A bit more...

Here's a snippet from my latest book You Are Limitless...

"I was born and raised in England in a small rural village about an hour to the south of London. My father was an entrepreneur, with fingers in lots of pies. We lived on a small farm, where we raised chickens and sheep. I have a lovely photo of my mum and me outside, and she’s sitting on the doorstep in the sunshine. I’m probably two and a half, toddling around exploring. There are flowers, colors, and honestly a genuine look of joy on smiling faces.

The only picture I have of my dad is also an outside scene. Still small, I am on the back of a pony—no idea where the shot was taken. Maybe we had ponies? My father, tall, slender, with dark hair was right there by my side.

My mother was a journalist. Father would work the farm and Mother would commute into London for work. I am guessing, due to farm life, we were outside a lot, playing, checking on animals, and collecting eggs.

Recently I had a memory of being a small child. A clear image of little me, at the fence, feeding the sheep and lambs. In England we have a breakfast cereal called Weetabix (palm sized wheat biscuits deliciously crunchy without milk, a soggy mess once milk is added). I would balance a couple of the crunchy bars in my small, chubby hands and offer them to the sheep. In the memory, I get the feeling it was early spring – makes sense with the lambs… Spring is still my favorite time of year.

I have a younger brother. As kids—older elementary school age, different village, different house—we had a lot of freedom. Free rein to do typical kid stuff, playing outside, riding bikes, swimming. I remember long, endless summer days when “go outside and play” was the expectation.

My mum loved flowers. Later, in my early teens, I remember her on her knees weeding and prepping the soil for spring bulbs. Tulips. Daffodils. The arrival of crocuses and bluebells was also a cause for celebration.

As a family, there was no organized outdoorsy stuff—I don’t think there was time. Consequently, I learned to experience the natural world quite organically, with little snippets here and there.

I've always been a runner. First road, then – later in life – trail running. Interestingly, my connection with nature and the natural world didn’t really begin to bloom until my mid-50s when I added backpacking adventures to my life. I love being outdoors. Physically, emotionally, experientially– being immersed in the woods for days has taken that connection to a whole new level."

Excerpt from You Are Limitless: Anxiety, Grief, Trauma, Addiction - 7 Inspiring Stories of Hope & Healing

by Kate Champion.

Other fun facts:

• In the spirit of keeping it real - all the photos you see I have personally seen and experienced...
• I'm a tea drinker, I love to read, and hear from readers:)