184-Exciting news...watch this space

I can't tell you what it is, who it involves or where it's happening, but I have some big news that's got me excited! It's still another month until it's ready to announce, so until then...watch this space.

It's easy to sit back and SAY "c'est la vie", "good things happen to those who wait," or "sometimes s%$t just works out for you" but DOING it is a much tougher prospect, so if you stick to your guns and s%$t does work out for you, it feels like you're cooler than the other side of the pillow.

One of my best footy coaches used to say "focus on the game-plan and the result will take care of itself," so over the last few years all I've been doing is trying to keep my diabetes under control, work as hard as I can on my stroke recovery, love my wife and do my job as well as I can, and the result feels like it's taking care of itself.

So I can't tell you anything about what my news is, but when I can, you'll be the first to know, but in the meantime, just know that I feel good.

183-Your path might not be as hidden as you think

Sometimes we think that nobody understands us and we're all alone on the path we're walking, but a random encounter with a little Indian man made me realise that more people understand us than we think.

I was going through my next speech in my head, so was deep in thought when my Indian mate (who later introduced himself as Mr Yogi) walked past and looked intently at me as he did so, then he doubled back and revealed some things he'd read about me that made my hair stand on end. His first observation was that I was a lucky man - tick.

After I asked him whether it was him or me who would be luckiest at the end of the Australia vs India cricket game, he then told me I have a good heart - tick (I like to think so at least), then he asked if I had a partner. I told him I was married, and he told me "you are going through some heartache."

Whether his observations were mystically insightful or just a good guess didn't really matter, I do feel like the luckiest man alive right now.

182-My wife and I officially going to Kokoda!

This blog is more an outlet of joy than a passing on of useful information - I just paid the money that ensures my wife and I will be going to Kokoda in October.

It's going to be one of the hardest things either of us have ever done, but we started our training yesterday, we will be riding in the Cure to Conquer Cancer together just before Kokoda, we will be doing it with Keira Howarth & Scott Myers, we will be filming a documentary, we are doing it thanks hugely to Leo Brown & the ARA Group, and we will be doing it all together.

I have to cut this blog short as I have to head to dinner with my wife to celebrate our 18 month anniversary...

180-Ange & Barns Round the World honeymoon continues - leg 3, Echuca

Here's a re-release of a documentary I finished on Saturday - Leg 3 of Ange & my Round the World honeymoon, this time we're in Echuca, Victoria. It's a really cool doco, so I hope you enjoy it...

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A honeymoon is usually a one off, relaxing holiday, normally in a location that seems like paradise, but Angela & I just got back from our 4th honeymoon  holiday, and this time it was to a Victorian country town.

Our honeymoon started on the central coast of NSW, then went to Auckland, New Zealand, Khao Lak in Thailand, and now Echuca in Victoria, where we filmed a documentary about the good people in our lives (see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP8Z0I2AUlU). Our next stop will be Moonee Ponds in Victoria, but we don't want to stop there - we want to keep travelling for as long as we can - I currently have enquiries for motivational speaking (I need to keep working to fund our travels) in North America, South Africa and Japan, but we are open to going anywhere in the world.

Our Round the World honeymoon is going to Moonee Ponds in May, the Ride to Conquer Cancer in October, and then Kokoda a week later - but that leaves plenty of time in between if you, or someone you know wants to get on board - email me at barnaby@barnabyhowarth.com.au if you are interested in giving your next conference an inspiring dose of reality.

179-Barnaby to help communities think differently in front of 1300 people

18 months ago, I spoke to Warakirri College, a community learning centre in Sydney, and afterwards, it was suggested I apply to speak at the "Communities in Control" conference - some of the speakers in 2014 were Tony Abbott, Julia Gillard and Michael Kirby, so I thought I was kidding myself even applying, but I gave it a crack, and I've just been confirmed as a speaker at the 2015 conference in May.

There will be 20 speakers talking on the theme of "Think differently: Ideas that change communities," and Christine Anu will be performing a musical...performance at Moonee Valley Racing Club in Melbourne on May 25 & 26, with tickets at $350 per person. I will be talking to about 1300 guests about how 2 community groups thinking differently have changed my life and given me a future that, despite it's uncertainties, I'm excited about.

My wife will be joining me for the trip to Melbourne, and we will be filming leg 4 of our round the world honeymoon documentary.

Sometimes in life if you're unsure how something is going to turn out, you just have to close your eyes, jump in and give it a crack - sometimes it won't pay off, but when it does, you feel so good about yourself that the risks feel well worth it.

To see more about Communities in Control 2015, go to: http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/cic2015

181-Diabetic stroke survivor to do Kokoda with breast cancer suffering wife

Type 1 diabetic and stroke survivor, Barnaby Howarth will be walking the Kokoda Track with his wife & breast cancer sufferer, Angela Guirguis-Howarth, in October to prove to himself that his struggles don't have to stop him living a normal life.

Barnaby, a NON-DIABETES RELATED stroke survivor, former AFL footballer for the Sydney Swans, author, film maker, Mount Kilimanjaro conqueror and motivational speaker is hoping to give himself something he's yearned for since he was diagnosed with diabetes at 14 - proof that a normal life IS good enough.

They will be using their trip to raise funds to help find a cure for what they've gone through - money raised will go to The National Stroke Foundation, the Cancer Council of Australia, and an Australian diabetes charity.


To follow Barnaby & Angela's story, read their blog at:

http://barnabyhowarth.blogspot.com.au/

Thoughts on Kokoda by Barnaby Howarth

After I had a stroke in 2005, I didn't need to be told I could be an Olympian, or a Prime Minister, or a Hollywood actor, I didn't want any of those things, I just wanted to be told that being an everyday Joe Sack O'Rolls was good enough, but there was no one out there celebrating a "normal" life, so I'm going to have to do it myself.

When I played a season in the AFL with the Sydney Swans in 1998, I thought I'd beaten adversity, but then I was bashed in an alcohol-fueled gang attack and had a stroke, and I found myself back at square one. I never wanted to turn my life around, I just wanted to get back to living the life I wanted to live, and I've always wanted to do Kokoda, so that's what I'm going to do. I will be taking on this challenge the same way anybody else would - nobody holding my hand, no doctor looking over my shoulder, no cotton wool to be wrapped in - I will be struggling my way along like everyone else, 

This is by no means a diabetics or stroke survivors only trip - it is for anybody who wants to inject some adventure into their lives, some people on this trip will have challenges and some won't. Joining me on Kokoda will be my wife, my sister-in-law, and an old football team mate. We will all be travelling with "Kokoda Spirit" – the group who took wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley on his crawl of the track. 

Kokoda Spirit recommend a 3 month training program to prepare for the trip, so if you'd like to take on this challenge, signing up by mid-July should give you plenty of time to prepare. If you are interested in joining us, email me at barnaby@barnabyhowarth@com.au and I will let you know everything you need to know.

 If you would like to follow our story, just follow  this blog.