Motivational speaker and burns survivor Turia Pitt is well-known for her grit, spirit, passion and strength to survive.
At 24, Pitt was a fitness junkie and successful mining engineer whose life was turned upside down when she was trapped in a grass fire while competing in a 100km ultramarathon.
Her story is the ultimate triumph over adversity.
“We all face challenges in our life. All of us, each and every one of us are going to face times that are stressful and hard. But where focus goes, energy flows. I don’t want to be focusing on the negatives all the time,” she told Insurance Business.
In hospital and recovery, when it seemed like every day was just a living reminder of all the things she couldn’t do anymore, Pitt focused on what she did have and what she could do, rather than what she couldn’t do.
“Every night in hospital, I would make a mental list of everything I had going for me. I’d say to myself ‘you’re tough, you’re gritty, you have determination, you’ve got the best partner in the world, you have the support of some amazing people’”.
“Every day I made the decision to focus on the positives. And day by day, that act of positive reinforcement helped shift my mindset to one that could take on anything”.
“This isn’t blindly sticking your head in the sand, or walking through life with a fake, cheery attitude. It’s about choosing where to invest yourself,” she said.
Reflecting on her new role as a mother, she’s says like any parent she has been focusing on accepting that it’s going to be a major juggling act.
“It’s hard - and I’ve been really lucky. I have a really good support network around me, and I know that’s something that not all mums have access to,” she said.
One of the biggest adjustments for Pitt has been accepting that she can’t do everything on her to do list anymore.
“Instead of setting out to achieve ten things each day, I’ve found that I can only aim to achieve three. Maximum three. If I can achieve just ONE thing from that list, I feel like the day has been a win,” she said.
“When you have the right mindset, anything is possible. Getting through challenges at work or in your personal life, reaching for big goals, your confidence and approach to life - it’s all impacted by your mindset,” she said.
“So, the choice is up to you. Will you walk through today thinking about everything going wrong in your life? Or will you focus on all the stuff going right for you? I know which choice I’ll make”.
