The madness finally finishes today! I am genuinely relieved to say that I have successfully completed 100 consecutive days of different activities filled with excitement, randomness, fun and self-satisfaction. I have to admit the last set of 25 days was difficult and I my motivation and excitement for some activities began to fade (mainly because my favourite ideas had already been completed). But as a whole, I am so happy I extended my original 30 Day Challenge into 100 days. It has been totally worth it! I can’t actually believe I have undertaken so many different activities and challenges and blogged every day for that long! It almost has become a habit.

I have learnt so many new random skills, improved old ones, captured my creative side again, and gained a whole lot of confidence and happiness in myself. I have tried things that I never thought I would have, I have created a ridiculous number of little artsy crafts, I have ticked a few things off my ‘to do’ bucket list and I have even planned and booked in things for the future that I never would have had it not been for this experience. I feel like my spare time has been spent well, for self-improvement and life-enjoyment…and I have more of an idea of who I am and what kind of person I want to become. It’s amazing how much these last 100 Days have impacted how I feel about myself. I really am loving life right now. Even with its natural ups and downs I feel content about the here and now, and so (optimistically) looking forward to what the future holds. I would do it (an ‘X’# Day Challenge) all over again, and maybe one day I will.

But for now, for my last challenge, I am reminiscing over the last 100 Days and giving them their definitive rankings. I apologise that this is my final task; I really wanted to go out with a bang, something like a Skydive or a bungee jump, shave my head, get a tattoo, a naughty piercing…something along those lines. Unfortunately, I won’t be completing anything exciting like that, since I am (happily!!) arriving in Portugal today for a Trampoline World Cup. However, I have enjoyed looking back on the last 100 days and the things I have done and achieved. Ranking them has been really difficult. How can you compare the hilarity of a 10 minute spray tan that required no effort whatsoever, with the feeling of accomplishment I got after spending hours writing a Sonnet?

Just quickly before I reveal my complete 100 Day Ranking List and explain my top 10 days and honourable mentions, I have been nerdy and calculated a few statistics on my challenges. Just out of interest… I categorised each day into the following groups: (1) Arts & Crafts; (2) Literature & Language; (3) Days & Events; (4) Physical; (5) Nostalgia; (6) Music; (7) Food; (8) Skill; (9) Film; (10) Cosmetic & Beauty; and (11) Other. Over a quarter of my days involved the arts & crafts! Here is the pie chart…

43% of activities were brand new to me! The rest were either improving my current skills/learning new things in a skill I was somewhat familiar with, completing childhood activities or things I haven’t done for a while, or spending days with friends and family. The closest I got to doing something science-related was my baking soda and vinegar volcanic eruption! Glad I’ve put my biology degree to good use so far!

As for ranking my 100 days from best to worst… I have based my decisions on such factors like enjoyment, satisfaction, future potential, self-improvement, quality, how much I felt like I gained from completing the activity etc. As a general rule, activities involving my friends and family ranked highly. For this, I want to say a huge thanks to you all for being so awesome and fun and amazing and so willing to join in with my silliness! My other favourites were challenges that I spent a significantly long time on to the point I could feel proud or surprised by the outcome (this includes long-term goals like winning Nationals and graduating University with a first class degree, and short-term challenges completed within a day like writing a short story or becoming a yoyo master). Not surprisingly, lower ranked days tend to be activities that I couldn’t put the time or effort in that I wanted to and was disappointed or embarrassed with my experience.

My top 10: (and why I they are there)

#10 ~ Scuba Diving (Day 69)

Just placing in my top 10 list was day 69, Scuba Diving at Goodwin swimming pool. I have ranked this highly because it was not only interesting and fun, it was something brand new and was an activity that took me out of my comfort zone. It made me want to be a mermaid, and is something I would consider taking up in the future, if I ever have the time and money to do so. I loved the feeling of being underwater and breathing at the same! It is probably something I would not have tried out, had I not been on my 100 Day Challenge!

#9 ~ I won a car!!! (Day 86)

You may have thought this would have ranked higher, since its a pretty awesome thing to have won a car! But the excitement of winning a car was really after winning nationals a few weeks earlier. So this day was collecting the keys and taking my brand new car out for its first spin. Definitely a great moment and well worthy of a 9th place finish in my rankings. It was also the day I choose a name for my new sporty silver car, and I gave him the divine name of Pegasus, after the winged stallion in Greek Mythology. A name I hope he will live up to.

