It’s been well over a year since I last posted (Sept 2021), so I wouldn’t blame you if you thought I’d shut down the blog! Despite trying to keep a better work/life balance, that hasn’t quite happened. I had intended to write more; in fact, there are 4 unfinished blogs in my drafts folder. The way the world has thrown twists and turns has undoubtedly made for a year of excitement, achievement, adversity, persistence and progress throughout 2022.
When I last wrote, NZ was in and out of various Covid restrictions, we were awaiting announcements from the Ministers of Health and Disability Issues about where Disability Services should “sit” within the machinery of government, and quite frankly it’s been a bit of a ride between now and then. Since then we have launched Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, to initially be supported by the Ministry of Social Development for infrastructure, but to be a stand-alone Ministry, apparently the world’s first government entity to have a sole focus on Disability Issues. This was announced on 1 October 2021 and launched on 1 July 2022. This launch was in reality a lift and shift of funds and services from one silo to another with no practical change initially. There is still more of the consolidation period to come, so we have a true idea of where things are actually at, across agencies. Small changes are already happening, however true system transformation will happen as the Whaikaha team have a more complete picture of where things are at.
This blog is going to be a quick wrap-up of the last 14 months. In the next blogs, I will delve a little more deeply into some of the things that I touch on in this blog. Despite my best intentions to maintain a better work/life balance; this did not exactly go to plan. I have picked up additional work along the way in the last 18 months, and had a couple of health blips along the way, although I wanted to keep on top of my rehabilitation program, I was hit and miss if I actually made it or not. I was getting increasingly frustrated as I could see the progress I had made over the last couple of years slowly slipping away. Yes, I picked up some work, but I had thought I was going to be able to reduce some of my regional Enabling Good Lives (EGL) workload. I will talk more about the camps and some of the work I have been involved in following blogs. I’ve also run a couple of camps for other disabled people since the last blog, which for me is the realisation of about 15 years of work.
I learnt that 2 conferences in 3 weeks are a bit much over August. I ran a major 2-day event at the end of September, EGL In Our Community: Safe Communities, which was pretty successful. I was starting to notice less stamina in my legs at this stage, so I went out and purchased some resistance bands, ankle weights, and a pilates ring and started doing what I could. Unfortunately, ADNZ Ben became unwell and passed away at the start of October, he will be greatly missed, and a huge shout out to Rach and her whanau for giving him the best retirement I could hope for. I rounded out October by speaking in front of 350+ people at the Pacific and Australiasia Regional exchange for the International Initiative for Disabled Leaders (IIDL) and International Initiative for Mental Health Leaders on being inclusive to those, like myself, are disabled and part of the rainbow community. This was the biggest audience I have ever presented before, and I must admit, I let the whole “International Leaders” bit psych me out a little, so I was super nervous. It went well, and I think that was almost as scary as some of the extreme and exposed heights activities I have done in the past! Can I claim that I am an “international speaker” now?
As you can imagine, but the time November arrived, I was wiped out, with nothing in the tank, becoming more and more exhausted, and getting more and more grumpy. I made the decision to make November “NO”vember, which meant, if it wasn’t good for me, committed to or already booked into my diary, I would say “No”. I knew I had a 3-day camp booked in early December, and meetings off and on, because I had been so frustrated with missing training targets I hit reset on my rehab. I dug the exercise step out of storage and went and got a set of resistance bands, and committed to making sure I at least tried to maintain what I had, even if I couldn’t make it into Ora Kinetics (rehab physiology clinic). So 10 min sessions on the step or a short walk and the strength and conditioning for legs and core; using resistance bands instead of the bike and weights at the clinic (Tues & Fri), 10 mins walk or step Mondays & Thursdays with resistance bands for arms and shoulders. Wednesdays, depending on how I felt would be a longer walk (preferable) or a long flexibility session. One day a weekend would be a longer walk and the other a rest day. I kept flexibility sessions to 6 days a week, with one being a longer session, which was usually on the “rest day” of the weekend.
December started with a 3-day camp, which definitely disrupted my training routine, then a few days of recovery still had me worn out, but I had worked (differing hours) 12 days in a row, with one day off. This left me tired, and crabby and I was definitely relieved headed into the holiday period. I mostly kept on top of training through the holidays. My diet however was a different story which saw me put on the weight I had lost over November.
As I head into 2023 I have some things I am going to focus on over the year. I have a couple of bigger adventures planned later in the year; which means I am going to need to be in top shape, this means prioritising my own health and goals over working hard for community. I want to write more, take and publish more pictures and take on work that I’m passionate about and not work I “feel” needs to be done. I will still definitely be behind the scenes and working in the disability sector, I just can’t continue to strive for change while I feel like I am not achieving my own goals. By prioritising myself I can better serve our community, achieve my own goals, continue to seek adventures in both “ordinary” life and the outdoors, explore my own potential & limits and provide opportunities for light-blub moments for others.
I wish you all the best for the upcoming year; may your adventures be filled with learning, creating potential & goals, achievement and the ability to see the silver linings!
Mā te kimi ka kite. Mā te kite ka mōhio. Mā te mōhio ka mārama. Seek and discover. Discover and know. Know and become enlightened. (Whakatauki: Maori Proverb)