31/08/2026
As August comes to an end, I’ve been thinking about what this summer has meant — not just as Margot’s mum, but as someone who has spent years being told, directly or indirectly, what should be “too difficult” because of disability.
This summer has reminded me why I called this page No Excuses.
Not because life is easy.
Not because disability disappears if you work hard enough.
Not because there aren’t days when things are exhausting, frightening, frustrating or unfair.
But because sometimes achievement is simply refusing to let the odds write your story for you.
This summer I’ve kept moving. I’ve trained. I’ve pushed myself physically. I’ve performed. I’ve stood on a stage and given everything I had. I’ve celebrated turning 40. I’ve made memories with my daughter. I’ve dealt with health worries, uncertainty, tiredness and all the normal chaos of life — and I’ve still kept going.
And Margot has been growing right alongside me.
In two days she starts secondary school, and I’m so proud of the confident, funny, determined young person she is becoming. Watching her take her next step reminds me that progress doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it is one workout. One walk. One brave decision. One difficult day survived. One new chapter opened.
Disability is part of my life, but it is not the boundary of my life.
Health and fitness for me have never been about looking perfect. They are about strength, independence, confidence, resilience and proving to myself that my body is capable of far more than people might assume.
This summer has been imperfect, emotional, joyful and full of achievement.
So as September begins, I’m carrying one message forward:
Never measure yourself against somebody else’s idea of what you should be capable of.
Work with the body you have.
Celebrate every bit of progress.
Adapt when you need to.
Rest when you need to.
Then keep moving forward.
Against the odds does not mean without difficulty.
It means doing it anyway.
No Excuses. ❤️💪
