Make room for surprises

Remember how I told you I won $15,000 in a body transformation challenge in 2002?

Well this weekend, I started sorting out photos (which is taking me SOOOOOOOOO much longer than anticipated) and look what I found ->

So let me tell you about that night...

It was after 5pm on a Friday night when I answered a knock at the door. I opened it and was temporarily blinded by a camera light (I thought I was in a Nappy San ad). I was asked if I was Grace Mimmo, to which I answered yes, and then came the news... I was runner up and had won $15,000 cash.

WHAT?

$15,000 cash!

I received a silver briefcase full of money. The multicoloured notes made me want to party - but I was trapped (oh woe is me). No, truly. The banks were closed and I wasn't going to leave it home unattended... and seeing as though I didn't have any handcuffs laying about (my sex life wasn't so kinky back then - not to say it is now - oh never mind!)

ANYWAY, I thought going to out with sliver briefcase was 1. a bit suspicious and 2. a lot awkward. So instead, I declared a party at my house.

I called everyone I could think of to help be celebrate, but everybody had plans. Plans? Surely they could be renegotiated, I just won $15,000!

So we called our friends from Adelaide and told them we booked the last flight to Melbourne. They had one hour to travel 55km (34 miles) to get to the airport, which they did.

So the moral of the story is, leave room in your diaries for unexpected surprises - who knows when you'll be asked to celebrate one of life's magical moments.

Until tomorrow, be spontaneous!

Grace xx

Will and Grace

Today I'd like to talk about a side of me that I've had a troubled relationship with. Please allow me to introduce you to Will - Will Power.

Will and I once enjoyed a very healthy and mutually respectful relationship. Will was always by my side - ready to stand up for me when I couldn't stand up for myself.

If it weren't for Will, I would never have won $15,000 in a body transformation challenge back in 2002 (see pic below) - nor would I have had the courage to launch my children's book in 2007... but that's another story.

It was a comfort knowing I could rely on Will. Always at my side and stepping in at any sign of weakness, Will was dependably there to save me from myself.

But something happened.

Over the last few years, Will had proven to be rather unreliable and, until now, I'd never bothered to ask why. Instead, I became despondent. Having felt that Will had abandoned me, I began taking a series of regrettable actions and inaction, which lead me to the unenviable point of 'losing myself'.

Whatever happened to my friend and saviour Will Power?

Thankfully, Will has been dropping past more regularly since I embarked on Project Grace 2010. Today, while I was at the gym, Will and I had a long overdue conversation. Just in case you have images of me talking to myself while the gym manager dialled up the dudes in white coats - this was all taking part in my head while I was licking the sweat from my upper lip, which I might add was deliciously salty.

I discovered that Will became wounded several years ago and has been battling just to stay alive. There were moments when Will would gain strength only to crumble whenever there was a bump in the road.

I discovered that Will was like a muscle and if not used, would atrophy. The more Will is exercised, the stronger Will would become.

Going to the gym to build my muscle's strength and endurance is also doing wonders for Will. The two of us, side-by-side, are unstoppable. As I become stronger, so does Will... and vice versa.

Thankfully, our relationship is healing. With each day and in every moment I connect with my wonderful long lost friend, Will Power, I feel anything is possible... and with that, I am happy.

May the love and strength of Will Power be with you too.

Until tomorrow,

Grace xx