So, yesterday I had a meeting with a local rugby club about working with them in my capacity as a sports & remedial massage therapist and I'm starting next week! It will be quite a challenge, but I'm looking forward to it, albeit a little apprehensively.
My role is to look after the players and help with injury rehab etc. I'll also be doing pitch-side stuff. I've booked myself onto a one-day taping workshop and I've already done pitch-side first aid and a kinesio-taping course. What I hope to do is to apply my particular skill set to the role rather than try to be something I am not. I'm not a physio', and I've made that clear, but I do have skills and knowledge that I think will be really useful to the club.
The next step is to figure out what needs to go in the first aid bag and how much tape to buy! The club doesn't have a lot of money, show me an amateur sports club that does, so we will need to be careful and buy wisely.
I haven't seen a fixture list, but the first game is set for a couple of weeks time and the season runs through into April. It's strange to think that after 20 years of my weekends being shaped by the needs of the church that I've now swapped that for the needs of a rugby club! I guess that makes the last two years or so a bit of a sabbatical from weekend busyness!
I'm hoping that by taking on this role it will open opportunities to run more clinics and expand my private practice. We shall have to wait and see. What's exciting is the possibility and the thought that things are beginning to take a bit of shape. I wonder if I will feel the same way when we reach to dark cold night of mid-winter training!!
Showing posts with label vision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vision. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 06, 2014
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Refocussing
I've known if for some time if I'm honest, I've just been avoiding as best I can. It's the old issue we all face at some point in our lives. I'm not talking about getting older or going grey. I'm not even talking about coming to the realisation that your eyesight isn't what it was and you're reactions aren't as quick and your body is so much slower.
No, although all of that it true, I'm not thinking about those things today.
I've been setting up my bright shiny new MacBook that arrived yesterday. It's a replacement for the one of which I was relieved of a week or so ago during the night while we slept peacefully at home. My 13" Black MacBook was my first step into the world of Apple and I've never wanted anything else since! I shall miss it. I have set it to self destruct when it's opened, but so far it hasn't connected to the internet. We wait and see. The insurance company have been very good, and they've dealt with the claim quickly and efficiently, so that's the end of that.
Anyway, I decided not to go down the migration route for some reason, but rather to sit and work out what I wanted on my new machine. It's rather interesting to look at all the applications I've got and how little I use some of those I once thought I couldn't live without. It was also interesting to think about apps that have laid dormant because the way I do things has changed or because I simply don't do those things anymore.
Take Scrivener for example. One of my all-time favourite writing applications, but I haven't done the kind of writing that it is best suited to for a long time. Maybe I should start that book project or do a case study and put it to good use. Similarly there are mind mapping tools, notebook tools, outliners, archivers etc, etc. All of which, if one is not careful, mean that you can lose your files and threads simply because you can't remember which application you used to create the thing in the first place.
Which brings me to my original thought in a somewhat circuitous way. Focus. Focus is the thing I am in need of today. Well not just today. I installed my task tracking and planning app on the new MacBook only to realise it's been several months since I used it. Now reinstalling an application, cleaning up the contents and synchronising across various platforms isn't going to focus my attention. I need a project.
More than that, I need to make myself accountable for a project.
Since stepping out of formal church leadership I've focussed most of my efforts on completing the soft tissue therapy course. But that happened in February when I qualified, so I need to pick up my brain and get it stuck into something meaningful and challenging. I'm not busy at the moment so it's ought to be an ideal time to learn more, research things and really consolidate my learning and knowledge.
Rather than see the present quietness of work as either a negative thing or just an excuse to become lazy, I should take control and do what I can to find clients but also to redeem the time by doing something useful with my time.
So here's the plan. Over the next few days I'm going to think about a few ideas I have for things to work on. Something related to missional church and the vision for our community and something to do with therapy and practice. For the latter I have some thinking I want to do about lower back pain and hip mobility. For the church thing there's lots of things to think about, vision is one and a study project I've had on my wish list is another.
I've got other things to do to. Things like tennis coaching (I passed my Level One qualification), PT stuff and practical project around the house. The list will be long, but it's time to get stuck in, get the brain up and running and get some focus back.
You see, without a focus there doesn't seem to be a vision and without a vision there is no real direction and without direction there can be no plan and with a plan there is no purpose and without a purpose self-esteem plummets and the couch beckons. I'm not ready for that.
I might even start to blog a bit more as a way of being of accountable, but don't hold me to that!!
No, although all of that it true, I'm not thinking about those things today.
I've been setting up my bright shiny new MacBook that arrived yesterday. It's a replacement for the one of which I was relieved of a week or so ago during the night while we slept peacefully at home. My 13" Black MacBook was my first step into the world of Apple and I've never wanted anything else since! I shall miss it. I have set it to self destruct when it's opened, but so far it hasn't connected to the internet. We wait and see. The insurance company have been very good, and they've dealt with the claim quickly and efficiently, so that's the end of that.
Anyway, I decided not to go down the migration route for some reason, but rather to sit and work out what I wanted on my new machine. It's rather interesting to look at all the applications I've got and how little I use some of those I once thought I couldn't live without. It was also interesting to think about apps that have laid dormant because the way I do things has changed or because I simply don't do those things anymore.
