Thank You!

The outdoors invites gratitude into my heart and mind. Even when I am not feeling appreciative, I can't help but relax and say a prayer of thanks for the beauty I see, all that I have, and especially for friends and family. I appreciate all of the support for walking and writing that I have gotten from friends, family and colleagues. Remembering to say, "Thank you" is a healthy habit that may come naturally for some people, but for others of us, gratitude is a practice and a habit. I often get notes from my mother telling me something she liked about one of my posts. I wrote her this brief note of appreciation.

          Have I told you lately that I am glad you are my Mom?

          My creative ability comes from you, so I'm glad you like it.

          Encouragement and inspiration comes from you, so I'm glad you keep giving it.

          Dogged determination comes from my Dad. Glad you married him.

"Taking time to appreciate your mother for all the care she provided growing up; reconnecting with an old friend to express your gratitude for always being there for you; seeking out and thanking a favorite teacher who helped you grow – specific acts of gratitude can have a variety of positive consequences..." Pursuit-of-Happiness.

"Beyond emotions, there is evidence that gratitude is associated with pleasant physical sensations, as well. Algoe and Haidt (2009) found that people experienced pleasant muscle relaxation when recalling situations in which they’d felt grateful. It is apparent that the mere act of giving thanks can have remarkable impact on a person’s well-being." from Pursuit-of-Happiness. 

Practicing thankfulness with family and friends will also have benefits in your work or job search. It's easy to remember to send that thank you note for an interview, a conversation with a prospective employer, or a colleague who recommended you if you are already in the habit of saying thanks.  

"Counting your blessings will benefit yourself and your organization." Gratitude at Work

Having an attitude of gratitude at work improves performance, optimism, and general health. A Walk About U! is a great opportunity to talk about things you are grateful for, what makes you happy, and how to share your joy with others.

30 minutes walking

Dusk

A partial moon lights the sky. The sun has already set, but it's light has not left the sky. Dusk signals the end of the day. The soothing cool sky invites reflections of the day. What could be brighter than a day with good friends and family. Seeing my five month old grandson take his first taste of vegetables. A cold cucumber and a wedge of zucchini touched his lips followed by a spoon of applesauce. Frowns and shivers. Fruit as foreign as vegetables. Then innocent giggles while dancing across the living room floor. Capturing the magic moments to keep with me. When my day is dull, sad, or things just aren't working out, I bring out the magic moments and remind myself that evening will come followed by a new day.

I'm on the 65th post, and I had to add a search widget so I wouldn't repeat myself. I had to try several titles before I found one I hadn't used before. So now you can "search this blog" to look for subjects you may be interested in, and hopefully I will be able to think of 300 more titles. 

20 minutes walking

From a Distance

Stripes of glowing golden embers sliced between black shadows. The park looked magical. A stage set by bright sunlight sifting through heavy trunks of distant trees. I enjoy seeing things from a distance:  An observer of what might be, or could be.

As I stepped into the park I became part of the scene

Smelling the musky warm grass

Blinded by a pot of gold reflecting off the lake

Dodging bicycles whizzing past on the path

The sound of cackling red winged blackbirds chattering in the reeds

Smiling at a neighbor as familiar as the man in the moon

I am in the park and part of it.

Swiftly walking

Rolling my ankles to keep a good pace

Feeling the cool breeze

Sweating in the sun

No longer an observer watching from a distance

I realized that after walking everyday for two months, I can enjoy hearing, feeling, and seeing all that the outdoors has to offer. Actually I see something new everyday. How long can that last? Just when things begin to look so familiar, fall is coming. A new canvas of sights and sounds. To schedule a "Walk About U!" with a LifeWork Coach, contact Nancy Miller, M.S. The difference between a conversation with a friend and a "walk about" is that the conversation with a coach is all about you.

50 minutes walking

Perspectives

It’s amazing to do the same thing and see it in a totally different light. I’ve been working on the same writing project for over a year. It’s starting to get old, and I realized I’m losing interest. What could I do to add freshness and a new perspective to an old idea?

As I starting walking this morning, I wondered how I could see the same walk in a different light. It was so obvious. A glaring ray of sunlight blinded my path. It wasn’t there yesterday. It’s the sun that makes the same walk different everyday. I decided to notice the affect the morning sun had on my environment. The bright green grass glistened with droplets sparkling in the sunlight. I could imagine fairies firing off their magic spells. By afternoon the grass was a deep earthy green. The light was dim as it filtered through the thick tree branches. A flock of birds left dark patches on the sidewalk as they glided through the air. The light from the sun was bright and glaring, warm and earthy, and blocked by birds all in one day. 

