A mirror’s reflection

Today, we had our FINAL primary school assembly before the summer holidays and in the very beginning of the gathering, our school principal spoke about reflection.

He mentioned something about looking in the mirror, reflecting on the school year that is coming to an end and seeing how much everyone has changed and grown over the past 10 months.
Of course this message was geared mostly towards our young students, however it really got me thinking about what I would see if I looked in the mirror...

There was a time during this academic year

When I thought the conclusion to my UAE experience was near

My 3-year contract was coming to an end

And I really wasn’t convinced I wanted to extend

But things have changed

A new contract has been arranged

I’m staying on for yet another year

I’m making a commitment to persevere

I’m not ready to say goodbye

To this very special place called Dubai

My time here has allowed me to grow

While facing many highs and lows

I know that life’s a journey

Nothing is supposed to be easy

And being far away from my family

Doesn’t always make me happy

Luckily I have made some friends

A few of them, really good gems

They pick me up when things are tough

And stick by my side interestingly enough

Over here, I’ve been able to take action

With regards to exploring some of my true passions

I exercise quite regularly

Football, running and strength training particularly

Balance in my life is something I’ve learned to seek

It’s the best way to live every single week

“Work hard, play hard”

Is truthfully a thought not to discard

I’ve come to realize that I’m capable of much more than I ever thought

As long as I’m willing to give it everything I got

Risk taking goes a long way

When motivation and determination are on display

So, with all that said

What do I see today in the mirror ahead?

An honest, compassionate and respectful individual

Whose courage and confidence are becoming more and more visible

SEE YOU ALL AGAIN IN AUGUST!

Comments

Ready. Set. Go.

“Once in a while, it’s good to challenge yourself in a way that’s really daunting.” Since returning to Dubai in January 2020, I have participated in numerous fitness events around the city, mostly in pairs, trios or teams of 4,5,6 athletes ( aside from our internal community weightlifting/powerlifting throwdowns ). Many of these events have challenged me with new formats ( e.g. Hyrox and Primal Race ), movemenents ( e.g. swimming and sled pulls ) and/or equipement ( e.g. the worm and the yoke ). Being part of a team has been a whole lot of fun, and I’ve been so incredibly blessed to team-up with some really good athletes who have pushed me to achieve great things, both in training and in competition. That said, for a little while now, I’ve sort of wondered what it’d be like to compete individually again. Are my body and mind still up for this kind of challenge? Throughout my time living in Vietnam, from 2017 to 2019, I became fully invested in the sport of CrossFit. I thoroughly enj

The power of a PAUSE

“Don’t underestimate the power of a PAUSE; it allows you to reflect, recharge and refocus.” We live in such a fast pace world. These days, when people ask how we’re doing, we regularly say “I am so busy!” and “I am so tired!” When we are not occupied, we think something is wrong, we feel lazy, and we immediately try to find things to do to fill up our time. We’re constantly looking to move forward; to go, go go and to do, do, do. Why is it so difficult to stop and take a break? For me personally, when I am in ‘work mode’, my routine is pretty consistent; work, gym, eat, sleep, repeat. In the past, I was really hard on myself when I didn’t feel productive and accomplished, but over the last few years, I have really tried to look for and embrace ‘down time’. Now, I am more aware of my needs and my boundaries. I am capable of laying on the couch and watching TV without feeling guilty. I can also turn down weekend plans if I don’t feel like socialising and would prefer to have a restful n

Jack of all trades, master of none

“Sometimes we strive so hard for perfection that we forget that imperfection is happiness.” At a very young age, my parents signed me up for ice skating. They invested lots of money over the years, on skates, outfits, coaches, private lessons, and competitions, and I of course invested lots of time into improving my skills. Throughout my childhood and teenage years, you could find me at the ice rink most days, trying to prepare for my next test, competition or show. Now, I was a decent skater, but realistically, I wasn’t on a path to the Olympics. Once I went off to university, some difficult choices needed to be made, and for some reason, I decided to quit skating and invest more time in my education and career, as well as playing soccer during the summers. For several years after college, soccer became my main sport. Especially when I first moved to Dubai; I played indoor, outdoor, 7 aside, 11 aside, womens leagues and mixed leagues. Some weeks, I was playing 6 consecutive nights,

One Rising Star

Search This Blog