D'You Know What I Mean? - Oasis

D’You know it’s twenty years since D'YouKnow What I Mean? was a #1 in the UK? Written by Noel Gallagher (the less angry of the Gallagher brothers), it’s my favourite OASIS song and one I’ve used often to illustrate my blog.

With that in mind, I’ve used it again today as I want to write about something I’ve discovered about myself and in others this past couple of years.

You see ‘It’s not who you’ve been, it’s who you are now that counts’… and who you are going to be in the future for that matter. Wow, that one burned my fingers as I typed it but it’s so true. How many people do you know that are holding onto and milking their past achievements, when in fact they are a spent force? It’s hard truth to take on board especially if you are in denial but one that’s well worth considering from time to time. A new dawning can actually be a very positive thing.

Step off the train all alone at dawn…

Every day is a new dawn in my book. And if you’ve had a life-changing experience (and I’ve met a lot of people who’ve been there as well as me) you’ll know as you get off life’s train and start a new day, it can be a very frustrating experience. It’s a time when you sink or swim. Become a victim or victor. Bleat or beat in fact…

The fool on the hill and I feel fine…

You’d be a fool of course to think that everything’s fine when it’s not and I’m guilty as charged when I say, ‘I’m fine’ when in fact I’m not and I’ve been struggling to find my ‘old’ self. The stupid thing is that the searching has been a futile waste of time as I’ll never find the ‘old’ me. Ever. So why am I still searching?

It must be down to my ‘Rose-Tinted-Rear-View-Mirrors’ – you know the ones you probably have too that make our life-histories look so perfect in hindsight, only it wasn’t, was it?

Don't look back cos you know what you might see…

I’m not sure it wasn’t, it’s just that we’re comfortable about the past. It’s a ‘known’. However, if you could go back, would you do it all again? What would you change? I’ve had some proper life-howlers along the way but tend to gloss over them with a thick coat of achievement in the hope it will cover my short-comings. Maybe you do too?

I think I know, but I don't know why…

You see, at heart, I’m still Superman. The guy that can do anything and is totally indestructible. If a body-part breaks, the procedure has always to assess, replace if necessary and carry on regardless. Why? Well because I think I know ‘better’ if I’m being honest. How wrong can one be?

The questions are the answers you might need…

The Answers are all you’ll ever need and the discovery and coming to terms with one’s own limitations is most liberating. I mean why kid yourself that you’re the third Brownlee Brother when you find it hard to squeeze your beer belly into an XXL wetsuit? Then again if you’re comfortably clocking sub-20’s at your local parkrun without needing oxygen at the finish – you need to change your levels of expectation. You already know the answers and all you need to do is to take a large breath and start living the dream.

 
No-one can give me the air that's mine to breathe…

And when you breathe, breathe in deeply. Breathe in some fresh-air and fresh thoughts about your future. No-one can do that for you, and be honest to yourself about your capabilities. I’m always wary of folk that say ‘No problem’ on being asked to complete a task, as normally it will become a huge one. However, if you are suffocating, there are always people to help you get back on your feet – all you need to do is to ask for help. I know, I’ve been there.

Get up off the floor and believe in life, no-one's ever gonna ever ask you twice…

In my experience people do ask twice or even more but eventually stop asking and with time it was down to me to get up off the floor and kick my own backside into gear.

Get on the bus…

Being a victim isn’t my style and although I wanted to return to ‘normality’ (whatever that was) I’ve realised that I’m now on a very different bus and taking a much different route in life. The journey is just as tough – but it’s different, with different expectations and a different destination.

It’s alright though, as I’m happy in the knowledge that I’m still making progress and making the most of what I still have as you never know when you’ll wake up one day and find your whole world has turned upside down.

It’s changing…

Right now, D'You Know What I Mean?

Rory Coleman - rory@colemancoaching.co.uk

1,004 Marathons - 245 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records