaganza in Beaumaris.  A collection of street vendors and crafts people selling a range of goodies from soft toys to local produce.  I hired a table within the craft section at the Beaumaris Canolfan/Leisure Centre and used it to promote my very own Poetry Book, published earlier this year called "Sea Things" .  "Come dressed up as a Victorian" said the organizer, "everyone does"!  Therefore,  I turned up decked out in my best (and only) outfit suitable for such an event, finished it off with my sister Gill's lovely black top hat, Which I decorated with Christmas ribbon and a fake robin.  And yes, you've guessed, I was the only one in fancy dress!  But what the heck, I had loads of compliments and I felt rather special in the hat.

I sold a few books and was a happy lady and Glyn Davies (my husband) grabbed the opportunity to take some nice studio pics of me later.

Then today, I had the opportunity to get dressed up again!  It was off to the Ty Gobaith Santa Dash in Llandudno this morning with my good friend Clare, my daughter Steph and her two friends Emily and Polly.  Together, with over 500 other dressed up Santas, we jogged the 1 mile course along the Llandudno Promenade.

The weather was fairly kind to us, only raining as we got to the end line.  Between us 5 we managed to raise over £450 for the Ty Gobaith appeal.  The suits kept us nice and warm, although I didn't wear the trousers as they were far too long on my little legs! I consider this as a practice run, next year I intend to get a bigger team organized and dress up our suits in style under the Able Fitness banner!!

and by the way .......  It's not too late to donate :-)) 

Working out in Llandudno

Last weekend saw me catching up on a few CPD points (Continual Professional Development).  Stuart Harrop (British Aerobics Presenter) was flavour of the day, leading a 4 hour workshop for us "keen to learn more"  instructors!

It was also a great way of catching up with long lost friends, getting the latest gossip, learning some new moves for  our own classes and generally having a workout, without having to teach it!

Suzie Hopkins (Cheshire College) also threw in a mean circuit training session, just to completely finish us off.  Before Stuart completed the day with a Broadway dance routine.

A big thanks to Stuart and Suzie for such a great day.    Not sure if I can remember any of the moves tho! What the heck, it was good fun :-)


Clair Pugh (my unsuspecting friend I took with me), Stuart Harrop and me.

Rolf Harris sings to me!

On Friday the 20th November 2009 my husband and I were invited to the launch of a new Art Gallery here on Anglesey.

There were  quite a few people there, some I knew, some I do now!  But the person we were all waiting to meet was Rolf Harris - yep, Aussie Rolf.  As everyone else no doubt has, I have strong memories of watching him on TV painting his amazing LARGE picture, singing and telling jokes, so was really excited about his visit to the gallery. I grew up singing "Two little boys" and  "Tie me Kangaroo down sport".

When it was my turn to be introduced to him, by a mutual friend, he put his arm around me and started singing "Oh Carol", he knew quite a few verses.  I have to admit I did turn a shade of red!

He then had a chat with me, posed for a photo and agreed to buy me from my husband for a bag of grapes! (which he apparently had in the car)

What a lovely man, even though he was completely worn out (or spaced out as he put it) from a very long day of interviews and traveling, he found time to speak, sign autographs and have photos taken with everyone.

Even the next night when my mother Barbara met him, she reminded him that he had met me the night before, he remembered!

I am therefore and will remain his "number one fan" (Oh! Wrong celeb!)

The Food Chain

I was standing on the beach today watching the seagulls soaring above me , listening to their calls, like cats meowing in the sky, and it made me consider living life from above.   How wonderful would it be to hang motionless on invisible puppet strings in the air? I watched them in the blueness, swooping and diving, as I attempted to compose a poem about them, but I was too caught up watching their antics to concentrate.

As I listened I thought about how their calls reminded me of all the seaside towns and resorts I have ever been to - how seagulls are such a strong feature of those places, and how much I love to hear them above me.  I love the size of them, the whiteness of their feathers, the orange of their beaks, their cheekiness and courage when trying to pinch food, and how much I would miss them if they  ever became extinct.

It was then that I looked down towards the beach and realized why they were circling above me and hanging on the wind, mouths open, screaming and screeching.  Two of them were down amongst the rocks pulling and wrestling with something between their beaks.  I watched, trying to figure out what the  'something' could be, until I finally decided to investigate.  They were not very happy about this interruption, and with some reluctance flew up to join their noisy friends.  I looked and to my surprise saw that the 'object ' was a  beautiful orange octopus, quite big too, about 12 inches long and the first one I had ever seen on this  beach, and actually, the first one I had ever seen out of  water. 

