How going for a walk could heal your heart and create the future you want. Will you come on a “Dream Walk” with me?
Sometimes when I’m working and I start to feel sleepy and don’t want to do anything, I’ll go outside and go for a quick walk. I walk fast, almost like I’m late to get somewhere and am usually back home in 10-15 minutes, and it’s amazing how much it has really reset my mind.
But other times I take “Dream Walks”. On these walks I don’t listen to music or a podcast, and I keep my phone in my pocket, and I actively dream, on purpose. Dreaming is important for your brain. It reminds you that there is more to life than what you are doing at this very moment, and helps you set intentions for the future for what you want. So let me invite you now on a dream walk.
There is a particular neighborhood not far from mine that had some new, large homes, a few being built and a bunch of open lots for sale. I like to walk around and notice things about the different houses and ask myself questions.
If I was building a house what would I want it to look like? How many rooms would it have? Should the front porch face east or west? How many cars would the garage hold? What will the landscaping look like?
I’ve picked one particular lot that I love, and every time I walk by it I say “Here’s my lot. You are looking good! I can’t wait to buy you one day.” And I imagine a white house with a dark gray trim, that has a porch swing on the east side so I can sit and read on my porch in the shade in the evening as the sun sets to the west. In my mind’s eye I can see all the windows in a row, symmetrical on both sides of the front door, and I can see my car in the driveway.
But as I keep walking I start thinking about the inside. And while I do think a little about what it will look like, especially the white cabinets in the kitchen, I also think about what will happen inside. I think about the fun Christmas parties where I make the guests dress in fun/ugly Christmas sweaters, the lazy Sunday mornings where the smell of fresh waffles fills the air. I think about the kids and their friends gathering downstairs to watch a movie, and visualize my office, a calm oasis where I can do my coaching and take calls.
These walks calm my mind, and give my body energy and purpose. If anything had been troubling my mind before I went on this walk, it all seems to disappear for a while. And don’t be mistaken, this is not the same as a numbing behavior like scrolling social media, playing a video game, or drinking too much alcohol. This walk has a very important purpose!
Your brain is always working, always thinking, even when you aren’t aware of it. All the time your brain is collecting data or evidence to figure things out. If you have repeating thoughts like “I’m not good enough”, “nobody likes me” or other negative thoughts, your brain is always going to work looking for evidence that they are true. You can use this brain work to benefit you. Try one of these thoughts instead, “I wonder how many people like me?” or “What am I really good at?” or “I wonder how many people will smile at me today?”
Your brain will ALWAYS find evidence of what it is looking for. If you think you are unlovable, your brain will find evidence of it. However, if you go looking for ways in which you are loveable, I promise you’ll find evidence of that instead.
So these dream walks are giving my brain a task to do. It is training my brain to think about the future, knowing full well I can create whatever I want. Whether or not my house is the same color or even looks at all like what I am imagining right now, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am putting energy into things I can control, and working to create a home that is full of love, laughter and healing.
What do you dream of doing one day?? Put your brain to work for you. Think about that thing, and dream it up in such detail that you can’t imagine it not happening. Do you dream of building a house, starting a business, creating a non-profit charity, or visiting every state in the USA? It doesn’t matter what your dream is. Spend time, active time thinking about and dreaming about what it will be like when you accomplish that dream. What will you have created for yourself? What is that outcome you are really wanting?
Whatever you want is within your reach. I would love to help you train your brain to really imagine and create what it is you are wanting in your life. Do you need to strengthen a relationship? Do you need to heal after divorce? Are you struggling as a parent? Whatever your dream is, I can help you use your brain to make it happen!
ANYTHING is possible for you, once you put your mind to it!
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