Since the start of the New Year, in order to more fully absorb our gratitude, in the evenings T and I have been asking each other what  was your Happy High Five for the day.

What is a Happy High Five? It is anything that makes you happy. It is a fun thing to do with your partner, friend, or family member.

You will be surprised at what makes them happy.

For example, I told T my new red puffy calendar book made me oh so very happy.

And the little bitlets that fall off my bagel make me happy when I eat them off my plate.

T then said that one of her Happy High Fives was that the puffy book and the bitlets made me happy! It just makes me smile to think about it.

So as you can see, it can be anything that makes your heart swell and your lips turn up in a smile.

It’s a good way to end the day and drift off to sleep thinking about what made you happy that day. It’s all about underscoring the gratitude we feel.

Give it a try, I bet you end up with more than 5!

How ‘bout it?

Vision Runner

^Click Arrow To Listen

2008 brought some pretty amazing changes. We had been attending a series of weekly meetings that revolved around the concept of the Law of Attraction and manifesting the best for your life.  One of the main themes that kept popping up throughout the meetings was “What is your passion in life?”  And people would talk about this or that, and be so enthusiastic about their passions: there were a handful of real estate investors, and there were people in the community social working type professions. And beauticians and nail techs, and people involved with multi-level marketing and direct sales and various other things. And everyone was full of inspiration and ideas.  

I however would sit in silence, not knowing how to participate. I was 44 years old, soon to be 45 and while I had a wonderful, comfortable life, I couldn’t really verbalize what my passion was.

Well okay, I did know what my passion was; it was running, but how in the world could I serve others while monetizing my passion for running? Eventually the drip effect did its work on me during all those meetings along with the CD’s I had been listening to. 

 After many months and some unexpected spiritual growth, I had an epiphany of sorts.  I’m legally blind, and even though it’s much harder for me to run, I still manage to do it routinely, because it is my passion.  One evening a truly inspired thought came to me: VisionRunner.com – I could start a blog about being a blind runner.  It would be about my life as a blind runner, and about overcoming obstacles and how it’s not so much what happens to you as what you do with it that defines your success in the world. Hopefully it would be an inspiration to others overcoming difficulties in their lives since we all have them in one way, shape or form.

Eventually it turned into this blog: www.RunnerInsight.com, and I went with Vision Runner as my tag name.  I am now using my unique set of circumstances and my passion for running to inspire others.  I started my blog in September of 2008, and this spring I have embarked on a new mission in conjunction with my blog. It’s called Run Over to Ellen’s and it’s a 1,222 mile virtual run to the Ellen TV Show in Burbank, CA to raise $30,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind.  (www.RunOverToEllens.com)

I guess it’s true that as we grow and mature, we become more about “What can I do to serve others?” rather than “How can I help myself?”  Using my passion for running to help others is the most rewarding gift the Universe has given me.  By going deep within myself, I was able to find my passion, make it uniquely mine and change my reality.

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

^Click Arrow To Listen

On Thursday I was interviewed by Dr. Andrew Shatte’.  He is on the faculty at the University of Arizona and is currently working on a book about people who have overcome adversities.  He’s interviewed lots of people who have been handed some sort of “slapdown” by life (his term). He was intrigued by my slapdown story, and we had an insightful and somewhat introspective conversation.  He asked me a lot of questions in reference to my reaction and the subsequent acceptance of my life with the eye disease RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa). 

But there was one question in particular that Andrew asked me, that I had a hard time articulating an answer for. It was “Did faith or spirituality play a part in how you handled your “slapdown”?”  I told him yes, it most certainly had, but I felt my answer was inadequate in expressing how much it truly has helped me to not allow myself to be limited by my vision constraints.  Even though I’m legally blind, and I do have to deal with that every day, I don’t define myself that way or see myself as “broken” or “limited”.

