As I’ve previously mentioned being netballer Stacey 100% of the time just doesn’t work for me. Although I’m aware of this fact I have found it really interesting the things that I have let slip, as I have become caught up in the pressures of competition and a busy schedule has meant I have struggled to find down time. Last week I missed salsa (I’ll never make Dancing with the Stars at this rate), failed to cook for myself more than twice and didn’t really engage in any activities at all outside of netball and work. By the time I reached the end of the week, for netball reasons and others I was feeling pretty average.
Having used the reason of rest and recovery as an excuse to get out of pretty much whatever I didn’t want to over extend myself to do, this week I set about being a fully functioning adult again and having some fun.
I took a trip down to Fremantle as I love the vibe of the place and being able to stroll around and explore new things. Whilst checking out the market for the first time, I uncharacteristically decided to have a tarot card reading. I have never done anything like that before and don’t feel particularly comfortable with the idea of mediums or fortune telling. But as we have gathered I was feeling out of sorts.
Being the big sceptic I am I tried to give very little away to the woman who was doing my reading but remained open minded about the whole process. The woman placed particular emphasis on what blocks I was currently experiencing (internally and externally), how I could act more effectively in my current situation, and what parts of my personality and life I was currently neglecting.
Although she didn’t tell me anything ground breaking about my future (I didn’t ask) I found it a timely way to gain a fresh perspective on my present situation and help me to make more balanced, insightful decisions for the near future.
Although I have had a very similar schedule this week to last I have achieved much more and found myself more enthused to engage in activities that didn’t involve sitting on the sofa. I easily found time to get back in the kitchen and cook some delicious and nutritious food. I have worked two days alongside training which has been intense and kept us moving on our forward trajectory for the challenge of the Vixens who lay ahead of us. I have practiced Bikram twice and although it has been one of my hobbies to fall at the way side since the season started I was pleasantly surprised with the progress I had made in certain postures. I went back to salsa and to balance out the progress of Bikram I felt like any progress I had made had been long lost in my weeks leave. I have squeezed in several trips to my sanctuary in Perth, the beach 😊 to enjoy what is the warmest Autumn of my life and some time with my nose in a book (and a trashy magazine or two)! I spent a sunny day at Perth Zoo, getting up close and personal with some of Australia’s native animals and an evening on the South Perth Foreshore checking out an interactive art installation called Confluence.
Playing in front of a 5301 strong crowd of green and black at Perth Arena last week was pretty cool and made me realise how tough teams have it over here when on the road. The travel hasn’t phased me so much as the almost absolute silence you tend to be greeted with when playing away from home. I’m actually really looking forward to another opportunity to display our growing levels of connectivity in defence.
The excitement that I have to come back to Perth is MASSIVE as we will head into three consecutive home fixtures and my mum and dad will arrive in WA for three weeks!! I’m certainly not getting ahead of myself and taking this trip lightly though as we remain positive about our ability to be competitive in this league with the need to do so across four consistent quarters.
