Two activities that seemingly share little in common are the two that hold the most life lessons for me: golf and mountain biking.
Rarely do I walk away from these activities without new insights and appreciation of a multitude of issues. The top three that I work to fold into my life regularly are these:
• Trust your instincts
• Know your environment, and
• Focus on where you want to go.
There is much to be said about all of these and each will present itself differently on any given day. The unexpected thunderstorm on the golf course or a fallen tree on the middle of the trail teach me how to remain nimble while working to keep myself safe. Admittedly, I have a difficult time embracing any of these three thoughts on a given day but none more so than the last one.
I’ve been completely conditioned to think about all the spaces and places I don’t want to be. This fixation demands so much of my time and attention that I am not able to see the possibilities that lie in front of me.
When I’m trying to avoid the sand bunker on the golf course, I am not seeing the hundreds of yards of grass surrounding that one area. If I want to steer clear of a rock on the trail, I often miss the intricate carvings of the dirt that winds around it. In the end, I, unfortunately, usually end up going in the one place I did not want to go.
Conversely, when I have found those rare moments when I can focus on the where I want to go or be, it seems to just flow without my even realizing it. My body adapts with gentle encouragement and I achieve my goal with much less effort.
In a larger societal context, I know that I’m operating from the trance of fear in more ways than I wish to share. I know I’m in my healthiest space when I am seeing things from the space of possibility instead of the constriction of anxiety.
Take, for example, discussions around race. These no longer scare me because I see them as an opportunity to better fully understand this country and all who call it home. This took time to shift my perspective but I’m so grateful for all of those who lifted up my chin from the micro vision and helped me to see the bigger picture.
We need not be afraid of what isn’t when there is so much more to what could be.