I have always been drawn to water as a refuge: I could swim before I had memories of not swimming. As a child, I felt compelled to head out into the ocean and just keep swimming to the horizon and beyond- keep going til I hit land someplace else.

I grew up with open access to nature and the wilderness has always intrigued and inspired me. I was an adventurous soul and loved exploring, immersing myself in the environment. At 10, I was struck with glandular fever and didn’t fully recover- my adolescence being marred by periods of immune dysfunction and debilitation exhaustion. It was not until I was 17 and in a wheelchair that I was diagnosed with ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis).

Experiencing disability and recovering at such a young age was life changing and as liberating as it was, it shared my life. I lived symptom free but fearful form many years but it also led me to challenge myself and explore all aspects of health and wellness. I spent years working to regain trust of my own body. In fact, ME defined my life in so far as I cannot ignore my dreams for fear of frustration triggering a relapse.

Life became a true adventure – I travelled and studied abroad, learning indigenous alternatives to healthcare and cultural perspectives on life. I ordained as a Buddhist nun to intensely train in mediation which challenged both ind and body. I continue to relish times I get to immerse myself in that balance of physical and mental acuity.

A decade spent putting everything on the line channel swimming around the world, exploring just how far I could push my body, and learning to love my body for what it can do took me to amazing places both literal and figurative. I now find myself drawn to sharing my experiences – the sense of empowerment in overcoming and ultimately learning to rise above challenges, grow through and evolve- like exercising a muscle, its a habit. Insurmountable odds are just a few more steps than you think you can take. So far my life has taught me that unless you take as many steps as you think you can, and then one more, how are you ever going to learn hoe tantalisingly close the horizon truly is?

There are so many ways we can share our experiences- I love telling stories and connecting with people from all walks of life- to ignite in them their own spark, or fan the flames of inspiration they carry within. Creating, whether writing or art in any form also tells stories and I am well and truly immersing myself in all things clay to do just that. Once again, the limitless opportunities are there. Whether simple functional pottery someone can use daily that was inspired by frolicking in the sea, to an introspective sculpture that explores the relationship with our bodies it is a joy to create very human links.

Human endeavour is miraculous. Pioneering spirit is within all of us: our own lives are there to be explored and this incredible planet we get to call home is an absolute gift to be treasured and learned from. It’s our right to learn about ourselves and our responsibility to do what we can with what we learn. Knowing yourself gives you tools to explore your limitations and go beyond your boundaries- change your inner landscape and redefine what you thought you could do.

I’m fascinated by trying to figure out the formula from getting from here to wherever you want to be. By what process are dreams fulfilled? And heroes- what about becoming your own hero? Is it possible, or is it conceit? What would it mean to our wider life if we achieved our dreams and become our own hero? I believe we need to bridge the gap between our dreams and our daily life- it’s inherent within us to be able to go for it.