#8 ~ Motivational Poster (Day 50)

Motivational Poster 2 copy I loved this activity and was really proud and happy with my final poster. It made me think about who and what sporting moments have inspired since my first memory of the Olympics to the current day. I did manage to get a professional A2 print out which is stuck on my bedroom wall just beside the door. So every time I walk into my room I am greeted by inspiration and every time I walk out, I am filled with motivation. It incorporates my favourite quote, my sporting motto if you will: ‘The only person you should try and be better than, is the person you were yesterday’. And I really believe this is true. You must know your competition, but the only way you can be the best you can be is to push yourself everyday, to be better than you were yesterday. It was also very special, because I posted a picture of this on facebook and one of my idols actually shared it and asked where she could get a copy! Another very sweet quote was posted as a response to her share, which when translated states: “If you were to become the person you were yesterday, that is already enough”. Which, to me makes me remember what I have done already to achieve what I have and to be who I am today.

#7 ~ Bournemouth Day Out (Day 20)

This day was amazing! I absolutely loved being on the beach (even though it was f***ing typical English weather: raining, windy and freezing cold!). I visited the Fossil Forrest on the Jurassic coast and swam in the English Channel again (this time with a GoPro, and for a lot longer). I really do love swimming underwater! So peaceful and comfortable. But what made my day at Durdle Door really so great, was spending it with my amazing and fun friends Nathan, Lewis and Rachel. I really am blessed to have friends all over the country (and I guess all over the world too) from trampolining and it’s these days that you really get to appreciate what other things sport can bring to someone’s life. It’s not always about winning. Sport and being part of the trampolining has enriched my life in so many ways! I have met so many wonderful, determined, motivated, supportive and downright awesome people and it was so amazing to spend such a chilled and great day with a small handful of you guys during my week in Bournemouth!

#6 ~ Bill Bailey (Day 88)

This evening was incredible! And totally worth being ranked 6th Best Activity during my 100 Day Challenge. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much! He was so funny, I nearly died. Bill Bailey was hilarious and his show was so clever and musical. It really highlighted the talent that this guy has. And I felt so uplifted after watching and listening to him for hours. I was so grateful to share this experience with a good friend of mine. He didn’t even mind my hysterical laughing, snorting and dying next to him!

#5 ~ The Peaks (Day 3)

There was no doubt this day would make my top 10. It was a beautiful day spent with fantastic people! Me and some friends from University went to the peaks and visited Blue John Caverns (another activity out of my comfortable, non-claustrophobic zone), had a BBQ in a midge infested Derwent Reservoir Slippery Stones (and Ice cold plunge pool) and watched the sunset over Lady Bower. These guys are amazing and we had so much fun, despite being eaten, frozen and smoked to death. This day will always be a great memory and I have a huge smile on my face right now thinking and writing about it!

#4 ~ Become British Champion (Day 55)

Ranked just outside of my top 3 was the day I won British Championships for the third consecutive time. This was a huge achievement and meant a great deal to me, especially after a tough year and recovering from a leg injury. What made it even better, was my performance secured me a place on the Great British team for the World Championships in a few weeks time (…and I won a Honda car for a year too!). It was my first competition of the year, and I was so happy to perform routines that I felt showed what I was capable at that moment. Both my parents were able to make it to watch at the competition and share their support. It was so lovely to share this moment with them and my coach Paul, after another eventful year for all of us.

#3 ~ Graduation (Day 1)

Winning the bronze medal, is my day of graduation. This was FIVE YEARS in the making and is clearly worthy of a top 3 finish. My younger brother, parents, grandma and best friend Ashley were able to be my guests for the day and show their support when I walked (and not tripped!) onstage to shake hands with the Dean and collect an award.

I felt truly honoured to receive the Vice Chancellor’s medal and nearly teared up onstage when they spoke about why I had been chosen. It means so much to me to have had (and continue to have) their support in my sporting career and ambitions. Of course, it is always special to have your hard-work and achievements recognised by people you value and respect.

family

#2 ~ Weekend at Grans (Part 1)

#1 ~ Weekend at Grans (Part 2)

Winning the Silver & Gold Medals were my two days visiting my Grandma. The weekend was Jam packed with visiting places of my childhood but also creating new incredible memories. I absolutely loved spending quality time with my close family and friends. I truly had the best time.