- jeztibbetts
So this is me...
Updated: Feb 4
Having now stared at this blinking cursor for a good 20 minutes or longer I figure its probably just for the best if I throw some words at the page and see what sticks. You can probably tell already that this is a very new thing for me and I am not entirely sure how this middle aged, overweight, family man finds himself attempting to blog.
So lets back up a bit and just get some formalities out of the way...
Name: Jez
Age: 45 (I think.... yeah definitely 45!)
Married: to Laura (4 wonderful years and counting)
Kids: Jordan (26); Josh (19); Jake (17) [too many J's right!] and finally my little princess Brontë (7)
Additional: Massive introvert | Social recluse | Huge imposter syndrome sufferer | Self critical | Analytical thinker devoid of emotion | I get sad - no reason behind it I just get sad | Drink too much (we will cover this a lot!) | Eat too much | Exercise too much! - ha no of course not. Just checking you are still paying attention!
Ok so lets stop there - just reading back those personality traits sums up my self critcial nature - its all negative! You know what? this could be a bumpy ride!
Lets be positive:
Love pohotography
Love fresh air
Love watching pretty much all sports - ice hockey is my go to though (my eldest plays professionally and has just been selected to again represent Team GB - pretty cool right?)
I want to rekindle my love of sketching - I used to drw daily as child but never picked up a pencil once the joys of adulthood hit me.
So here's the deal...
I guess I feel I am at a personal crossroads in my life. I have an amazing family. My wife is beyond epic. I am really not sure where I would be right now if it wasn't for her love, support and polar opposite approach to life as me. My kids are my world and each of them make me proud in their own way every day (well most days - they can be total dicks sometimes too!)
But there is one relationship I have never mastered...
My relationship with me!
The penny dropped a few weeks ago when I accompanied my wife to a seminar in London centred on spiritulism, mindfulness and manifestation. The speaker, Gabby Bernstein, was not someone I had ever heard of before but the 1,000+ people in attendance seemed pretty damn excited waiting for her to come to the stage. The 2 hours flew by. Her words hit home a lot. I came away with my head in pieces questionning how many barriers I have continually put in my path through out my life. Tripping myself up at every opportunity. I will come back to this in future posts too - let's call it an awakening! Actually let's not - thats far too naff! [chringing shudder!]
So what am I doing to learn to be more comfortable in my own skin. Actually what am I doing to be more comfortable in my own head. It is my head that is the problem here. Well I am building up my mental health toolkit. (is that a thing? I think it is a thing. It feels like it should be a thing right?)
In no particular order:
Yoga (been on the Yoga with Adriene bandwagon for 3 years now but need to commit more)
Meditation - its on the list but not ventured there yet so not even a work in progress but its in the toolkit
Exercise - this is so important to me. When I exercise everything is just better
Hiking - (and hence the OnYerHike tag) gives me a freedom in my mind that I have never expereinced anywhere else in my life but I need to commit more.
Photography - in a rare moment of self appreciation I think I am half decent
Sketching - I have a GCSE in Art!
Lego Building - how therpeutic is lego by the way!?
Quitting Alcohol! - this will be a story I keep coming back to for sure.
and Blogging - even if no one visits this blog I am cool with that as even just writing this feels very cathartic
If you have made it this far I applaud you and thank you. Hopefully you will keep an eye out for more. I think even just getting these random thoughts down on a page has shown me I have a lot to talk about here. So my intention is to blog regulalry and share my hiking and mindfulness journey through my love of photogrpahy on my Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/onyerhike)
I have started all of this up under the banner of "OnYerHike - the mindful hiker" - well I thought it was cool! Don't judge!
I have one big weekend away planned for the summer where I will take on the 3rd highest peak in England, Helvellyn, and then also as a warm down the next day I will hike the Aira Force and Gowbarrow Loop in the Lake District. I have booked out a shepherds hut for 3 nights and will go off grid for the most part, living a basic life; trying to quiten the noise; bathing in the brook each morning... what an image! I am so excited about it I can't explain. Well I guess I will need to explain otherwise this blog will be pretty lame.
So here we go my friends - sit back, relax, send some likes my way on instagram and I will hopefully see you again for blog post #2
Thanks for reading