About Me

Hi! I’m Tom. I blog, I create wildlife images, I carve spoons from dead trees, I travel, recycle, read, watch bad movies and listen to Radio 4 comedies. I also really enjoy finding new ways to live a relaxed life. This blog is about my journey to be calm.

My First Steps

As a child I threw the biggest tantrums and hissy-fits. I was super competitive and had a dangerously short fuse. I got stressed out about a lot of stuff. Stuff not really worth stressing out over.

I used to sail competitively. Super competitively. I was in the British National Squad for the Cadet Dingy Class. I competed at various national and international events.
One day, after a not particularly good day, I came to shore in a bit of a state. I was fuming, blaming everyone and anything for my bad results. Mr. Craighead, the father of a fellow sailor from the club I belonged to, obviously worried that I wasn’t enjoying myself, took me aside.
He shared with me a piece of information that I didn’t fully appreciate at the time, but stuck with me none the less. He said:

“Do it for the beaches, babes and barbecues.“

It doesn’t sound particularly noble or inspiring but eventually I came to understand what he meant. Everything has something enjoyable about it. If there was nothing good about a thing, then there would be no reason to do it. It is down to us to find, and remember, the good in everything we do.

I’ve eventually become a more balanced person, focusing on the beaches, babes and barbecues that are always present if one knows where to look. Through this blog I hope to share with you the things I do and the thought processes I go through to ensure that I continue to lead a calm and happy life.