Turning negatives into positives is a tremendous habit to acquire. It's really looking on the bright side of life and finding what there is to be thankful for. The following newsletter reprint details what I did on "Outback Adventure" after the disappointment of having my hot air balloon flight over the Flinders Ranges cancelled.
Pilot Your Life #15: Turn negatives into positives
During my recent four wheel drive trip into South Australia’s Outback, I put into practice one of the tips I learnt on Oz Flight ’99, my flight around Australia’s coast.
I had to turn negatives into positives several times.
Staying at Rawnsley Park Station, in the Flinders Ranges, was going to give me another opportunity to fly in a hot air balloon. I rather like the serenity of floating with the breeze, like earlier in the year in Florida (see issue no. 9, March 2010).
In the evening before the flight, everything pointed to the right conditions for a balloon launch the next morning. We had to get up early and meet in front of the Woolshed Restaurant at 5.45am, while it was still dark. It was also very chilly so I had on my gloves, scarf and beanie (a sight to behold!).
The chief pilot wasn’t sounding very hopeful because even though there didn’t seem to be much wind at ground level, the small tester balloon, with a light attached, was floating up into the darkness quite rapidly. So the decision was made not to launch the balloons.
Very disappointing. It would have been a beautiful flight, seeing Wilpena Pound bathed in the early morning sunlight. That was the negative side, missing out on the flight. The positive side was that my cabin was only a few hundred metres away and I could go back to a warm bed. Others, unfortunately, had to drive back the 24 kilometres to their accommodation in Wilpena.
The most important positive was that the pilot had our safety in mind and chose not to fly (my kind of pilot – safety first, second and last). Later in the day, the pilots packed up their gear and headed back to Adelaide, with no hope of balloon flights later in the week. I’d previously booked another night at Rawnsley Park in a few days’ time just in case there was another opportunity to go ballooning. Not this trip, obviously.
However, I made the most of the situation since I was already up in time for the sunrise (like in issue no. 6, December 2009).
It was bitterly cold and my boots did get wet tramping through the dew-laden grass but it was worth it for what I heard and saw and photographed. The magpies were carolling away in the trees and in the distance was the faint bleating of sheep. An eagle was even soaring not far from Rawnsley Bluff.
As the sun gradually rose, the landscape changed from the windmill silhouetted against the night sky, to trees cloaked in gentle light and mist still clinging to the ranges. Not a bad start to the day as I chose to look on the bright side and turn a negative into a positive.
So, the next great tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:
Turn negatives into positives.
In order to get rainbows
you have to put up with the rain.
Always look on the bright side of life…
Two of my presentation topics are:
Overcoming procrastination
Turning negatives into positives
Showing posts with label hot air balloons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hot air balloons. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Take Time Out To Enjoy Every Achievement By Going Hot Air Ballooning In Florida
Take Time Out To Enjoy Every Achievement By Going Hot Air Ballooning In Florida. Here's one of my newsletters with Slideshare presentation and text below.
Pilot Your Life #9: Take time out to enjoy every achievement
This year has been particularly busy for me as I’ve already set in motion and achieved some of my goals.
In January and February I went trekking in Patagonia in southern Chile and Argentina. Then, after a week back at home to partially recover, I set off for North America to speak at the Women in Aviation International conference in Orlando, Florida.
Another speaking engagement followed that with the invitation to participate in the Women Fly! program at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
Not a bad start to the year.
While in Orlando, I experienced the joy of flying in a much slower mode than usual – a hot air balloon. The flight ended up being both a time of reflection and a time for reflection.
At the Boggy Creek field, with a definite nip in the air, six balloons launched in the blinding light of the early morning sun. The biggest balloon headed off with two smaller ones, then ours took off with two others following behind.
The launch was so gentle that we hardly realised that we were aloft. Very different to taking off in a light aircraft. No roar of the engine with the plane speeding down the runway before lift off.
Apart from the occasional noisy burst of flame from the gas cylinder to adjust the balloon’s height, the flight was so peaceful. Just drifting along without a care in the world and having a bird’s eye view of the land below.
Quite amazing really that I could look out and down and not feel the fear of heights, particularly as the basket wasn’t very deep and there were no seat belts.
As we floated over the swamp, we saw the reflection of the other balloon below. That in turn sparked another reflection.
I reflected back on my holiday in South America. It involved some quite arduous trekking to reach many of the stunning scenic spots in Torres del Paine and Fitzroy National Parks. Once again this was partly to prove that I could complete the walk despite the knee, feet and back injuries from the car accident a few years ago. But I really just wanted to achieve another goal that I’d set myself. Satisfying yet exhausting.
Consequently, the balloon flight, where I relaxed, did nothing (except take photographs), and just enjoyed the experience, was my reward to me for my achievement in South America.
So, another great tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:
Take time out to enjoy every achievement
Treat yourself to something special and enjoy the moment.
It’s great to achieve goals, but remember to reward yourself as you go.
It encourages you to keep striving for the next goal and success does breed success.
Two of my presentation topics are:
Setting and achieving goals
Success
Pilot Your Life #9: Take time out to enjoy every achievement
This year has been particularly busy for me as I’ve already set in motion and achieved some of my goals.
In January and February I went trekking in Patagonia in southern Chile and Argentina. Then, after a week back at home to partially recover, I set off for North America to speak at the Women in Aviation International conference in Orlando, Florida.
Another speaking engagement followed that with the invitation to participate in the Women Fly! program at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
Not a bad start to the year.
