Successful Blog

Beach Notes: Model of Service

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by Guest Writer Suzie Cheel

Our beach notes today are inspired by the 100 year commemoration of the first surf rescue on our local Coolangatta beach, by the all-volunteer Surf Life Saving Club.

Four women – clad in the neck-to-knee swimming costumes dictated by the times – and one man – swam out to sea, to then “get into difficulties” with the surf and have to be rescued by the volunteer “lifesavers”, to use the traditional term now being supplanted by the imported American term “lifeguard”.

It was an inspiring moment, thinking not just about that particular rescue 100 years ago today, but of all the volunteers, at hundreds of beaches around the country, turning out every weekend, rain or shine, to watch over their fellow citizens and regularly risk their own safety, even their lives, to save people from drowning and to resuscitate those they can.

Not all those stories end happily, but many have over the years been plucked from the waves by these courageous men and women in their distinctive red and yellow caps and spared the fate of a watery grave. Two years ago the Australian Surf Life Saving Association estimated the number of lives saved at over 500,000.

Yes, we do have some paid lifeguards, provided by local councils, during the week and even – in our part of the country – through the winter months, at the more popular tourist-oriented beaches.

But without the dedicated service of those thousands of volunteers of the Australian Surf Life Saving Association, a cherished part of life for many Australians – “having a surf” – would become a much more hazardous pasttime.

And it’s not just in Australia. The movement started by a few people in Sydney, Australia, some 103 years ago, has spread also to other countries, including South Africa, the USA, Great Britain, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Sri Lanka, Ireland and New Zealand.

The motto of the Surf Life Saving movement? “Vigilance and Service”.

We salute the dedication and heroism of our lifesavers, past and present.

A model of service, an inspiration.

What do you say to commemorate 100 years of people serving the world?

Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh

Beach Notes: I Almost Gave Up!

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by Guest Writer Suzie Cheel

Last week I started swimming with 3 local guys who swim each day, weather permitting, from one end of the beach to the other. One end being Greenmount Beach, the other end being Coolangatta Beach. This is about 750 meters (half a mile) in length.

I have been talking about swimming the length of the beach for several years, but never quite got started. Greg one of the swimmers asked me recently when I was going to start. I said: ” When I get some goggles.”

At the beach the next day Greg presented me with a spare pair of his goggles to try – no more excuses.

I decided to start the next Monday and I would swim Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.

Day 1 I got about halfway and discovered that swimming

the length of the beach was no pushover. Day 2 seemed even more difficult, the sea was also quite rough, to the point that I wondered whether I would even make halfway on Friday. I was even wondering if this was something I wanted to continue with.

I set off on Friday ahead of the guys and surprised myself when I looked up at the halfway point and thought that seemed easy and kept swimming to the end.

I reached the end and there was a slightly nervous moment when I thought the current was going to carry me around the point to the next beach. I was able to swim into the shore, I felt exhilarated.

I was so glad I had persevered.

Time to celebrate and do a happy dance.

What do you know about giving Up?

Suzie Cheel

Beach Notes: T-Shirt Messages from the Beach

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by Guest Writer Suzie Cheel

T-Shirt Messages from the Beach

This morning as we we walk on the beach we saw a walker wearing a tee shirt with the message displayed

Never, Never, Never, give up!

I said that’s a good message and   Des asked how does that fit with your Law of Attraction? If you attract what you focus on doesn’t that mean you’ll attract giving up vibes?

Absolutely right, that was a slip up!  Given that this week I started a Law of Attraction series on being in a High Vibe state.

So what would you put on the T-shirt I asked?

Always, Always, Always, Keep going!

What would your T-shirt say?

Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

Beach Notes: Beach Blogging Seminar

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by Guest Writer Suzie Cheel

Today I was making the badge for my newly launched SAB -Super Abundant Blogger – award. I had just taken this photo when a couple of other regular morning beach walkers, Ros and Ivan, stopped and tried to guess what the letters stood for.

After several guesses we enlightened them. Or thought we had, but then noticed their looks of incomprehension about "bloggers", "blogs" and "blogging".

Ivan wanted to know more.

This led to Des launching into seminar mode – he can’t help himself when there is some blogging evangelism to be done, even on the beach in his board shorts – and 20 minutes or so later we continued our beach walk.

As we walked away Des said:

You heard Ivan say at first when he heard "web" that he is okay with his phone and his fax?  Well, from being "okay with a phone and a fax" he went to starting to see how blogging might help with a community project he has. He asked me if I had a business card. Not right now, I said, but I’ll bring one next time. No question his interest is piqued.

Des did also tell the story of how just 3 short years ago, my eyes glazed over when he launched into seminar mode!

Blogging maybe dead for some, for others it still hasn’t been born!

How did you respond the first time you heard about blogging?

Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh 

Beach Notes: Being Prepared For Opportunity

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by Guest Writers Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity"

Seneca,Roman philosopher, (5 BC – 65 AD)

On our morning beach walks we often see surfers getting ready to ride the waves. Typically they go through a number of limbering up exercises and yoga style stretches and poses.

One exercise is swinging their arm and bodies from side to side as in the photo. So they will be ready to seize the moment when that great wave comes along and ride it as far as they can.

In business we don’t always know where opportunities are coming from. We need to be mentally flexible and alert so we can recognize opportunity when it comes and to be able to act on it decisively and effectively.

What exercises do you do to be prepared to meet an opportunity when it arises?

Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh 

Beach Notes: Friending Offline

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by Guest Writers Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh

It came to us while walking on the beach last week.

You know how, what with Facebook and Twitter and Plurk and all the other social networking communities we all have these hundreds or thousands of friends online? Well, what if we were to friend some of those people we see offline?

That’s right, friends we can talk to, hang out with, but without having a keyboard or microphone or videocam to help us communicate!

Novel idea.

What triggered this particular brainwave, which we are currently seeking to trademark as “Friends in the Flesh”, was when, as we say, we were walking on the beach.

Now just by way of background, when we walk on the beach early in the morning there are several people we see most days. Some form of greeting or acknowledgement is exchanged, ranging from a hearty “Good Morning! Beautiful day!”, through to a friendly but fairly emotionless nod. You always know who the visitors holidaying from the city are: if you say “Good morning!” they look at you nervously and might manage a smile but you know their city reflexes have them suddenly in fight or flight mode.

Anyhow, the other day, a chap we’ve actually chatted with a few times and another who has been in the “nod or make a small, unostentatious sort of waving motion with the hand” category of morning beachgoers, stopped us to actually introduce themselves by name and discover our names.

Now when we see them it’s all “Suzie!”, “Des!”, “Pat!” and “Greg!” – and since they have introduced us to another of their friends, “Grahame!”.

We discovered we like this and now we are on a bit of a campaign to get to know the names of the other regulars.

Who knows where this could lead? The League of Offline Friends perhaps? With a list, in – what do they call it – a printed book?

Given the instantaneousness of friending on Facebook and following/being followed on Twitter, the four years or so it has taken for us to know the names of people we greet every day and have them know our names, and even stop for the occasional chat, seems – no, is – an extraordinary amount of time.

Is it possible, while we build amazing and multitudinous friendships online, that we are neglecting – literally walking past – opportunities for friendships in our offline lives?

What if 2009 were to be a year when we did some serious offline friending? Going beyond the wave or the non-committal half-smile exchange with people we see every day or regularly but really know nothing about to exchanging names and even having a chat or two.

A chat offline? You mean it’s ok to do that? Cool.

Do you have a story to tell about going from a “courtesy” wave or nod to actually friending someone offline? Care to share, here?

Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh wishing everyone an wonderful friendful 2009.