My name is Tania Sherley, I am 43 years old, I live on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Being born with Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus I have had mobility issues all my life. Being born with my disability, and using my wheelchair to get through life I have always been used to doing things ‘my’ way….
Chasing my Dreams just extends this even further. It has been beyond anything I’d ever dreamed of! What a journey!
Tania achieving a dream of a slow dance
Through ‘Chasing my Dreams’ (and bringing to reality my very sentimental and personal life dream – racing in a V8 Super car – (my family raced when I was growing up, I missed out because of my disability, so getting out on that track in 2011 woke something up inside of me which had been hidden deep down, my entire life – I literally ‘woke up’ after being out on that track, in the race car).
I now believe that absolutely ANYTHING is possible…even if something isn’t done in the ‘conventional’ way, I can always do something ‘MY way’.
My Chasing my Dreams ’Bucket List’ contains a mix of ‘fun things I’ve always dreamed of doing’, and ‘things that I’d never in a million years, imagined I could do, but now believe I can’.
From racing in a V8 Super car on an actual race track…to ‘climbing my mountain’ last year…to ‘milking a cow’ last week – my bucket list brings me some very fun, amazing adventures!
(As they say…variety is the spice of life!)
In 2012, I held a SBH Qld (Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Qld) Fundraiser Event – giving back to SBH Qld (www.spinabifida.org) for all the amazing work and support they have given me over the years.
At this event I accomplished 3 massive fitness goals I had worked towards achieving for some time. After 9 months of hard fitness training and absolute commitment – and getting up out of my chair after 18 years of not walking, I achieved these:
Tania climbing her mountain
- walking on the beach & doing a slow dance – getting up on my crutches to experience these ‘simple pleasures’
Tania walking along the beach.
- Climbing a mountain – no I didn’t actually climb a mountain – my way of climbing a mountain was to get up on my crutches, and walk up a local (steep!) ocean boardwalk, and reach the ‘summit’ and beautiful view at the top. I used all my focus, strength and energy to get there.
“Chasing my Dreams” is not only opening up my world in SO many beautiful ways ….it has also now evolved into ‘giving back/out to others’.
When I am sharing my journey with others, and I can see a flicker in their eye when my ‘story’ resonates with them …and that this has encouraged them to make a change in their own life, it is absolutely priceless.
I am thoroughly enjoying, and am proud of this aspect of ‘my little journey’, in some ways even more than when I am ticking something off my own list!
“Anything is Possible…in your own way!”
www.chasingmydreamsbucketlist.com
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