Adventure and lived experience
Adventure and lived experience offer insight that theory alone cannot. The content here explores how challenge, recovery, and adaptation shape perspective, influence decision-making, and build resilience that translates into everyday life and leadership.
We are not about chasing extremes. They are about learning who you become when comfort disappears, and plans change. Drawing on personal challenge, adaptation, and recovery, this space reflects on the moments that shape perspective, resilience, and purpose.
These stories are shared through my speaking and writing. I aim to explore what it means to keep moving forward when the path is uncertain, and how lived experience can deepen understanding, empathy, and leadership in life and work.
Every expedition reinforces the same truth organisations face daily: progress comes from adaptation, trust, and the willingness to keep moving forward when plans change
-
When the Plan Has to Change
Changing the route doesn’t mean giving up on the destination. There is something reassuring about having a plan. You know where you are going, you know what you need to do, and you have a route and a timeline to work towards. If you are anything like me, you probably have a few backup plans…
-
In loving memory Lynda and Alan McAnsh : How My Parents Shaped the Values I Live By
I am wearing a new bracelet In loving memory Lynda and Alan McAnsh. My parents and my greatest mentors, friends and supporters. It is simple. Black. Quiet.Engraved with the words: In loving memoryLyndaAlanMcAnshMum & Dad xxxxxxx I did not buy it to make a statement. I wear it as a reminder. A reminder of who…
-
Leadership Lessons from the Mountains: Why Titles Mean Nothing at Altitude
Leadership lessons from the mountains are simple, uncomfortable, and impossible to ignore once you have experienced a place where titles, ego, and hierarchy mean absolutely nothing. The mountains do not care what you do for a living. They do not care about your job title, your CV, your following, or how important you feel in…
-
Finding Love with Someone Who Has Children – The Story I Needed.
A Life I Thought I Wanted If you had asked me at 15 whether I wanted children, or imagined I would one day be finding love with someone who has children, my answer would have been an immediate and resounding no. Back then, the thought of parenthood didn’t appeal to me, and that feeling stayed…
-
Project Can’t: Why I Turned the Word ‘Can’t’ Into My Fuel
Project Cant is more than just a concept it’s a vaccine to a worldwide pandemic. We’ve all heard the word “can’t”. It’s a word that stings, whether it’s whispered in doubt, shouted in defeat, or quietly believed in our darkest moments. For many, “can’t” is a full stop. For me, it became the beginning of…
-
Long-Term Effects of CRPS, My Life In A Blog
Living with Long-Term Effects of CRPS. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a daily battle, but when the condition affects the spine, specifically the L1 and L2 region, its impact can extend far beyond chronic pain. For me, this diagnosis wasn’t just about pain; it became a turning point in every part of my life. I remember when…
-
From Sport to Keynote Stages: My Journey in Speaking
My story from sport to keynote stages has been an epic journey. There was a time when I thought my story ended the moment I woke up paralysed. In truth, that was just the beginning of a very different kind of journey, one that would eventually lead me to the world stage, not just as…
-
Mental preparation in professional sport: My Journey Through Sport and the Anticipation of Wimbledon 2025
Mental preparation in professional sport is as necessary as physical preparation. As I sit watching Wimbledon 2025, with the rhythmic thud of the ball and the hush of the crowd between serves, something stirs deep within me. It’s not just admiration for the game, it’s recognition. I know what those players are feeling. The pressure.…
-
Climbing Scottish mountains with a disability
Who Needs a Quiet Weekend When There Are Scottish Giants Waiting to Be Climbed? Climbing Scottish mountains with a disability is not for the faint hearted. Some people unwind with a quiet weekend and a good book. Me? I lace up my boots, grab my crutches, and head for the mountains. Recently, I had the…
-
Jamie McAnsh Kilimanjaro climb with SpryStep Vector KAFOs
A Journey Born from Adversity Jamie McAnsh Kilimanjaro Climb with SpryStep® Vector KAFOs: A Life-Changing Journey began when Jamie McAnsh woke up one morning with incomplete paralysis caused by Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Everything changed in that moment. What began as a life-altering diagnosis soon became the foundation of an extraordinary story of determination,…
-
My Life Through Inclusive Technology
Inclusive technology isn’t just something I advocate for, it’s something I live and breathe every single day. As someone who is neurodivergent, accessibility and flexibility are essential to how I function in both personal and professional spaces. I’ve spent years navigating the barriers that many of us face in the workplace, especially those that aren’t…
-
How a Disability Helped Me Do What Most People Won’t Try
I want to share with you how a disability helped me do what most people won’t try. You see, when I woke up one morning paralysed from the waist down, my life didn’t just change, it was dismantled. The old goals, the assumptions, the path I was on? Gone. What came next wasn’t easy. It…