I’m constantly aware that I’m part of something much bigger than just myself.  It would be nearly impossible to continue on the journey that I’m on if I had chosen to live as a victim.  There’s an inner knowledge that we are all connected, and that gives me hope and a sense of security.  And it’s not just the hope that I will someday see again, but the knowledge that what we do here in this lifetime counts. It matters, and we are here for a reason. 

That reason may not be fully revealed to us until we are no longer a part of this physical world, but it doesn’t matter whether it’s made clear or not. I have the unshakeable faith that what I’m doing at this very moment in time is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. 

There was no way for me to know what my life was going to bring me.  No way to know that it would take going blind for me to even begin to understand what being of service to others is all about. I’m absolutely confident that had I been living my life without this particular challenge, I would not be working on my current 1,222.25 mile fundraising run in an effort to raise $30,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind, or have even considered running to the Ellen TV Show! 

I could have looked at my “Slapdown” through the eyes of a victim, but at the time, I chose this road, not because I’m more evolved or smarter, but because it was the only road I knew. And that journey would allow me to eventually end up where I am today.

I do have faith in the Universe and its infinite wisdom. Look where it’s brought me so far!! I live a beautiful and peaceful and contented life that is only getting better literally every single day.

 How ’bout it?

 - Vision Runner

P.S. If you’re getting value out of this blog, you can do me a favor by linking to us and mentioning my Run Over To Ellen’s fundraising project to friends and co-workers.  Here’s the link information for this article:
Title: My Slapdown

URL: http://runnerinsight.com/2009/06/22/my-slapdown/ 

P.S.S. Here’s an informational website all about guide dogs…www.Guide-Dogs.info

^ Click Arrow To Listen

New Moon Abundance Checks

This little trick does seem to work to draw more money, but I’m not sure why. I figure it has to do with setting an intention and letting the universe take over.  It doesn’t take much time, and once it’s done, you just forget about it, and let the money happen.

So are you curious?

Within 24 hours of the new moon each month, you’ll want to write a check to yourself. 

Okay here’s what you do:

Leave the date blank.  (That’s the universe’s business.)

Where the little box with $ is, write PAID IN FULL.

On the line that says Pay to the Order of, write your own name (or the name of your business if you want to draw money to your business).  

On the line where you would normally write out the amount, you again write PAID IN FULL.

Then sign the check: The Law of Abundance. 

Tuck the check away somewhere out of sight.  I put mine in a bank bag. (Subtle, huh?)

Since we have been doing this the past five months, we have gotten paid cash for two of our mobile homes that we generally sell on contract with a small down payment and monthly payments. So we’ve gotten $5,000 chunks twice, and lesser amounts have shown up any number of times. The money in my bank bag  just seems to keep growing, without any effort on my part…

The next new moons are June 22, 2009, July 22, 2009 and August 20, 2009. So give it a try, you have nothing to lose, and the whole universe to gain. 

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

P.S. If you’re getting value out of this blog, you can do me a favor by linking to us and mentioning my Run Over To Ellen’s fundraising project to friends and co-workers.  Here’s the link information for this article:
Title: New Moon Abundance Checks
URL: http://runnerinsight.com/2009/06/19/new-moon-abundance-checks/ 

They say “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” And I buy that…because will can come in the form of faith or of passion or both, but it all molds your determination.

-Vision Runner

P.S. If you’re getting value out of this blog, you can do me a favor by linking to us and mentioning my Run Over To Ellen’s fundraising project to friends and co-workers.  Here’s the link information for this article:
Title: Keep On Keeping On

URL: http://runnerinsight.com/2009/06/15/keep-on-keeping-on

Technorati tags: Ellen TV show Run Over To Ellen’s marathon blind runner blind and low vision Vision Runner Guide Dogs for the Blind

^Click Arrow To Listen

When Mary offered to create a poem to promote my Run Over To Ellen’s Fundraising Project, I honestly had no idea what to expect…so imagine my surprise when we got this incredibly perceptive portrait of the project and myself…

Thank you so much, Mary! Words can’t express how special this is. I think T said it best: “Wow!”

