“Life is an adventure or it is nothing”
Just over three years ago I woke up in the early hours of the morning to our bed violentley shaking, it was like a giant had picked us slightly off the floor and was shaking us all about. As the sound of shattered glass echoed from the kitchen, I stumbled up and gingerly walked holding onto the walls as one by one everything shook out of the cupboards. I was heading to our big wooden table, that felt like it was a mile away. I made it under the table, calling out for Riwai to join me. There was no time to be under the table, he was on a day shift for our local emergency services and he was switching into work mode.. As the sun rose, we checked on neighbours and phoned loved ones, social media sites went crazy with reports of the near misses and the magnitude hitting the world papers. We had no power and with my elderly nan living in the front of us we decided it to my aunts house, as at least we could have a cuppa. So we grabbed the dog, bundled nan into the car and dropped Riwai off to the inner city police station. for work. It was a very unusual day.

I had no idea that amongst all the destruction and chaos that would follow, Mother Nature had handed me the most extraordinary gifts. The earthquakes reinforced my love for empowering people, reminded me of my deep respect for the power of nature and ignited an inner passion for experience, and with this enjoying every moment and discovering an inner strength and self belief I never knew I had.

At the time of the first quakes I was a Youth Coordinator for one of NZ largest government departments. I was delivering a seminar I had called ICAN – focussing on following dreams and discovering individual talents when a major aftershock hit, as the youth dived for the tables, one of them yelled out “so miss are you following your dream working with us”. The penny dropped, one small line from a stranger, changed my life forever.
I went home that night and made the decision to resign and follow my passion. On September 24th 2010 I became a full time Leap Coach in our business Leap Fitness and Motivation Ltd.

Three years later to the day I am flying out from Christchurch NZ as one of 10 finalists in the LifeFitness Global Personal Trainers Competition in London, UK. I have been nominated by my LeapStars (clients) and from over 1500 entrants spanning 43 countries the seven international judges picked me. My curves and crutches got me into this amazing industry and now I have the opportunity to showcase my uniqueness and wellness beliefs.

Buckle up readers – this is going to be one hellava magnificent adventure.