Enjoying Chaos

Lions, Pickleball, Mental Health Community Forum, Yoga, Singapore, Melbourne and a new run!

It’s all happening and I’m writing this as a reminder to myself to slow down, prioritise, and enjoy the chaos.

Here’s what’s happened:

R4R just keeps growing. We had our first Racquet for Resilience day (Pickleball and Padel) at the Canberra Racquet Club in Fyshwick. I was stressing, thinking only 30–40 people would show up. But was blown away when 200–250 rocked up! Didn’t even get a hit in as all the courts had lines for them!

racquetclubs

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So I parked myself at the bar and chatted away before heading to the Dock for the Lions tour opener vs the Force. Very dusty Sunday!

Then we launched a new R4R run at Frankie’s at Forde. Was excepting 40-50, and had 100+ rock up! Which was great and we now have 15 weekly event.

Plus the latest episode of the R4R pod came out! Check it out below.

But all that was while I was still recovering from the weekend before in Sydney with Jen. Spoke at a rugby lunch about the 2013 Lions series, which was wild as I got to sit next to Justin Harrison relive that lineout win (still remember being a young boy on rugby tour in NZ watching that moment 24 years earlier).

Then had a night in the Rocks and parkrun the next morning with my bestie, before going back to my old school Knox to watch the rugby team and present jerseys.

Oh, and also meet my new niece!

Pirrima parkrun with the bestie

What’s happening this week:

Tonight, R4R’s hosting its first community forum with the ACT Government and CEOs from Lifeline and Menslink after the weekly run. Am I the only one who thinks it’s wild that R4R is now not only apart of these important conversations… but hosting them?!

Forgot the Lions are playing the Reds at 7:45pm tonight too, so it’ll be a fun night!

If you can’t make it, you can still join in by watching the live stream below at 7pm.

Then this Friday is Yoga for Resilience’s first birthday! Can’t believe a sauna idea has turned into a monthly event that might outgrow our runs. Plus my sister and her family are back from Switzerland who I can’t wait to see.

What’s happening next week:

What’s making it hard to focus and relax is the fact the Lions are coming to Canberra, looking for revenge after we beat them 12 years ago.

The tour's been going for 140 years, and for the Dock to play a small part in it (we’re hosting the pre-game fan zone) is unreal.

Makes me almost as proud as playing in a series, and the Brumbies are holding a legends lunch the day before at the Realm.

There’s still heaps to do. But ticket sales are pointing to the Dock’s biggest day ever, and I haven’t had this many people reach out about an event since my wedding!

So I need to calm down and stay focused, because the next day we’re off to Singapore for a family holiday. Jen’s Nan, who was Singaporean, passed away last year, and we’re taking the girls to meet their relatives for the first time.

Then, not long after we get back, it’s straight to Melbourne for the second Test, then City2Surf, a family weekend at the snow, and more.

But that’s all down the track and right now, I need to stay in the present.

I’m hoping writing this helps clear my head, because my nervous system kicks into fight-or-flight whenever something big’s coming up.

My “fun times ahead spidey sense” is tingling like never before and I haven’t felt this excited (or this on edge) in years.

So Ben…. just breathe, prepare as best you can, and let the rest unfold.

Multiple things will fuck up.

And that’s ok.

Anyways, thanks for reading. Keen to hear what you do when you’ve got a lot on.