Looking at the sunlight from so many different perspectives made me realize that I can look at my project through a different lens and bring new light to my writing. Through walking and observing nature, I am learning to use my senses to find something  new and interesting everyday.

60 minutes walking

Clear Blue Sky

I walked outside this afternoon and noticed the blue sky.  No clouds, no apparent smog, just clear blue air with nothing in it. What a wide expanse of empty space! As I looked up I thought about how I would like my mind to be clear like the sky when I meditate. I often feel like my mind is full of airplanes going this way and that, clouds absorbing my thoughts and then raining them back down on me unexpectedly. During the few moments that I feel like my mind is clear, it is relaxing and soothing like looking at the clear blue sky.

As I walked I thought about the spaces that appear to be clear and empty such as doorways, empty drawers, and the space between things. “Ma” is a Japanese word to describe the space between things. Is this “negative space” really empty? (If you look at the picture in the link for negative space, it is difficult to tell what is the negative space and what part is the picture.) The empty space is just as important as the rest of the picture. Space is no more empty than the clear blue sky.

In fact, the sky that looks like a clear blue space is actually full of wavelengths of light bumping into dust particles, bouncing off of water droplets, and absorbed into gas molecules. The blue sky is actually a result of the shorter blue wavelength of light being absorbed by gas molecules and then radiating out and scattering around the sky.  What appears to be a calm blue sky is really more of an action adventure.

My mind feels like the clear blue sky. Even when I attempt to clear my mind, and stop the traffic and visual cues, I still have brain synapses firing and energy radiating. As I learn to better meditate, my whole brain comes in sync as I relax. I can actually train my brain {15 minute video, "The Brain is a River not a Rock"} to work better through walking and meditation.

20 minutes walking

Cool As a Carrot

I got out for a walk this morning before the temperature reached 60 degrees. Walking felt effortless and energizing. What a difference from the warm weather walking that saps the life out of me. As I was walking, I thought about how the environment affects everyone so differently. Some people actually wait until it gets warm to go out!

Working effectively and freely may be dependent a great deal on how our temperament or style matches the environment we are working in. Just as soil and weather affect how well vegetables grow, our environment has an affect on the way we work. Each of us responds differently to our environments.

This morning I was anxious to go out and check on the peppers. They are different everyday. I was picking green peppers that were slightly spicy, then went out the next day and saw that they turned red. They were hot!

Peppers are like the people who thrive in the heat. When the weather warmed up the peppers loved it. I’m more like the carrot that likes the cool earth. The carrots begin to get tough and dry when the weather gets very warm. Peppers love dry hot sunshine. Just as each vegetable has its own mix of important vitamins, each personality style has an important contribution to the group.

Becoming a Writer

After reading my walking blog, a friend and colleague gave me a great compliment this morning. He said that as he was reading my blog he saw me as a writer rather than a friend. I made the transition from blogger to writer.

I’ve been writing a book for about three years. In the back of my mind I kept telling myself I wasn’t a writer. I didn’t have training in writing, and I didn’t have a regular writing schedule. I had ideas and materials that I had gathered and wanted to put  into a book. I knew it was self-defeating to tell myself I wasn’t a writer. In fact, I often didn’t want to get down to the work of writing. I wondered if I had wasted years of my life on something that wasn’t going to happen.

It was time to cut my losses and quit, or become a writer. For some reason I couldn’t quit the project. Maybe I just don’t like to quit. I had to become a writer. I listened to an audio excerpt from Robert Dilts’ book, “Strategies of Genius, Volume One.” Dilts described the environment that Mozart made for himself that allowed his creative genius to blossom.

As I looked around my office, I realized it was a great place to work and organize, but it wasn’t the best environment for developing my intuition and creativity. According to Dilts, Mozart walked, went outdoors, and had free time to allow his music to come to his mind. After hearing Mozart’s story, I decided to give myself an environment for creativity by walking and writing everyday. When I am outdoors walking, I use my senses, observe, relax, and create more brain activity. After walking for almost two months, practicing my craft, and getting feedback on my blog, I can say that I am a writer. That is what I do. I create an environment for writing and spend time doing it.

I spend time researching which I enjoy, as well as organizing and editing which I like much less, but now I have the ability to sit down and write at will. In the past I had to wait for the moment to hit me, but often the moment would pass before I could get to my computer or find a pen. Now I have to tell myself to, “Stop already!” This is a blog. I can write more tomorrow.

60 minutes walking