Lessons From the Bottom Field: Themes That Shape Us
Sometimes, life introduces us to recurring themes, patterns that echo through the years, shaping our outlook, testing our character, and teaching us lessons. Some themes serve us well, while others weigh us down. The challenge lies in recognising which ones to nurture and which to let go.
The football pitch at the front of this beautiful building in my Instagram post was where I first learned the value of physical exertion and discipline. Back then, laziness wasn’t an option, partly because someone said so, but also because the environment demanded it. It was a place that challenged me, but also sparked joy. It laid the groundwork for resilience in ways I didn’t fully understand at the time.
A few years later, life introduced me to a very different kind of “Bottom Field”, the infamous version at the Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines. It was harsher, less forgiving, and deeply painful. This time, there was no choice but to endure. The stakes were no longer about winning or losing a game, they were about survival, if you wanted your green beret.
Reflecting on these experiences, I see how the theme of perseverance reappeared in my life, first as a lesson, then as a necessity. The discipline I learned on that prep school football pitch became a tool that I could rely on when things got unimaginably hard. And while I wouldn’t wish the struggles of my later Bottom Field on anyone who didn't want them, I can see how it reinforced the same truths: effort matters, discipline matters, and how we approach challenges defines who we become.
But here’s the catch, not all recurring themes serve us. Some patterns drag us down or lead us astray. That’s why paying attention is so important. When life repeats itself, it’s an opportunity to ask: Is this helping me? Or is it holding me back?
The lessons we carry forward make all the difference. Those that empower us, like the discipline I first learned on that football pitch, deserve our focus and effort. Those that harm us require courage to release.
So, I invite you to reflect: What themes have shaped your life? Are they serving you? And if they aren’t, what can you do to change the narrative?
Thank you Perrott Hill Prep School for lessons that lasted a lifetime.
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6dLove Dr Seuss, and all that wisdom from the teachers out there. On ya!