I couldn't decide if it was dead or not, so I kneeled down to watch it for a while.  It's tentacles moved slowly, and practically lifelessly, if not dead, then almost.  I couldn't bear to leave it at the mercy of the seagulls, so very carefully I lifted it and put it in the nearest rock-pool, hoping it might recover under water.  Nothing, no movement, no more sign of life, had I finished it's last few moments  by drowning it?  I didn't know, all I know is that I had taken a meal away from the birds but given this beautiful creature an underwater burial, back in the sea where he belonged.

As I left, I looked up at them again,  I could almost hear them complaining to each other about their lost meal and cursing the human below who was  walking away from their insults and angry comments,  but I also felt a huge sense of sadness for the octopus lying at the bottom of the rock-pool, and then maybe a little guilty for interfering with the natural food-chain of the seaside.

Perhaps, he didn't die, perhaps once I had left and walked away, he slowly recovered.  I'd like to think so :-)

Cornish Tor, Mists & Marconi!

I can't think of a better way to be spending the half-term holiday than here in St. Just, Cornwall.  Glyn and I have returned to the same apartment we had back in June earlier this year, but have brought daughter Steph and her boyfriend Ben with us.

Luckily for Glyn and I, the youngsters like to have a lie in (strange that for 16 years olds!) so we keep grabbing the opportunity to take an early morning walk and chance for Glyn to take photos (no surprise there!)

This morning we took a stroll up to Carn Kenidjack in what I can only describe as thick mist!  It was surreal, the Tor just loomed up out of the cold and damp mists and looked like something out of an Arthurian tale, Glyn took the chance to photograph while I cowered down behind rocks out of the wind to write a poem.

Then I heard a call and Glyn was standing at the highest point of the Tor, obviously I had to climb up too :-)) although not having much of a head for heights I stood hanging on to him in the wind screeching!  Until it was time to pose for a piccie that is :-)

After a delicious banana and jam sandwich (very healthy!) a flask of tea/coffee we made our way back down the track.

Apparently there is an inscribed stone in the area?  We searched for it, but only found bracken, gorse, muddy tracks and lama's!

Oh, well next time we will visit in the sunshine, I would like to see the view anyway!


Just to add, yesterday whilst Steph and Ben paid a visit to the Gweek Seal Sanctury, Glyn and I took a walk along to the Marconi Centre at Poldhu cove.  

Some may call it sad, others cool, but I really found it quite exciting to be standing on the spot where the first ever wireless signal was created on 12th December 1901 with only 3 dots = S.

Obviously I posed with a mobile phone in my hand, because after all, this is where it all started!

Another important thing for me was 89 years to the date of this event I gave birth to one of my sons's,  now how cool is that! (Or is that sad?)

 

A Sunday morning road race

I haven't run any 10k races for a while, but this year, and for some unknown reason, decided to enter the Faenol race way back in July.  Not only did I enter, but I persuaded one customer and two friends to run it with me.  We all ran a really good race, considering it was a baking hot summers evening (yes we did get one of those this year and yes it did happen to be the night of the race!)

Anyway, because I enjoyed it so much (?) I decided that I would try the Anglesey Marathon 10K which I never have.  This was a much better race, 10.30 a.m. on a sunny but not too HOT Sunday morning (last week actually)!  Once again I also persuaded another customer and one of the same friends to enter.

I really enjoyed it, and ran a better time, knocking over 1 minute off my Faenol run.  I was also 17th woman in, 1st woman in my age group (not saying!) and 64th overall out of approx 170 runners.

Not bad for an old woman eh!!

So guys, when and where is the next race and who is going to run it with me this time ???

BRING IT ON!  :-)

      

Just a few more pictures from Corfu!

This is the boat ride to Erikoussa island.  Here I am under the Greek Flag, "what a beautiful morning for a boat trip".  I could get used to this :-)

Alex, the groom to be, and myself having an early morning chat,   "Hey Alex where is my cold coffee??"  "and is that Jane, bride to be,  behind us steering this boat??"

Just helping with the steering! While Kate moves away from the small nutter sitting next to her!

