Be inspired!

So why am I doing this? Around Christmas time I stumbled across an article asking the reader “When did you last challenge yourself?”. 2008 had been quite a year with the end of a serious relationship, moving back to Scotland, the search for employment and an appendectomy just to top it off! Dealing with the hurdles life threw me made me realise I am quite a resilient individual who can adapt fairly easily but it also offered me the opportunity to reflect on what I want to get out of my life. I realised I needed a challenge for 2009, something to focus on, to help me get fitter and ideally to help change the lives of others at the same time! That’s where the idea of trekking the Great Wall of China came up!

Browsing the Scottish Society for Autism’s website my attention was suddenly grabbed by an advert looking for volunteers to raise vital funds by joining a variety of overseas challenges. The notion of joining a charity trek in China, a country steeped in tradition, history and mythology excited me and on impulse I called the challenge events team for more info. After speaking to a number of different people about the trek I arranged to meet with Sabrina, the events co-ordinator in the New Year.

I was still in two minds about it all, considering the recession and to be honest my dubious levels of fitness but in January I went along to a local hotel to meet Sabrina with an open mind. She put me at ease immediately and gave me an insight into the challenge and patiently answered all my questions. I was concerned about the minimum sponsorship of £2800 and a little uneasy about doing it all on my own but I am very independent and once I get an idea in my head, it’s hard to stop me. After all I am the girl who completely out of the blue decided to head off to Thailand on her own for a month and off she went! I am the first to admit that I am a dreamer, but everything we want from life starts with a dream which we then act upon. The road is not always easy but there’s nothing to lose!

My mind was made up and I agreed to face the challenge of a lifetime and at the root of every plan I make, every event I hold, every penny I raise and every step I take will be a very special charity, The Scottish Society for Autism!