A blind runner creating a new vision for life

Had an incredible vision one day

To push herself out of her own comfort zone

While doing great good along the way.

Her name’s Vision Runner and although eyesight is lost

Her vision is clear as can be

Guide Dogs for the Blind, her passionate cause

Run over to Ellen’s – yes be on TV.

Thirty thousand the goal to help those in need

For safety, independence and trust

One thousand two hundred twenty two miles, the distance she’ll run

Your financial support is a must.

Thirty six miles each week she’ll run with white cane

Her courage gives goosebumps to all

Despite the terrain, the weather, fatigue

She knows she is answering the call.

A website has she to inspire and share

The challenges with RP she must face

but she knows The Secret to creating her life

With humor, positivity and grace.

So join in the fun you’ll be thrilled that you did

And come to Burbank in December to cheer

An incredible woman who despite all the odds

Knows absolutely no limits or fear.

- Mary McManus

www.newworldgreetings.com

We only need 30,000 people to donate $1 each so click here to donate your $1 and then forward it on to everyone you know….This is one of those projects where we each can contribute a little and together do a World of Good!

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

< ><–>

^ Click Arrow To Listen

Mary McManus, who we featured on this blog post in January (From Polio To Post Polio Syndrome to the Boston Marathon) and has been one of the biggest supporters of RunnerInsight.com left a comment on our last blog post “Needle Nose and Manifesting“. She’s training for the upcoming (less than two weeks away) Boston Marathon. She has an incredible story of her own on overcoming her own obstacles (polio and post polio syndrome) which you’ll have to check out on her video at YouTube. To follow her in her 26.2 mile marathon fund-raising quest for Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital go to www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus.

Anyway, the story she tells in her comment on Monday about one of her recent marathon training schedule runs was so special that we wanted to share it with you as an actual blog post.

Here’s what she had to say:

“Fabulous post!

I love Wayne Dyer’s gentle, down to earth approach to life and creating the life we want. Thank you so much for sharing your needle nose plier story.

I love when we are able to feel God’s love through signs all around us. During our last ‘long’ 10.5 mile training run for the Boston Marathon, I saw a penny in the street at Cleveland Circle – there were a lot of runners right behind us and I knew if I stooped to pick it up, I’d get trampled so instead I felt God’s presence and we ran on.

While on Heartbreak Hill, my daughter stopped dead in her tracks and said, wait hold on and out of the crack on the sidewalk, she found a quarter – and not just any quarter – it had Helen Keller on the back – a sure sign that God was telling us we can overcome any of life’s challenges to do great things. And then, we found a penny and then another penny – for a total of 27 cents – not 26 but 27 – we have more than enough to go the distance on Marathon Monday!

Thanks for continuing to fan the flames of faith and love in my heart with your beautiful posts. God bless! Here’s to beautiful creations!”            – Mary McManus

I love all of the signs in this story: the Heartbreak Hill, the Helen Keller quarter, but two especially hit home for me….first off, the significance of the 27 cents - symbolizing enough to go the 26.2 and even beyond. I love that.

But the thing I like even more is the significance of letting the first penny go. She acknowledged it, conected with her spiritual self, and rather than fight the “current” to pick it up, she surrendered it to let it be what it was without getting too stressed about the fact that she couldn’t “get” it, and by doing so, allowed room for the even greater bounty that was still out there waiting for them. There’s always plenty if we are open, believe and don’t resist by putting more obstacles in our own way.

It totally exemplifies T’s mantra of “Be Here, Be Open, Surrender and Allow.”

Thanks Mary! You’re an inspiration.

And Good Luck at the Boston Marathon! We’ll be thinking of you!

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

^ Click Arrow To Listen

I just recently got done listening to Dr Wayne Dyer’s audio CD’s “The Secrets to Manifesting Your Destiny.”  I really enjoyed them, and highly, Highly recommend them.  He tells a lot of funny and relevant stories.

