Mission Complete!
364 days ago whilst out on our daily summer holiday morning walk I did my first handstand of the year in the park just down the road from where we lived and in passing (without any thought whatsoever), I declared that I was going to do the #365handstand challenge.
365 handstands, in a year!
I’m not sure I even believed that I’d follow through for an ENTIRE year but here I am on the very last day of 2015 having got up for my holiday morning walk and stopping in at the little park just down the road (although a little further down the road now we moved house) to document my very last handstand of the year.
I’ll admit I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do tomorrow when I don’t “have” to stand on my hands, I’ll probably just do it anyway – but don’t worry I’ll probably only post handstand photos on a Wednesday because #humpdayhandstand sounds like a cool hashtag 😉
Am I better at handstands?
I don’t think that you get better at something just because you do it everyday. I was able to tidy up my form to some degree by looking at the photos and understanding what it felt like when my line was good, but I’ve certainly had some help this year from people far superior at inversions than I. It’s been the combination of daily practice and “expert advice” that have enabled me to become a better handstander.
So, what has my year of handstands given me?
Discipline –
I had to make time to handstand EVERY SINGLE DAY for an entire year, regardless of what else was going on around me.
An eye for detail –
Other people see a wall, I see the perfect handstand backdrop. Which is also why I may look at doing more photography challenges this year, I actually enjoy the process of taking and editing photos.
Confidence –
Most “perfect handstand backdrops” are in extremely public places, but if you want that shot you just have to learn to deal.
Do I have a favorite photo?
Honestly? I couldn’t narrow it down to just one.
There are shots that I like because I think my form was particularly good that day and others I like where my form isn’t that great but I’m sharing the day with someone else, so that particular photo invokes happy memories. In fact looking back through the photos I can recall everyone of them in great detail, I remember what I was doing, who I was with, who took the photo – 2015 has certainly been a beauty!
What’s next?
I’m not sure, I loathe to do another 365 challenge “just because” and I haven’t come across anything that can be done anywhere and photographed as easily as handstands. Yes burpees can be done anywhere (and I am burpees for life) BUT that would involve daily video making and the thought of that makes me go meh ..
Anyway, we’ll see – I have another 16 or so hours to think about it. On a positive note I’ve decided my one word for the coming year, but I’ll save that till tomorrow. If you are out and about celebrating tonight, be safe.
Till 2016
