Keeping Life Moving Forward | #GenerationGo

Working solely as a Freelancer for the past two years has taught me a few things and number one on that list is to always be prepared for the unexpected. Or to put it another way, learn to love change. And love change I do.

As I said in a recent post on Instagram, I’m not sure if I’ve learnt to love change or if it’s something I naturally feel comfortable with, but I remember actually studying change and change management back in my Sport Development role and it was pretty fascinating.

But more real to life, how are we supposed to roll with the punches and embrace everything that life throws at us?!

I was contacted by Samsonite a few weeks ago to collaborate on their #GenerationGo campaign and besides the fact that I’m a huge fan of their brand (thanks Mum!)… the campaign itself really resonated with me.

The fact that the campaign is all about empowering women who are fearlessly moving forward… it made me stop and wonder, “is that me? …is that what people perceive when they see me and what I’m doing?” …but rather than question it, I’m just gonna go with it.

Imagine that that is the case and I’m gonna share with you what #GenerationGo means to me… keeping life moving forward…

What #GenerationGo Means To Me

The last year for me has flown by… it’s been a non-stop whirlwind of going back to school, working in fitness, running a small business, working on the blog with just a dash of travel thrown in.

Living the dream by some peoples standards. But it’s not all unicorns and rainbows every day. It’s been hard work learning how to get the balance right in order to succeed, but worth it.

It’s been especially tough creating new boundaries and routines which sometimes mean you have to say no to something you previously said yes to, but worth it.

So I’m gonna sum up all the things I’ve been doing along with a few suggestions from my favourites on Instagram…

don’t ever be afraid to say no

I learnt all about accepting no as an answer quite a few years ago but it’s also important to remember that no is an option for you too! There really is a choice when it comes to almost everything we do (yes, really.

You can choose to not go to work, but the consequences aren’t worth it, right?!) and sometimes it’s good to exercise that choice with a “no”.

Then, own it! …whatever choice you make (as @fc_malcolm told me on Instagram).

take the time you need to make a decision

This one should go hand in hand with learning to say no? Take however long you need to make a choice. In fact, maybe it should be more along the lines of “take time to make decisions” cos it’s a tough lesson when you make one too quickly and wish you’d just sat on it for a while… @jogonmum added a reminder not to dwell on past / mistakes… there is something that comes from every decision so take away the lessons and let the mistakes go.

make it a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)

If setting yourself big challenges or goals work for you then do it now! Personally, BHAGs don’t often work for me so I prefer to break it down into smaller, shorter goals to help stay on track.

There are a few notable times I’ve set big goals though and the sense of achievement when you smash them is undeniable.

If BHAGs aren’t for you either, then @chantsibelle suggests trying to learn something new and enjoying the journey it takes you on.

Aaaaand don’t forget you can always take a break, or take a step back if you need to.

If all else fails, then @frannymusolino85 suggests to focus on having a positive mindset & keeping calm!

Where Is #GenerationGo taking me next…

Maybe the question I’ve been asked the most over the past year is “why?”. Why am I doing a Masters in Management and Business Innovation. And maybe that comes from a place of not understanding me, what I do, or what I’m passionate about.

Growing up, I always loved the science subjects, I loved sport and I loved the arts (performing arts specifically). When I discovered I could combine sport and science it was a done deal for me!

Working in Sport once I graduated, I actually found a passion for Management and alot of the areas that it encompasses. So that is the foundation of my choice of studies…

I get to combine my passions again because the fitness industry is probably one of the most poorly managed sectors as well as lacking in innovation when it comes to business models for gyms / memberships or technology.

So guys, I’m going back to working full time. Yup. When it seems like EVERYONE is trying to go freelance, I’m doing the exact opposite. Because it’s right for ME.

And you know what? It’s still in the Fitness Industry… but actually more the perfect mix of everything my Masters is about. Management with a touch of Business and Technology Innovation. In fitness.

I’m off to Bath for a few days of training and my Samsonite Cosmolite (now known as C-LITE) case and ‘My Samsonite’ handbag will be the perfect companions! I already owned the (larger) Cosmolite which I bought last year before my trip to Barbados and loved how light and durable it is so now I have a size that can come on my more local adventures on home soil as well as around Europe!

I love the cute touch of having the case engraved (I got it engraved with “ELLE L” and the bag comes with up to 3 gold letters (I got my initials “EL” …pictured above).

I’m pretty sure this handbag is gonna be my new Uni bag for the academic year about to start (yup… still need a new school bag each year!) as it has an uncountable number of compartments which are secured with zips and just looks so damn stylish!

And before I go, a huge shout out to Natasha who took my photos after we had a little catch up over coffee and cardamon buns <3

So how… how do YOU make sure you’re always prepared for the unexpected and keep life moving forward?!

Elle