While in Orlando, I experienced the joy of flying in a much slower mode than usual – a hot air balloon. The flight ended up being both a time of reflection and a time for reflection.
At the Boggy Creek field, with a definite nip in the air, six balloons launched in the blinding light of the early morning sun. The biggest balloon headed off with two smaller ones, then ours took off with two others following behind.
The launch was so gentle that we hardly realised that we were aloft. Very different to taking off in a light aircraft. No roar of the engine with the plane speeding down the runway before lift off.
Apart from the occasional noisy burst of flame from the gas cylinder to adjust the balloon’s height, the flight was so peaceful. Just drifting along without a care in the world and having a bird’s eye view of the land below.
Quite amazing really that I could look out and down and not feel the fear of heights, particularly as the basket wasn’t very deep and there were no seat belts.
As we floated over the swamp, we saw the reflection of the other balloon below. That in turn sparked another reflection.
I reflected back on my holiday in South America. It involved some quite arduous trekking to reach many of the stunning scenic spots in Torres del Paine and Fitzroy National Parks. Once again this was partly to prove that I could complete the walk despite the knee, feet and back injuries from the car accident a few years ago. But I really just wanted to achieve another goal that I’d set myself. Satisfying yet exhausting.
Consequently, the balloon flight, where I relaxed, did nothing (except take photographs), and just enjoyed the experience, was my reward to me for my achievement in South America.
So, another great tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:
Take time out to enjoy every achievement
Treat yourself to something special and enjoy the moment.
It’s great to achieve goals, but remember to reward yourself as you go.
It encourages you to keep striving for the next goal and success does breed success.
Two of my presentation topics are:
Setting and achieving goals
Success
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Off the Beaten Track to Outback Australia - 2 days to go
Only 2 more days before I head Off the Beaten Track
to Outback South Australia.
Day Three is Rawnsley Park Station to Marree.
After a hot air balloon ride early in the morning (weather permitting) we'll call in to Wilpena briefly, head up to Blinman via some of the valleys and on to Parachilna.
The next stops are Leigh Creek, Lyndhurst and then Marree for 2 nights.
If you'd like to see more of these places you can join me on my trip, by remote via the web, by going to this site
http://theworldbyweb.com/global/blogs/entry/Fran-West-Off-the-beaten-track-1-week-till-launch
The DVD of this trip, "Outback Adventure", is available now. Click here.
to Outback South Australia.
Day Three is Rawnsley Park Station to Marree.
After a hot air balloon ride early in the morning (weather permitting) we'll call in to Wilpena briefly, head up to Blinman via some of the valleys and on to Parachilna.
The next stops are Leigh Creek, Lyndhurst and then Marree for 2 nights.
If you'd like to see more of these places you can join me on my trip, by remote via the web, by going to this site
http://theworldbyweb.com/global/blogs/entry/Fran-West-Off-the-beaten-track-1-week-till-launch
The DVD of this trip, "Outback Adventure", is available now. Click here.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Off the Beaten Track with Fran West - 1 week till launch
In a week's time I'll be heading Off the Beaten Track to the Flinders Ranges, Gammon Ranges, Lake Eyre and the Cooper Creek. In other words, I'll be heading to Outback South Australia.
As well as the sightseeing, there will be a ride on the Pichi Richi Railroad, hot air ballooning near Wilpena Pound and a flight over Lake Eyre.
This photo of Wilpena Pound was taken during Sea, Sky and Sand, a fundraising flight I did for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in 2002.
You can join me on my trip, by remote via the web, by going to this site
http://theworldbyweb.com/global/blogs/entry/Fran-West-Off-the-beaten-track-1-week-till-launch
The DVD of this trip, "Outback Adventure", is available now. Click here.
As well as the sightseeing, there will be a ride on the Pichi Richi Railroad, hot air ballooning near Wilpena Pound and a flight over Lake Eyre.
This photo of Wilpena Pound was taken during Sea, Sky and Sand, a fundraising flight I did for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in 2002.
You can join me on my trip, by remote via the web, by going to this site
http://theworldbyweb.com/global/blogs/entry/Fran-West-Off-the-beaten-track-1-week-till-launch
The DVD of this trip, "Outback Adventure", is available now. Click here.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Fran West Flyabout Adventure in a Hot Air Balloon, Florida
This is a really good adventure to do providing you don't mind getting up early in the morning.
I was fortunate to have a superb hot air balloon ride in Florida.
We launched from a field at Boggy Creek, near Orlando. Three balloons took off ahead of us and then our balloon launched just ahead of two others. Great photos looking up at airborne balloons and then others looking down from aloft.
So calm and peaceful in the air floating over swamp and forest draped in Spanish moss. A good time for reflection.
One good tip - wear a beanie, gloves and warm clothes because it can be very cold in an open hot air balloon basket at dawn.
After we landed we had the traditional champagne, orange juice, crackers and cheese.
I was fortunate to have a superb hot air balloon ride in Florida.
We launched from a field at Boggy Creek, near Orlando. Three balloons took off ahead of us and then our balloon launched just ahead of two others. Great photos looking up at airborne balloons and then others looking down from aloft.
So calm and peaceful in the air floating over swamp and forest draped in Spanish moss. A good time for reflection.One good tip - wear a beanie, gloves and warm clothes because it can be very cold in an open hot air balloon basket at dawn.
After we landed we had the traditional champagne, orange juice, crackers and cheese.
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