#22: Make A Vision Board.

I'm sure most of you remember a few years ago when The Secret became so popular that it wasn't really a 'secret' anymore.  This was based on the law of attraction, which is said to work by attracting into a person's life the experiences, situations, events and people that 'match the frequency' of the person's thoughts and feelings.  What you think about becomes your reality, whether positive or negative.

I know when I'm sweating on the trainer and want to call it quits, most of those thoughts can quickly turn negative.  Knowing I'm a visual learner already, I wanted to create a vision board to focus on while I was on the bike trainer.  Mental cues and catch phrases have always worked well for me in the past.  With Ironman Lake Tahoe being my second Ironman, things this time around are much different and I want more than anything to mentally enter this Ironman stronger than before.  I want to be focused, strategic, and have my race be successfully visualized beforehand.

Making this was fun.  I've always loved arts and crafts as a kid and have felt like the right-brained side of myself has been stifled ever since college when the majority of my work was predominantly left-brained.  I had magazines open and cut out whatever images or phrases spoke to my heart.

Last week's retreat made me realize the importance of meditation and mindfulness in both sport and in life.

Can't get much clearer than that!

Nutrition is always part of the equation.  And this year I want to be able to handle any situation.
Especially if it involves flat tires.

My vision board this time around was strictly triathlon-based, but you can expand them to include all areas of your life.  What you believe, you can achieve.  The beauty of the vision board is that you are seeing your final product, your destination, your goal, and all you do is focus on that.  Don't worry so much about how you will get there.  Those details will work themselves out in due time.  The beauty is that you can allow your creativity and your spirit guide you as you merely piece together things that inspire you. 

I had the pleasure of meeting an incredibly special person a few weeks ago.  She is also preparing and doing her own Ironman, although not in the form of swimbikerun.  She has decided she is ready and willing to make small and doable changes in her life to regain back her health, and ultimately her life.  She is also working on her vision board.  Our journeys are very similar.  We will both learn the value of how our daily choices affect our long-term goals.  We will both have setbacks.  We will both pick ourselves up and keep moving forward, knowing we have a team of supporters on the sidelines and at the finish line for us.

If you're reading this, M, I'm so proud of you.  Not only am I excited to see your vision board, but also to witness and experience the inspiration in your life story.  Because vision boards aren't just for dreaming, they are meant for action.