Work, books and Corfu

Hello - at last!  Yes I can hear you thinking, it has been a while ...  and I apologise for this :-))  Anyway just to fill you in with the last few weeks here goes!!  Busy, busy, busy and very happy to be  during this depressing climate of money troubles and job losses.

I have taken on several new customers with a huge range of needs and goals, which makes my job all the more interesting  and challenging.  I have recited more poems at the Anglesey Sea Zoo and am selling a steady 10 books a week, all good stuff.

I have also had a weeks holiday!!!  My good friend and physiotherapist Jane tied the knot, Greek style, out in Corfu and so armed with wedding outfit, snorkel and mask, suntan lotion and sunglasses off Glyn and I flew for a week away.

I haven't actually been abroad and met up with friends before, it was really quite nice to spend days out and about on our own and then catch up with everyone at Smiley's Taverna, Roda where Alex, Jane's husband, runs a very pleasant and efficient restaurant.

It was a great week, Jane even managed to organise a day's boat ride to a Erikoussa island, 2 hours away from Roda,  for those who were keen to go - we were and did! Great day out, Glyn & I had a great snorkel.

The weather was lovely, the apartment, Fiona Theodores, brilliant, the wedding was very greek and great fun and all in all it was wonderful to "get away from it all" :-))

But , now I am back and raring to go!  Customers have been seen, classes have started up again and books are still being sold.  I do need to get more books 'out there' though guys, so if you have any brilliant ideas please let me know.

All pictures © Glyn Davies 2009

Videos of me reading Me & Mr Shark on YouTube

Today Glyn shot a video of me in his gallery, against one of his seascapes whilst reading Me and Mr Shark, one of the poems from my first ever poetry book "Sea Things". If you are inspired and would like to purchase a signed copy of my book click HERE

It was an empty room, so excuse the hollow sounding recording, but at least you can hear the poem clearly!  I would be delighted if you would also visit YouTube and leave feedback on there for me?  :-))

I will post another poetry reading video tomorrow.

Farewell to a lovely man

On Monday 20th July my lovely step-father Dave passed away peacefully sitting on a bench in his garden in the sunshine. It was expected, he has been ill with kidney problems for over 2 years, but it was still a shock. Dave was a "character" always chatting to people in the street, always fiddling around in the garden, in his shed, in the house and growing his vegetables in any corner of the garden he could find. Whenever I saw him he would remind me how much he loved my mother and sing bits of welsh songs to me.

The bench is now in our garden, because mum found it too painful to look at, so today in memory of Dave I put a pot of roses on it.

Today, 27th July, we went to his funeral at the Bangor Crematorium. Over a 100 people attended, family, old friends, new friends and all those he had touched with his special magic over the years. The vicar, who had never met Dave, gave a lovely service and having spoken with my mother earlier this week, highlighted attributes about Dave that would remind us all of what a kind, loving man he had been. He then suggested we all remember Dave in our own special ways, the way we all knew him.

For me, the little wave through the window at work every Friday morning.

He then read us a beautiful poem by Henry Van Dyke about a ship leaving port and heading out of sight over the horizon, which brought tears to my eyes and made me think a little more about life and death.

"I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says "There, she is gone."
"Gone where?"
"Gone from my sight. That is all."
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at that moment when someone says "There, she is gone" there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout - "Here she comes!"

I would like to thank all those who attended today to pay their last respects, I would like to thank the vicar for a wonderful service, I would like to thank John the Undertaker for his kindness and support he has shown my mother over the last 7 days and most of all I would like to thank Dave for loving my mother as much as he did and for touching me and my family with his lovely, cheerful, singing, gardening, handyman, wonderful and caring soul.

Rest in Peace David John Roberts.

xxxxx

New Poetry Book

I cannot believe it has been a month since my last blog!! Not good, I apologise to all! It has been a very busy month though, I returned from my lovely relaxing trip in Cornwall to organise the launch of my new book "Sea Things", hectic isn't the word! As well as teaching 1-2-1's, classes and running a household I was trying to make puppets, order puppets and generally invite as many people as possible to the launch. If you didn't already know - I have published a book!! A % of which is being donated to the Marine Conservation Society . They were so delighted with the offer and the link between the arts and how my book can help play such an important role in their work that Simon Brockington, Head of Conservation, travelled, with his family, to open the launch with me!

I love my little book, and all the fantastic illustrations by Gareth Davies, my father in law. Check out able creations for more info.

