Annette Arnold.
Outward Bound 5-day professional leadership course.
Annette Arnold .
Farmers Mutual Group
Outward Bound Classic 701 | Blake | 8 May 2023.
‘It is going to be an amazing opportunity to be taken outside of my comfort zone, meet like-minded people and allow myself to build on my own self confidence.”
Annette wasn’t one for camping or tramping. Her family and friends were really surprised when she put in her nomination to participate in Outward Bound.
However, Annette loved every single minute. From the moment she arrived at the ferry terminal and was required to complete a 4km run to Bob’s Bay for lunch – only the lunch wasn’t quite at Bob’s as such, it was on a boat in the Sounds, so they all had to get in the water as swimming was the only way to get to it.
In the beginning, Annette was worried about not knowing what was coming next. After the first day she learned to let go of the need for control. She did find it hard to give up her watch… her last bit of control was knowing the time. But once she had given it up, she found the whole process a lot easier and freer.
After the 5-day leadership course.
“Found out who I really was.”
What surprised Annette the most about the course was the realisation of who she was and what she really enjoyed in life.
Why self-realisation is important.
One of the hardest parts of the course for Annette was working on herself. Like many others, Annette finds inner reflection a difficult thing to do, and she doesn’t like to talk about herself.
On the course, Annette found her true inner self, not just Annette that is a mum, a wife, or a senior financial adviser. There were no roles or expectations at Outward Bound; she was just Annette, and nobody knew who she was.
She was excited about the solo experience, and it didn’t disappoint! There were visits from wekas and possums throughout the night, and the great view from her camp site meant she was able to watch the boats come and go. The time passed quicker than she expected it to.
Three important learnings from the course for Annette were:
It’s ok to not be in control.
It’s ok to let people help you.
It’s ok not to be perfect.
One thing that really stood out for Annette was how her group, who were 11 people from 11 different backgrounds and stories, came together so well. The youngest was 26 and the oldest was 54 but they were all just who they were and all on one journey. She felt incredibly lucky with her group.
Which bit was the most fun?
Although the weather was bad, Annette wouldn’t have had it any other way. Witnessing a magnificent thunderstorm on the way back from an overnight camp in the bush was one of Annette’s highlights.
Another was learning how to sail. The bad weather on the first two days meant strong winds which enabled them to sail up to 20 knots. It was exhilarating!
“I wouldn’t have had it any other way”
“If you are thinking of doing it, you need to be OPEN to doing it.”
Key learning for Annette is to be a lot kinder to herself.
She recommends anyone who gets the chance should do it and it doesn’t matter how fit (or not) you are.
Please note: Outwards Bound does offer support after the course to help participants keep working on the self-reflection that they learnt while on the course. Annette’s chosen to continue to work on herself with the post course coaching session available to her.