1. Nadia Comaneci
Since I was seven years old my dream has been to be a World Champion Athlete.
My hero at the time was Nadia Comaneci who I watched on TV score the first perfect ten in women’s gymnastics. I wanted to be her. Today my dream is still alive…what is it that makes a hero and can my dream come true?
2. Wilma Rudolf
The following year when I was eight I saw a made for TV movie about the life of Wilma Rudolf, who at a young age contracted infantile paralysis from polio and was told she would never walk without corrective braces. Not only did she go on to walk normally but win 3 Olympic gold medals in track and Field.
Now I had two heroes.
3. Kayaking
For ten years I chased my childhood dream. I was a professional whitewater kayaker and lived a nomadic life following summer and the rivers of the world hoping to win the Freestyle Kayaking World Championships. The closest I ever came was 5th in the World and 5 years ago my fire burnt out and I walked away from my dream.
5. Vietnam
In the middle of my kayaking career I got invited on a National Geographic Sea Kayaking Expedition in Vietnam. My main role was to look after the non-swimming non-kayaking interpreter, and to assist the film crew. I mentioned an idea I had to make a film about nomadic women kayakers to the National Geographic filmmaker and he was encouraging.
6. Nomads
So being basically naïve and having no filmmaking experience I bought a video camera with my Visa card and set out to make my first movie. Needless to say..it took awhile and 6 Years later I finished Nomads which I funded myself through teaching kayaking.
Nomads went on to be the official selection in over 30 international film festivals and won half a dozen awards.
7. Nomads/ Jessie
Nomads tells the story of three women I knew from kayaking who were paddling on the White Nile River In Uganda and decide they can give back to the village they are staying in. DR Jessie Stone is the primary character who through her own fundraising built a rural clinic, does malaria education and prevention, and family planning education.
8. Soft Power Health
I returned to Uganda last year to make a follow up film on DR Jessie Stone’s humanitarian work. To date she has sold over 100,000 mosquito nets and educated over 30,000 Ugandans about malaria, and her clinic is thriving. Jessie is a huge inspiration in that not only did she realize she could make a difference. She also is combining it with her passion for kayaking and having a good time doing it.
9. Blue Planet Run
The success of Nomads lead to my first big video job. I got asked to be the primary videographer for the Blue Planet Run. The first ever 24 hour a day around the world relay, raising awareness and funds for safe drinking water in third world countries. The run went non- stop for 95 days and nights covering over 15,000 miles overland thru 16 countries.
10. Balance
Thoroughly exhausted from the Blue Planet Run and needing a home base after years of constant travel I moved to Gisborne. I needed balance, and wanted to see what the rest of life had to offer. I started my production company Flair Films, learned how to surf, rekindled oil painting again, began a regular yoga practice, cycled, and started selling my kayaking gear.
11. Arnd and the seed- Kelly Surf shot
Over this past New Years an old friend of mine from kayaking came to visit me and go surfing. He started talking about kayaking and the last World Championships, and offhandedly said “Polly you know if you started training again I think you could be in the top ten in the world”, and I said If I start training again I don’t want to be top ten I want to win.
12. Vipassana meditation photo-
Shortly after my friends visit, I went on a ten -day vipassana meditation course. That course was the hardest and best thing I have ever done. Sitting in silent meditation for 11 hours a day gave me a lot of time to reflect on my life, and what I want to do with it. My childhood dream came back and call it divine inspiration but I knew I had to go for it one last time.
13. A fire within
I committed to start training again. Setting my sights on winning the 2011 World Freestyle Kayaking Championships. Going within on the meditation course relit my inner fire, and I decided if I was going to achieve my childhood dream it was now or never. This time around it’s not just about winning a gold medal but about being the best person can be at the same time.
14. Movie
I have also decided to make a documentary about my journey. In the hopes that what I discover along the way will help other people on their paths. Making the film and going for my dream feel like something I have to do. I really can’t explain why, I have felt the fear of failure, which isn’t going to stop me, and am facing it head on, and I also know I can’t do it alone.
15. Ego
The last time around going for my dream I think I was coming from a place of needing to prove something. It felt very ego driven and external. This time I want it to be different. It isn’t about proving to the world that I can win, but about fulfilling this deep-seated childhood dream, and doing it in a way that is balanced, with the intention of inspiring others to go for their dreams.
15. Your own backyard
The reason behind making my new documentary, which is called, A Fire Within, stemmed from audiences reactions to my other films. People who want to make a difference but don’t know how. What I realized meditating is that true change can only come from within, and making a difference can happen in our own backyard. So I am trying to be that change.
16. Sunflowers
Some examples of positive change that I am consciously incorporating in my life are living with integrity and forgiveness, giving someone a smile, being nice to my grocery clerk, and pursuing what brings me joy. I notice when I am happy and positive it rubs off. And that’s the person I want to be in the world.
17. Flair Films
The whole reason I started my production company was to tell stories about inspiring people doing positive things in the world. Our world is full of modern day heroes and I want to tell their stories. The impact seeing Nadia cominice score the first perfect ten and seeing Wilma Rudolf’s story on TV when I was 8 years old, changed my life, and I am hoping maybe my films can do that for someone else.
18. My Hero Project
I have also become a mentor for the My Hero Project. A non profit organization who’s mission is to use media and technology to celebrate the best of humanity and to empower young people to realize their own potential to effect positive change in the world. I attended the My Hero Film festival in LA, and came away so inspired. I knew this was a project I wanted to be involved in.
19. Gratitude
I feel extremely lucky to have had all of the experiences I have had. And I also value the true grit and inspiring determination of my heroes, Wilma Rudolf and Nadia Comaneci who paved the way before me.
Living the life I have chosen isn’t always easy, but I know I am following my passion and want to die knowing I gave it my best shot.
20. Own Drummer
I have chosen to live my life beating to my own drummer…. and will end with a quote from Abraham hicks who says…
"Do I have a responsibility to make the whole world beat to my drum?" No, nor could
you. You beat your drum, and the Universe will respond to the drum that you are
beating…
