The Birth of FISH: Fulfillment, Inspiration, Success, and Happiness
In 2001, the year Fiona and I got married, we fulfilled a lifelong dream for Fiona and travelled from Scotland to New Zealand for a 3.5 week holiday where we saw the country from Cape Reinga to Milford Sound.
During that holiday, we experienced a most incredible day in Queenstown, where we woke up to sunrise over the Remarkables and jumped in a van that carried us inland over winding, steep, one way roads to the beginning of a crazy rafting journey. We navigated rapids both inside and outside the raft and finished mid-morning cold but energised.
Not wanting to waste a minute, we proceeded to Kawarau Bridge Bungee Jumping (AJ Hackett) where we both took the plunge, one of us literally in the river below.
To calm ourselves down, we had lunch at Gibbston Valley winery, fell in love with Pinot Noir, and sent a case home to Scotland.
Not satisfied with the fullness of our day, at dusk we climbed a small mountain near Queenstown, strapped ourselves to two guides and hang gliders, and floated back into the valley below.
We celebrated with a lovely Mexican meal where we sat dumfounded at the day we had experienced.
Fiona and I often joked that our wedding day was exceptional, but THAT day in Queenstown was next level. THAT day was my first inspiration for FISH (fulfilment, inspiration, success and happiness), and the first day that I consciously scored the day 10 out of 10 for all four elements of FISH.
Fast forward 23 years which found me with the opportunity to go back to Gibbston Valley winery for a Summer Concert featuring Pseudo Echo, Soul Collective, Texas and Simple Minds. The concert was bittersweet, as Fiona passed away due to cancer 2.5 years ago, and wouldn’t be there to see her idol, Sharleen Spiteri lead singer of Texas. I carried the Scottish flag proudly and Fiona was with me in spirit every step of the way.
Following years of grief, depression and anxiety, the fact that I attended this event at all was a minor miracle, but to realise that this epic concert, the wonderful human beings I got to know along the way, and the emotion of seeing the band that performed when I proposed to Fiona created another 10:10:10:10 day for me.
Life is meant to be acknowledged and celebrated, and I have a wonderful growing list of ‘perfect’ days I can lean into for sweet memories. We all have them, but perhaps we have forgotten.
If you would like to explore your own experience of fulfilment, inspiration, success, and happiness (FISH), the link below will take you to two assessments where you can measure your FISH score. One is a quick 7 question quiz, the other is a more substantial 80 question diagnostic.
https://christopher-miller.com/the-joy-of-finding-fish-diagnostic/
Whether you undertake the diagnostics or not, I would encourage you to identify the Top 3 days in your life where you experienced your highest levels of fulfilment, inspiration, success, and happiness, and relish in their memory.
With love,
Christopher