Take Scrivener for example. One of my all-time favourite writing applications, but I haven't done the kind of writing that it is best suited to for a long time. Maybe I should start that book project or do a case study and put it to good use. Similarly there are mind mapping tools, notebook tools, outliners, archivers etc, etc. All of which, if one is not careful, mean that you can lose your files and threads simply because you can't remember which application you used to create the thing in the first place.
Which brings me to my original thought in a somewhat circuitous way. Focus. Focus is the thing I am in need of today. Well not just today. I installed my task tracking and planning app on the new MacBook only to realise it's been several months since I used it. Now reinstalling an application, cleaning up the contents and synchronising across various platforms isn't going to focus my attention. I need a project.
More than that, I need to make myself accountable for a project.
Since stepping out of formal church leadership I've focussed most of my efforts on completing the soft tissue therapy course. But that happened in February when I qualified, so I need to pick up my brain and get it stuck into something meaningful and challenging. I'm not busy at the moment so it's ought to be an ideal time to learn more, research things and really consolidate my learning and knowledge.
Rather than see the present quietness of work as either a negative thing or just an excuse to become lazy, I should take control and do what I can to find clients but also to redeem the time by doing something useful with my time.
So here's the plan. Over the next few days I'm going to think about a few ideas I have for things to work on. Something related to missional church and the vision for our community and something to do with therapy and practice. For the latter I have some thinking I want to do about lower back pain and hip mobility. For the church thing there's lots of things to think about, vision is one and a study project I've had on my wish list is another.
I've got other things to do to. Things like tennis coaching (I passed my Level One qualification), PT stuff and practical project around the house. The list will be long, but it's time to get stuck in, get the brain up and running and get some focus back.
You see, without a focus there doesn't seem to be a vision and without a vision there is no real direction and without direction there can be no plan and with a plan there is no purpose and without a purpose self-esteem plummets and the couch beckons. I'm not ready for that.
I might even start to blog a bit more as a way of being of accountable, but don't hold me to that!!
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
Dreams and visions
I have many a dream and vision. I dream of having a well-euipped workshop where I create furniture and make things. I dream of having a successful private practice where I treat clients effectively and work with a partner or two. I dream of a church where it's less about filling a building and more about incarnating the gospel into the life of a community.
I have many a dream and vision.
The problem is not only in seeking to realise any or all of these dreams and visions, but living with the tension of what is, what might be, and the journey in between. The truth of the matter is that some dreams and vision may never become a reality. But if you don't have a dream, then there's no way it can become a reality!
So what do you do in the meantime? Well I guess one of the things you have to hold in tension is the now and the maybe. It's the Wimbledon tennis tournament at the moment. It is, as I'm sure everyone knows, one of four Grand Slam events through the year. 128 players start the first round in the singles draw. Only one can win it. Even if you take the view that it will probably be one of the top 8 players, it remains a strong possibility that most tennis players, even some of the very best, might never win a Grand Slam tournament.
What does this have to do with dreams? Well, a dream can drive you but it can also destroy you. Think of Captain Ahab. Somehow we have to find a way to be inspired by our dreams but not being imprisoned by them. I think you can tell the difference in part by how much of a sense of failure you carry each day, how much you are weighed down by that consuming sense of the unattainable that dreams so often seem to generate. I'm not talking here about the unrealistic dreams of the tone deaf singer or the unskilled sports person. I'm talking about those of us who carry the burden of being able to see what others cannot see and knowing that the reality may be that our dream will outlive us.
If you can't be comfortable about not realising your dream, you might find yourself in a dungeon of dashed hopes and angst. If you can find a place of comfort, then you stand a chance of seeing the possible along the way as well as holding onto the dream that draws you forward.
As for me? Well the garage is much tidier and looks like a workshop in progress. I continue to dream of making things and even have a few ideas in my head and a list of wonderful gadgets and tools I;d love to own! I'm building a log cabin as a place to relax but also a place to treat clients when they come to see me and I'm exploring opportunities to involve myself in the community. The latter not as a minister but maybe as a tennis coach! Now honestly, who would have thought that wold ever be on my agenda!
I have many a dream and vision.
The problem is not only in seeking to realise any or all of these dreams and visions, but living with the tension of what is, what might be, and the journey in between. The truth of the matter is that some dreams and vision may never become a reality. But if you don't have a dream, then there's no way it can become a reality!
So what do you do in the meantime? Well I guess one of the things you have to hold in tension is the now and the maybe. It's the Wimbledon tennis tournament at the moment. It is, as I'm sure everyone knows, one of four Grand Slam events through the year. 128 players start the first round in the singles draw. Only one can win it. Even if you take the view that it will probably be one of the top 8 players, it remains a strong possibility that most tennis players, even some of the very best, might never win a Grand Slam tournament.
What does this have to do with dreams? Well, a dream can drive you but it can also destroy you. Think of Captain Ahab. Somehow we have to find a way to be inspired by our dreams but not being imprisoned by them. I think you can tell the difference in part by how much of a sense of failure you carry each day, how much you are weighed down by that consuming sense of the unattainable that dreams so often seem to generate. I'm not talking here about the unrealistic dreams of the tone deaf singer or the unskilled sports person. I'm talking about those of us who carry the burden of being able to see what others cannot see and knowing that the reality may be that our dream will outlive us.
