Goals, intentions, scared space, journaling: put them all together and what have you got – a blueprint or map created just for you, by you. Yep, you are now set to rock and roll right along on your chosen path, at your chosen speed, going to where you want to go.
No longer are you second guessing yourself. In previous exercises I’ve shared with you, you’ve gone into your heart center to discover where your passion lies. You know there’s a big payoff later because you have identified what that payoff will look and feel like to you.
You created your unique goal – take a deep breath now and start walking. Smile and wave-off the goofy stuff along the way, giving a sigh of relief as you move past the naysayers and folks who are not ready or willing to ‘walk the walk’.
Are you walking yet? If not, go back to your special place, your sacred space, and bask in the protection the area wraps you up in. Make it a pleasant habit to use your sacred space when you feel challenged, unsure, or need to feel it all over again. It’s like a “Pause” button that you control.
If you’re not walking yet, perhaps this will help. Allow me to take you through the thought process that I used with one of my own goals – “what would working with horses look like in 2011?”
December: ideas swimming around in my head like a thick vegetable soup that I cannot enjoy yet. Like Goldilocks, it’s too “hot”: too many loose noodles floating around. Action: take a closer look at this jumble of goodies.
Goals – a lot of them: get back to Dressage lessons on the big Thoroughbred horse I enjoyed riding; work with the two mares who were in desperate need of more socialization; get a regular, light riding schedule with my senior gelding, Murray.
Uh oh, pause right here. We had that little incident that left me with some broken parts that need time to mend. My senior gelding Murray played a big part in defining my goals for the New Year.
Goal – Intentions: I asked myself several questions. First, where am I at physically? Needing to heal, nowhere near 100%. That knocked off most of my list. Where was I mentally? I was ready to put my focus on something and STAY there. How about socially, what were my needs? Since I am in a physical process of mending and healing, my social activities are limited. Finally, spiritually, what did I need to feel “complete”? Ahh, this is where setting up my sacred space came into play.
Goal – Sacred space: I wasn’t sure I liked my answers. To sit and reflect on all this, I spent a lot of time in my own version of sacred space: the rocker in the sunshine, with a lock of mane from a horse who had passed on. I soon realized I was on more of a spiritual path this year, at least until the physical healing was done. That sounds like a “given”, but I wanted to be active in 2011, not passive.
Goal – Journaling: I realized I did not have to be “passive: as I had named it. I made notes and saw a pattern. I may not be at the same active level physically, but there was plenty I could do. Ground work. Go back to the basics. My ability to move is restrictive, my reaction time still improving…I would join my horses on the ground. Now I had a new goal (after I fleshed it out) that worked for me physically, and mentally (I could stop beating myself up for the things I could NOT do right now), and socially (I love spending quiet time with the horses), and spiritually (I feel as I have a true purpose to my daily activities). I can relax and enjoy the walk and let go of the self-doubt and mind chatter such as, “shouldn’t I be doing something else?”
Goals – Practicing: walking my walk seems so obvious to me now that I’ve defined what it looks like. Ditching the negative brain chatter of ego and self-doubt releases a lot of energy that I can now channel into other things. Even the horses feel the change – they are softer, more relaxed, and have so much to tell me because now I’m clear to listen.
If you need some help getting started on your walk for 2011, give me a shout, I’d be happy to chat with you. Nobody ever said you can’t take a friend with you on your walk.
