Inspiration at Sea Level
So what’s next? It’s amazing how many people have asked that question since I got back from summiting Mt Kilimanjaro. But if I was to be honest it’s probably the same question I’ve been asking myself. How do I inspire myself now? And once again I...
7 Days of Leadership Lessons from Mt Kilimanjaro (Day 7)
So I made the summit, what more is there to blog about?!? It's easy to think that once you get to the summit the journey is over but for me it really has only just begun. The climb down from the summit was unequivocally hard. Not the same...
7 Days of Leadership Lessons from Mt Kilimanjaro (Day 6)
At 3.30am there was a 'knock' on our tent that disturbed the ice which had formed around it overnight – it was our wake up call for "summit day". After the strain of the day before, I knew when I woke up without a headache and any other symptoms of...
7 Days of Leadership Lessons from Mt Kilimanjaro (Day 5)
Day 5 started out like any other on the mountain, except what I didn't know was that it would be my summit day. The hike on Day 5 was similar to that of Day 2 in that we were climbing a significant vertical distance. So I wasn't too worried when...
7 Days of Leadership Lessons from Mt Kilimanjaro (Day 4)
Day 4 on Mt Kilimanjaro was the day I learned to breathe. The day before when we had arrived at Barranco Camp I hadn’t really taken the time to appreciate the challenge that lay before me. But on the morning of Day 4 looking at the Barranco Wall...
7 Days of Leadership Lessons from Mt Kilimanjaro (Day 3)
Day 3 started with a sense of relief. Relief that my headache was gone along with all other symptoms of altitude sickness. It seemed a good night's rest was exactly what the doctor ordered. One of the reasons for doing the mountain leadership...
7 Days of Leadership Lessons from Mt Kilimanjaro (Day 2)
Day 2 started at 6.30am (which I quickly learned was to be our regular wake up call, but luckily with a hot drink brought to our tent 🙂 ) After such a great first day trekking through the rain forest I can honestly say I thought I was ready for...
7 Days of Leadership Lessons from Mt Kilimanjaro (Day 1)
Day 1 of the trek to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro started the night before. After a couple of days volunteering at the orphanage the group was in high spirits but as we came together the evening before the start of the hike we were asked to put it...
Insights from an African Orphanage
I've been fortunate that through the organization I work for I have had the opportunity to volunteer for many community service activities. But there is definitely something different when you undertake such an...
How long does it take to achieve a goal?
As I write this post, I am sitting on the plane traveling from Doha to Tanzania approximately a 5hr flight. We have already travelled 15hrs from Sydney to Doha and then had a 3hr layover. By the time we arrive at Tanzania we would have been...
What have I learned while training for the mountain?
So when Adrian and I decided 8 months ago to climb Mt Kilimanjaro, I thought 'Perfect at least I've made sure I have plenty of time to prepare and train!' (And for someone who dislikes to exercise and had never hiked/camped before I thought this...
Why would I climb to 5,895m above sea level?
In approximately 2 weeks from now I will be getting on a plane to Tanzania, Africa in order to climb Mt Kilimanjaro with my husband. Kilimanjaro is a mountain in the middle of Africa, the tallest on the continent at 5895m (19,340ft). Standing on...
Ignite Your SPARK – Step #5 Hone Your Knowledge
For as long as I can remember I was referred to as a "good student". Maybe it was my early need to please others or gain approval but I liked the thought of doing well. I certainly wasn't the best and the brightest and did work hard for my grades...
Ignite Your SPARK – Step #4 Rebound with Resilience
Unfortunately this post has taken me a little longer to get out, but in some ways has been a real live example of Rebound with Resilience, the fourth out of the 5 steps to Ignite Your SPARK. No stranger to setbacks, I have had a few to start off...
Ignite Your SPARK – Step #3 Act with Authenticity
Act with Authenticity. As mentioned in my post 5 steps to Ignite Your SPARK, 'A' is for 'Authenticity'. So why do I say "Act with Authenticity", surely that is an oxymoron? I have found that over the course of my life I have "acted" in a number of...
Ignite Your SPARK – Step #2 Power Your Performance
The P in SPARK is for Performance. My performance is something I have always been conscious of. Even when I was 'asleep'* I was always acutely aware of how I was performing. Particularly in relation to what I perceived as the performance standards...
Ignite Your SPARK – Step #1 Unleash Your Spirit
In my last post I described how I re-lit my own SPARK after spending so many years 'asleep'. The first of which started with my Spirit. Regardless of your beliefs, albeit religious or otherwise, I do feel that most people understand we all have an...
5 steps to Ignite Your SPARK
I was asleep for 40 years. Let me explain. For all my life, I had lived by the plan laid down by my family, society and culture. I was a relatively 'good' girl, did well at school, went to university, got a good job, got married, bought a house and...
Confused about your life Purpose?
For a long time I struggled with the idea of 'purpose'. The daunting questions of "Why am I here?" and "What's my ultimate mission?" just seemed to overwhelm me. And the more I thought about it the more anxious I became. So of course I just avoided...
Presence is Power
In my last post I explained my perspective on what it means to be 'present', essentially not being absent. And I discussed how this is one of the quickest ways to influence. But how do you become a master at being present? How do you ensure that: •...
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