If you can't be comfortable about not realising your dream, you might find yourself in a dungeon of dashed hopes and angst. If you can find a place of comfort, then you stand a chance of seeing the possible along the way as well as holding onto the dream that draws you forward.
As for me? Well the garage is much tidier and looks like a workshop in progress. I continue to dream of making things and even have a few ideas in my head and a list of wonderful gadgets and tools I;d love to own! I'm building a log cabin as a place to relax but also a place to treat clients when they come to see me and I'm exploring opportunities to involve myself in the community. The latter not as a minister but maybe as a tennis coach! Now honestly, who would have thought that wold ever be on my agenda!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
What might it look like?
We were joking the other day with some friends about what we might be doing next now that formal ministry seems to be over for us. Amidst the swinging from crazy ideas and incredible vision to sheer panic and scary dreams about the future, we find ourselves reflecting on all sorts of things. The truth is that rather like one of the legendary large artworks of the inimitable Rolf Harris, it's difficult to, "see what is it yet."
In my dreams, it looks very different to the usual experience we have of church. It's rooted in relationships, built around common values and shared experiences. I know this is what all church experience ought to be, but it isn't. That's the truth. When faith becomes institutionalised it requires an organisational system to maintain itself. That system generates demands and expectations that are sometimes in danger of becoming the defining criteria above the core message. It's the nature of an imperfect expression of being the body of Christ with which we all have to do battle whether in or out of the local, traditional expression of church. Whatever we do in the coming years will not be perfect, it might not even be better.
Having a blank sheet of paper does give us the opportunity to begin from scratch and ask ourselves what are the key things, the non-negotiables that we would want to put in place. I don't have a definitive list, but one of the things I know will be important is a resolute determination not to criticise and moan about the established church. It doesn't help anyone. I also know that whatever happens, it will probably not happen spontaneously but will require a degree of intentionality about it. With that in mind, I think we will need to be able to describe the boundaries and the ethos of the thing really early. Like now would be a good time!
So here are a few thoughts about some key ideas:
Firstly, whatever group assembles, we will need a clear, shared vision that we all buy into. If some of us ultimately see the end game in terms of a gathered group of people in one place of Sunday mornings singing songs and listening to sermons, and others don't, then we would need to get that sorted pretty quickly.
Secondly, we would need to be fully committed to spending regular, quality time around a shared meal. Call it what you like, but relationships are built over time and not through worship services alone.
Thirdly, we would need to agree to live as an extended family. Put simply, we care for each other without abdicating that responsibility to one person alone.
Fourth, it's shared leadership. More like parenting maybe that CEO-leadership, but based on a plurality of leadership gifts distributed among a group of leaders.
Fifthly, and remember these are not in any specific order, a deep commitment to pray and to incarnational mission.
There's a lot missing I know, but it gives you a flavour of the things that are going through my mind at the moment. To those who have listened to me over the years, some of it will be instantly recognised from previous conversations.
More to come, I'm sure.
In my dreams, it looks very different to the usual experience we have of church. It's rooted in relationships, built around common values and shared experiences. I know this is what all church experience ought to be, but it isn't. That's the truth. When faith becomes institutionalised it requires an organisational system to maintain itself. That system generates demands and expectations that are sometimes in danger of becoming the defining criteria above the core message. It's the nature of an imperfect expression of being the body of Christ with which we all have to do battle whether in or out of the local, traditional expression of church. Whatever we do in the coming years will not be perfect, it might not even be better.
Having a blank sheet of paper does give us the opportunity to begin from scratch and ask ourselves what are the key things, the non-negotiables that we would want to put in place. I don't have a definitive list, but one of the things I know will be important is a resolute determination not to criticise and moan about the established church. It doesn't help anyone. I also know that whatever happens, it will probably not happen spontaneously but will require a degree of intentionality about it. With that in mind, I think we will need to be able to describe the boundaries and the ethos of the thing really early. Like now would be a good time!
So here are a few thoughts about some key ideas:
Firstly, whatever group assembles, we will need a clear, shared vision that we all buy into. If some of us ultimately see the end game in terms of a gathered group of people in one place of Sunday mornings singing songs and listening to sermons, and others don't, then we would need to get that sorted pretty quickly.
Secondly, we would need to be fully committed to spending regular, quality time around a shared meal. Call it what you like, but relationships are built over time and not through worship services alone.
Thirdly, we would need to agree to live as an extended family. Put simply, we care for each other without abdicating that responsibility to one person alone.
Fourth, it's shared leadership. More like parenting maybe that CEO-leadership, but based on a plurality of leadership gifts distributed among a group of leaders.
Fifthly, and remember these are not in any specific order, a deep commitment to pray and to incarnational mission.
There's a lot missing I know, but it gives you a flavour of the things that are going through my mind at the moment. To those who have listened to me over the years, some of it will be instantly recognised from previous conversations.
More to come, I'm sure.
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