By James Durand
As many of you have noticed and many of you have mentioned to me directly, I have been writing about being too busy for a while.
My writing is a product of my life and therefore always cycling related, but with that you also get a glimpse into my personal life. It’s just the way it is, I write about what motivates and inspires me.
Often it’s my kids, the bike shop, or some fantastic ride I managed to complete, and yes, lately it’s been my feeling of being overwhelmed with all that I take on. I blame no-one but myself. According to my folks, I’ve always been ambitious, goal oriented, and stubborn. (mostly stubborn)
So, with new bike shops, coffee shops, house renos, pump track planning, and life, I’ve buried myself yet again and have apparently been whining about it for far too long. Sorry ‘bout that.
I’ve been telling myself that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, so it’s all worth it, but I don’t know if I ever truly believed myself.
BUT, just the other day, I realized a few things:
The New and Improved Swicked is 95 per cent complete, and the remaining 5 per cent is non consequential stuff that can easily be pushed down the priority list.
The Swicked coffee bar is finished and open for biz.
Our home reno picked up the pace significantly when we hired Dave Stewart Contracting and It will all be finished and looking beautiful in a few weeks, opposed to me doing it over the next few years.
The Pump Track plan … well I drew it out, but I’m not stressing about it. That one will happen when it happens.
And the best part, It looks like I won’t be getting shoulder surgery, which frees up about 12 months of my future.
I’ve planned a few Whistler riding trips with buddies, some family vacations, and the bigger and better Swicked crew has everything under control back at headquarters. I might just get a few days off this year.
All of a sudden, that light and the end of the tunnel got really bright, my shoulders relaxed, and I smiled.
So, it’s time to grab my sunglasses, a bike, and get out to enjoy working less and riding more.
Who knows, maybe it was all worth it after all.
I’m James Durand and I’m Goin’ Smilin’…
