Dog walking inspiration: The four parts of vision

I’m a combination of fearless and stupid, a result of my now-diagnosed-and-medicated ADHD.  In my ripe old age, my child-like obsessions have transformed into a deep-seated vision.  From the outside, the extra energy and exuberance makes me look like a natural, productive and focused.  My inner visionary is not genetic.  Over time I have learned something important:  I have to ignore my inner naysayer some of the time.  It’s the difference between a overburdened hope chest and real stories of dreams and visions come to life.

Vision doesn’t have to be loaded with grandeur- my recent vision was particularly simple:  I need to add a quick

outdoor walk.  I’ve been working this plan for a while but it all came together last night, during almost sub-zero dog walk around 6:00 in the evening.  I didn’t want to do it but somehow I finished, triumphant and in charge of my life.  It wasn’t my character or my will-power.  It was vision in action, in four parts.

Step 1 of your vision:  You see a solution to your need.  “I need to start walking outside for fresh air and sunlight.”

I have eczema.  Every winter it flares up and I always thought irritating fabrics and lotions were the culprit.   A trip to a new doctor in the spring revealed I need sunlight to keep it from erupting and scarring my skin.  It’s not all bad, this need to walk no matter what the weather.  The extra calories I’ll burn, a few extra minutes with my husband or child that will certainly be forced on a walk and the happiest benefactor- my chocolate lab named Reese.  Win-win, no-brainer, super-logical, gonna happen.

Step 2 of your vision:  Then you see and feel the barriers to your solution- But it’s cold outside.

Every good idea comes with ten barriers.  We’re heading into the cold season in the midwest and the frigid breeze is startling and unfamiliar.  Walking takes valuable time that could be spent on my household or my business and it’s hard to spare a few minutes even for eczema-prevention activities.  To make it worse, we are going into the time of year when there are only a few hours of day light every day.  I don’t like to walk in the dark.  Every time I think about walking, the barriers pop up like the whack-a-mole game and another day passes without a walk.

Step 3 of your vision:  You force yourself to do it anyway- I put on my boots.

Eventually I get sick of thinking about the same action, day after day.  That convenient moment would never arrive.

On this particular Monday, there were more barriers than normal.  The sun had already set and the biting wind drove the temperature down to a frigid 10 degrees.  My husband had a cold and even with my best winks and shakes would not be provoked to leave the couch.  But the gym was closed and I hadn’t done anything physical all day.  I put on my boots and coat, with my family’s quizzical eyes following me (what is going on?  Is she mad at dad?)  I convinced myself I would just go for 30 minutes, about half of the original vision.  Just a little something to get started.

Step 4 of your vision:  You do more than you thought you would- I finish my walk, feeling I could do anything I put my mind to.

With about half the clothes I needed, I set out into the wind.  Reese with her rich chocolate-brown coat trotted through the wind enjoying all the scents flying at  her.  I alternated stuffing my thinly gloved hands in my pockets but in ten minutes they got a bit numb.  I took a deep resolute breath of fresh nighttime air, popped my earbuds in and started moving, one purposeful step after another.  Reese joyfully responded, c’mon mom- let’s do this!  When the half-way point of my original walk came up, I breezed by.  I’m out here, why not walk for an hour?  Pitbull and Reese propelled me past the corner.  Before I knew it, the walk was over and I arrived, triumphant through the front door.  I had my first walk in.

Are you ready to be inspired in your every day life?

Oprah-star and author Martha Beck agrees that “making a vision board is not a substitute for elbow-grease.”  It is not a heaven-sent, gold edged moment with God.  Most of the time, it’s hard- a change, unfamiliar, challenging.    Those first steps are a sort of nudge and then a fight and finally a dream opening up to you.  It is most likely you can do more than you can imagine.  That’s the nature of our risk averse egos.  We are afraid we will fail.  So we don’t even put on our boots, defeated before the first step.

What do you want to change?

• Start the process to going back to school.
• Reach out to your partner at a cold moment in the relationship.
• Eat that first meal just a little bit healthier.
• Getting up just a little bit earlier.
• Trying a new fitness class.

Just do it today. Listen to your heart.  Try to take the jump over one of those barriers and get your proverbial boots on.  You can always stop.  But wouldn’t  it be cool if you went further than you can imagine?

If you are interested in creating a vision board, try my Vision Board Kit!

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