Anyway, the book is selling well and I have arranged readings in various places on Anglesey over the summer, so watch my website for more information.

Hope to see you at some of them?

Oh, yes, as far as Fitness goes - ran the Y Felinheli race recently and was very proud of my 55 mins time over 10K.

A Cornish Postcard

Here are a few pictures from my holiday, which unfortunately ends this weekend :-((

But it has been great, lots of walking, swimming and sunbathing, just what a holiday is all about. As you can see from some of the pictures, standing on cliff tops, sitting on rocks watching the sun set and oh yes, walking through a path of stinging nettles!! Check out the professional photograph of my leg!

It has been fun, fun and more fun.

Did I mention the Basking Sharks? Watched them from our apartment window and then ran down to the Cape Cornwall footpath and watched them from there too - amazing!

Perhaps I should also mention the cornish pasties, clotted cream teas, ice cream .......... !!

Last few birthday pix :-)

ABLE Proves it's able! First Birthday Celebrations

Tonight along with friends, customers and one or two family members, I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating a highly successful first year for my business, AbleFitness. Against all odds and in one of the toughest years in decades, I have actually INCREASED my client base, had more enquiries than ever and have even had to turn people away through lack of available slots!

My initial worries about never finding new customers have been largely unfounded and I have learned SO much about business, it's joys and it's pitfalls.

So a year after I started, surrounded by such great company and supportive people, with a short congratulatory speech by my husband Glyn, I am even more confident than ever, that year two will be a good one, and that the treadmill is now rolling at a great pace :-)


© All images Copyright Glyn Davies 2009

Special thanks to Shirley Charlton for creating the AMAZING buffet; to my lads Rich & Ed for serving the drinks; to Steph, for helping with the layout & food.

"Sixty Able Women"

A big thank you to all the women who joined my team for the Caernarfon Race For Life, 10th May 2009 :-))


"Sixty Able Women"
A poem by Carol Mead 2009

Sixty brave women
Running together
Racing for Life
In dubious weather.

Under one banner
The Able Girls team
T-shirts and tut-tu’s
With a pink theme

Running united
For such a good cause
Sunday, Caernarfon
Amid the applause

Thoughts of our loved ones
Some from the past
But never forgotten
And in our hearts last

Hugs, tears and kisses
Bonding with others
Sisters and friends
Daughters and mothers

Medals and goodies
Laughter and fun
But bearing in mind
The aim of the run

Warm dedications
Pegged on the wall
The dead, the survivors
We remember you all


© Carol Mead Able Creations 2009

No copying or re-use of this image OR TEXT is permitted by any means or in any media including web use.

A fine day for the Mountains

What a beautiful day Bank Holiday Sunday turned out to be. Glyn & I decided we would try an amble into our beautiful Snowdonia. We scoured the maps and found two parallel valleys, Cwm Silyn & Cwm Dulyn which just sort of ‘looked interesting’ and faced the right way!

Armed with back packs, coffee, (biscuits!) and cameras we set off for a leisurely stroll to the lake of Llynnau Cwm Silyn. Here we sat and watched rock climbers, ate sandwiches and drank coffee. The sun appeared and it felt good. Eventually we decided to move on and head up the mountain, Garnedd Goch. Not a bad little climb really, nothing too strenuous for me! Glyn isn't feeling particularly fit at the moment and didn't appreciate me stomping ahead of him!!

Once we reached the summit and after only seeing one lone walker and another couple, Glyn took some Landscape shots and I, well I just sat around enjoying the view and the peace and quiet, and the warmth of the sun.

It reminded us both about how little time we spend in the mountains and it was nice to have reacquainted ourselves with them. In fact another trip is in the offing! Snowdon anyone??

MORE RUBBISH

Sorry to harp on about the state of the rubbish littering our roads, walkways, footpaths, beauty spots, beaches etc., BUT here I am, outside The Glyn Davies Gallery, Menai Bridge where I have my Able Fitness Studio. Can you spot the rubbish bag!! Yep, I had just been out with a customer for a good old power walk along to Llanfair PG and I just happened to pick up a few bits of debris on route!! Once again I am shocked with the amount of litter I can manage to pick up just simply going out to enjoy
our beautiful island!

Thought I would show you and remind you that
"I AM ON A MISSION, TO CLEAN UP OUR COUNTRYSIDE".

I must remember to take more than one collection bag out next time ..........