I was looking out the window of the holiday cottage we stayed in last week and saw a Springer spaniel running back and forth over the beach. It was pouring with rain and very windy. Do you think that bothered the dog? Not a bit of it!

It got me thinking: why do we let circumstances stop us from living? I often use my ‘disability’ as a reason to sit inside and not venture out into a world that challenges me. To go out means I need to be brave, and most days, I use the idea of being too tired to do anything at all. Here’s what I say to you: don’t be like me, be like that Springer. Endure the wind, dance in the rain and live!

I think I’ve switched on that button where I just survive and don’t think beyond it. It’s not living is it? It might be frightening, exhausting, heartbreaking, sometimes humiliating, to keep going when the odds are against you. But it might just be worth it. So, embrace the bad stuff and watch the wonders you unlock.

I am almost certain that dog ran with abandon because he had someone to run back to. Who is that person for you?