Be a champion of your 'tough time'

By a 21 year old female from Victoria

When I was in year 8 my school swimming coach who was also my club coach spoke to us on school swimming camp. He said to us 'you can either live your life being mediocre or you can put your heart on the line and achieve big things'.

After this pep talk Tammy Van Wisse spoke to us. Most people fly around the world, some board a ship, Tammy has swam 1 ½ times round the world. She has swum over 60,000 kilometres - testament to her amazing determination, stamina and strength. All at the swim camp were impressed be her 'achievements'. She is the first and only person to swim (a significant portion) of the Bass Strait.

Since this moment I have made huge sacrifices to reach my goals. During my competitive swimming days my parents refused to take me to my swimming sessions which started at 5am in the mornings so I would ride my bike 8km to get there and back in the mornings; rain, hail or shine. At school I swam 9 sessions a week, 3 weights sessions and worked two shifts at a newsagency.

My parents hated my swimming because it exhausted me so much, because I couldn't do enough house work, because I didn't spend much time on home work and because they would have to pay for it and pick me up after the afternoon sessions. Whenever they got angry they would threaten to stop paying for my squad sessions.

Friedrich Nietzsche was on the money when he said 'What doesn't kill us makes us stronger'. My coach supported me through these tough times. He assisted me to set goals, remain focused and motivated, brainstorm ways to maintain a workable relationship with my parents, problem solve and taught me many more life skills. My swimming and non-swimming friends provided moral support.

I am now working towards being the youngest person to run a marathon on every continent (yes, there is a marathon in Antarctica) and to be the first person to swim the entire Bass Strait (after I do the English Channel). These will be undertaken whilst raising money for charity at the same time.

You and I are the same. We are just as brilliant and extraordinary as Tammy Van Wisse, Cathy Freeman or any rock star. To survive abuse, eating disorders, homelessness, anxiety, isolation or any tough time shows us that we are all champions. If you are still going though a tough time and you are not sure if you have the strength to get through- just read other 'ordinary' people's stories on this website.

I have been through many more tough times (spouse abuse, poverty, homelessness, suicidal family members and a major cycling accident). I am stronger for it; and we all are. We are not just survivors but champions of our tough times. I have my SMARTIES* goals and everyday I reassess whether I am on the right path to get there.

I now realize that there is now such thing as mediocrity. Many people go through amazing tough times or achieve many amazing things that will never make the newspapers of rags. You don't need to break world records, be young Australian of the year or go to the Olympics to achieve 'big things'. It is hard work reaching our goals or getting through tough times.

The true champions in life are those who work hard and achieve or overcome something. You will get through this tough time. Just reach out to people on this site, to your friends, family and health professionals.

Reach Out! We are all in this together!

*Specific, Measurable, Action Orientated, Realistic, Timebound, Internalised, Exciting Support & Self-Confidence.

For more on how to cope with a tough time and how to communicate issues, why not check out some more articles on ReachOut!

• One Of My Little Life Struggles(Story)
• Effective communication(Fact sheet)
• Tough Times And Good Times(Story)