Which weight will it be? (There's always an alternative)

I came across these photos the other day and I just love them! Obviously I want to share them with you, but feel they need to be accompanied by either a humorous story (lightweight) or life enhancing message (heavyweight).

So now you know how I come up with some of my posts - love a picture, then tell a story. It also goes the other way - love a story, then find (or create) a picture. I find this way (photo first) infinitely more intriguing (and challenging) as even I don't know where it's going.

So which weight will it be today? Hmmm, let's see...

The main photo was taken in January 2009, when I was snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Port Douglas. The stylish all-in-one Lycra outfit I'm donning is called a stinger suit, and is mandatory sea attire during 'stinger season' (October - April).

Stinger is the colloquial name for the potentially lethal Box Jellyfish that inhabit the reef. Their excruciating venom can kill victims if they're not immediately treated after being stung.

The smaller (round) photo was taken in 1998 when I was learning to SCUBA dive in our Fijian resort swimming pool. As it turned out, I wasn't able to equalise in one of my ears and consequently was never given the green light to dive (I have since discovered ear candling and plan to have another go).

Whilst I was frustrated over not being able to SCUBA dive, I realised there are other ways to explore the beauty of our underworld. Glass bottomed boats, underwater scooters and snorkeling are just some of the alternatives one can choose from.

I fell in love with snorkeling over coral reefs, which I'm fortunate to have experienced in Fiji, Jamaica, Thailand and of course, our great Great Barrier Reef. Despite the odd duck dive or three, I particularly like floating above the reef and colourful fish. When I'm totally relaxed I go into a meditative state, giving me an odd sense of flying. I could do it for hours, days and quite possibly weeks.

Finding alternatives is how we appease ourselves (lightweight) or conquer the limitations we face in our lives (heavyweight). Some of the most inspiring stories I have seen are of people with disabilities, disfigurements and disadvantages who have done the seemingly impossible by employing alternative means. For those of you who are up for a bit of heavyweight inspiration, please see the video below. Amazing.

Looks like my photos became lightweight approach in sending a heavyweight message.

Until tomorrow, may you find an alternative to whatever is limiting you - no matter whether it's lightweight, heavyweight or a little bit of both.

Grace xx

PS. This video makes my inability to equalise seem somewhat insignificant, yet the point remains the same - there's always an alternative.

Choose your dreams

Imagine this...

It's 4:30am, the alarm goes off.

You abruptly awake from a dream. You were sipping a deliciously fruity cocktail poolside, while George Clooney, in scuba gear, played a pink baby grand piano (Does he even play? Do they even come in pink?)

Meanwhile, a Marilyn Monroesque Angelina Jolie sang the French national anthem in a dress made of newspaper shreds - what the?

You let out a big yawn and stretch as you adjust to your current surroundings - your reality.

It's raining outside, the wind is howling and you have to be at work by the ungodly hour of 6am.

How do you feel?

But wait, I didn't tell you the whole story...

You're going to work early in order to leave at lunch time. You have a few loose ends to tie before you, my friend, board a plane that's heading for the Bahamas. This is the morning of your 21-day vacation - woohoo!

How do you feel NOW?

It makes a difference doesn't it?

Our future shapes how we feel in the present. If we're living into a future that inspires, excites and thrills us, we'd all be jumping out of bed before the alarm each morning.

Can choosing our future be as simple as choosing a holiday from a travel brochure?

Let's think about this. No matter what our constraints are, be it time or budget, don't we manage to create a holiday that works for us? One that we look forward to.

A bright future, one that we create, is like equipping ourselves with good suspension on the highway of life. All the little bumps in the road are just that, little bumps.

Perhaps we ought to take holiday planning as a template of how to create a future that's equally as exciting.

Back to the story...

When you get to the Bahamas, you stumble on a film set of a romantic comedy titled 'Le Plongeur'. You learn that George Clooney really can't play, baby grands do come in pink and his co-star, Angelina Jolie, is in all the local papers for sporting a new blonde look, thus discovering you're somewhat psychic.

Until tomorrow, may all your dreams become reality - so choose wisely.

Grace xx