Firstly I'd like to point out that I am a very busy person, very very busy person, daytime TV is NOT on my daily agenda. So catching a section with Timmy Mallot- that I'm about to share with you all- must have been fate! To improve all of our destiny's!
A few months ago, I watched a little bit of morning TV. Timmy Mallot was being interviewed by Lorraine Kelly. Timmy Mallot as a real person, not as his TV persona in wacky shirts and a giant mallot.
He was talking about taking on a personal challenge to complete the Camino de Santiago trail with his bike – unsupported from his home. It was a challenge that he had planned for and it took him 4 months.
Sadly just a few days before he set off his brother Martin passed away. His brother had down Syndrome and Timmy said that his brother lived each day in the day. Happy. Never looking back and not really looking forward. He decided that his brother would want him to continue with the planned adventure and so while looking through his brother’s things they came across clothing name labels.
Timmy’s good friend Steve (Lorraine Kelly’s husband) suggested taking the name labels along the route and leaving them at points of significance on the way. Timmy stopped to paint on his route, his emotions, mood and grieving visible in his paintings. Name labels deposited.
He achieved his challenge and wanted to talk to Lorraine about it in order to inspire others. His message was about reaching your potential-
“What are we waiting for?”
It’s a message we hear time and time again. Timmy asked,
“what’s wrong with now?”
The message was to book that holiday, do that challenge, go on that day out, we don’t know what life will throw at us, don’t wait till next year to do that 5 km. What’s wrong with now?
It’s a message that instantly inspired me. Instantly motivated me.
I instantly left the TV, I turned on the laptop and I googled challenges, it needed to be in the UK and not too long as it had to fit around work and children.
My excuse is always- “when the kids are up, I’ll do X, Y, Z”. Why am I waiting for the kids to grow up? What is wrong with now? Surely watching their mam and dad taking on a challenge also motivates and inspires them!
I found the 24 hour National 3 peaks challenge and signed up. Job done. Now I’m in training and feeling so enthusiastic I decided to share my positive vibes. Setting up a Facebook group for others to join in with to share motivational messages of support for each other. Motivational MaDnEsS.
The group is to celebrate each other’s successes and laugh and move on from the little failures along the way. To celebrate the extra steps each day. To inspire healthier choices in our meals with new recipes. To share the walks and hidden routes or sporting events that get us out the house. To make us all move more whether that’s round the block with the dog, breaking a sweat with the hoover, or a Marathon.
Each person’s goal is as unique as them.
We are not competing.
We don’t need to sign up to anything. We don’t even need to admit when we fall off the wagon. We can log onto the group and be inspired. We are achieving our goals today. We aren’t waiting for tomorrow, or next week or next year, or even when the kids grow up.
There isn’t a good time to start. You make time to start.
I Told the Timmy Mallot story to someone I met 2 weeks ago. That person has just told me that he went home and told his wife. He then went to the gym. He signed up for the couch to 5 km. He went to the gym again and again. He even went to the gym on a Friday night. He stopped making the excuses of “needing to go to the shop” “or got to just fix this first/do that”.
He made the time and didn’t wait for the time to appear. He is taking his kids to the park run this weekend.
Timmy Mallot made that happen.
It’s a snowball effect. Positive vibes makes more positive vibes.
Make sure you tell someone to stop waiting for time to appear or waiting for the right time.
Make the right time for you and be kind to yourself.
Timmy Mallot made me motivate you. You in turn motivate me. We motivate each other.
Thanks Timmy!
His adventure is documented on his Website. www.timmymallot.co.uk
(now get out and get moving!)