t’s a School night. The kids
are in bed and I have just
finished watching, A Current
Affair’s, ‘Trace’ conduct a big girl
chit chat with the Ambassador
for girl-power, Oprah Winfrey.
people looking for the next challenge to encourage more of herself to show ‘itself’. I think
Oprah embarks upon this task
by talking and listening, where
as Llew embarks upon it physiThe Big O has always fascinated
cally. First it was running and
me. I haven’t quite worked out if
then it was walking, sounds a
I love her or simply want to be
little backward doesn’t it? It was
her. I think it’s a little bit of
both. When the chit chat made a however the walking that left
bee-line towards ‘Self Belief’,
Llew horizontal on the couch in
which ironically Oprah is actually salty puddles of contemplation
good at, she spoke about an old and disappointment.
boyfriend in her 20s and how he
asked her “why she thought she
When I first heard LLew had dewas so special”. Clearly not an
cided to join the Oxfam 2015
actual question, just a state100klm walk, I was not surment to make her feel ‘less
prised at all! This lady is a gothan’.
getter who appears to have no
At the time, Oprah agreed with
perceived roof where goals are
this foolish young man – little
did he know who he was actually concerned and with Crazy
talking to – and today she
Mummy Syndrome now somelaughs at how much she actually what behind her, things seemed
believed him. You see, she was
different for Llew, she felt
told throughout her childhood
strong, and in her heart and
that she was ‘not special’. Her
mind she was capable of killing
self worth was fractured and
practically destroyed well before this walk no matter how far it
was.
their paths had crossed. He
would have been simply another
In August this year, Llew and 3
voice added to the existing internal dialogue reminding her
friends, Sian, Charley and
that she ‘was not good enough’ - Bridgette, joined hundreds of
a self belief far too many of us
other ‘change makers’ to comadopt.
plete the Oxfam 100 Kilometre
And with that came my inspira- Trail Walk to raise money for
tion to write this article.
people in need. 100 kilometres
I met Llew Dowley a while ago
is a long way and when I asked
now. She had just released her
Llew how experienced her team
first bo