Monica Willis speaking at Ignite Berry 5th September 2025
At the Ignite event on 5 September at the Berry School of Arts, every speaker gave us something to think about. Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing highlights from each presentation. You can find the other presentations as they are published here
Today’s spotlight is on Monica Willis, who recently completed an extraordinary adventure: whitewater rafting 110 kilometres down the Franklin River.
Eight set out, eight returned, and every single one with all limbs intact. Monica Willis and her adventurous crew on the Franklin River, proving that teamwork, humour and a little courage can carry you through the wildest rapids.”
Monica described herself as “a four star hotel kind of girl,” but she set off into pure wilderness with no phones, no tents, no bed, just a tarp and the rapids. The experience was breathtaking, relentless, and sometimes frightening, but it also became a powerful teacher. Her talk was also full of humour, with the audience laughing as she described everything from bush toilets to slipping bum up over rocks.
Her key insight was clear: Reframe the flips.
When Monica was flung from the raft into a torrent of rocks and water, panic surged until the guide turned to her and said, “Amazing swim.” That single phrase shifted her whole perspective. What could have been remembered only as a near disaster instead became a moment of courage and learning.
“When I was flicked out of the raft, the guide said, ‘Amazing swim.’ That shift in perspective changed everything.”
She carried that lesson throughout the trip, reframing every setback as a new way of seeing. Nights without sleep became “magical” with glowworms for company. Bush toilets became “loos with a view.” Hauling gear over slippery rocks became a masterclass in teamwork and resilience.
Portage is the process of carrying boats and gear over land to get around obstacles in a river. On the Franklin, this meant scrambling over slippery rocks and massive boulders, hauling supplies piece by piece through tough terrain. There are no tracks or shortcuts in that wilderness, so every step required teamwork, problem solving, and persistence. For Monica, portage became more than a physical challenge. It was a lesson in resilience and adaptability, showing that sometimes the only way forward is to shoulder the load together and keep moving.
“Portage taught me that problem solving, adaptability, and the support of your team are what get you through the obstacles.”
Monica reminded us that life is just like the river, wild, unpredictable, and sometimes overwhelming, but we always have the power to choose how we respond.
“Life is like the river, wild, unpredictable, breathtaking. You cannot control the current, but you can choose how you show up.”
#IgniteBerry, #MonicaWillis, #ReframeTheFlips, #LifeLessons, #CourageAndResilience, #Storytelling