One story he told was about how his daughter asked him to change a light bulb in her bedroom.  No big deal, right?  Well as he turned the bulb it broke in his hand.  So he asked his daughter to go downstairs and get him the needle-nose pliers.

A few minutes later she called up the stairs that she couldn’t find the pliers.  Wayne yelled back down to her, “Look again!”  They had to be there.  Nope, they were no where to be found.  So this seemingly simple task would have to be put off until he got a new pair of needle-nose pliers.  The next morning during his 13 mile run, all Wayne could think about was where had those pliers disappeared too?  And that he would have to get a new pair today.

As he came up on his driveway, he saw something lying on the pavement.  As he got closer, he saw that it was a brand new pair of needle-nose pliers.   

Wayne went on to explain that he could have just looked upon it as a coincidence, but he knew better. He told this story to show that you never really know how the Universe will bring about your request.  Sometimes it literally just shows up right in front of you.  The key is to recognize it for what it is, and be grateful. 

Years ago, when I was working for the airlines, I remember needing a stamp to mail a postcard.  As I was standing behind the counter, the maintenance guy came by with his dustmop.  I looked down (this was back when I could see) and in the pile of dust and debris was a postcard stamp!  I picked it up and it was unused!  I still remember that to this day, but for some reason I forget how powerful our thoughts are.  Most of the time we just run on auto pilot, not giving much consciousness to what we are thinking. 

T had just listened to the first CD where Wayne was telling this story about the pliers.  She said she kept thinking about the pliers story every time she was meditating, and she laughingly said if she’s not careful, she’s going to end up manifesting needle-nose pliers instead of manifesting the trailers getting sold and the rooms getting rented, etc.  I agreed and cautioned, “We don’t need another pair of needle-nose pliers.” 

That night at work I was thinking about Wayne’s plier manifesting story and what T had been saying about it, when I dropped my handheld magnifier back behind my work station.  The desk kind of slopes down and all sorts of things gather back behind there.  I was reaching down feeling around for my magnifier, and pulled out a couple of pens.  Reaching down again, I felt something else that wasn’t my magnifier or another pen.  When I got my fingers around it and pulled it out, I started laughing out loud.  There in my hand was a pair a needle-nose pliers! 

Where did they come from? Who knows…maybe a work man lost them there when they were setting up our new office months and months ago; maybe someone else set them down on the counter top and they got pushed off this week. It doesn’t really matter how the Universe got them there…the point is that the Universe coordinated events so that I pulled them out at the exact moment that I did. Ain’t life magical?

I couldn’t wait to get home and tell T what I had manifested! 

Hey this Law of Attraction thing really works…How about a new Toyota Highlander, Universe?

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

P.S. Happy Birthday, Susan!!

^Click Arrow To Listen

In the winter and spring when it’s still too dark in the mornings to walk home safely after work, I call a taxi if I can’t catch a ride home with a co-worker or take the bus.  

About a week ago, one night when I called to reserve my cab for a 6 a.m. pick-up, the dispatcher told me the cab might be a little late, as they were already getting lots of timed calls for the morning because of Spring Break: over-worked and bleary-eyed college students wanting to escape the cold spring weather of Montana were heading to the airport in search of a climate more conducive to bathing suits.   

 I said it would be okay if I had to wait a few minutes, but inside I didn’t really like it, and I was feeling shorted, since it costs me about an hour’s wage for the taxi to get home. And I don’t really like wasting precious minutes waiting around after working all night when I could be home sleeping. So I was a little bit resentful of the wait.

At 4:46 a.m. my co-worker Diane called to say she was awake.  We have a system in place, whereby if she doesn’t call me by 5:10 a.m., I call her. This avoids the scenario where she sleeps through her alarm and shows up late. Anyway, 4:46 was exceptionally early for her to be calling, and I knew that meant she would be in to work a few minutes early. 

That’s when I started wondering about my taxi. Maybe I should call the cab company and tell them I was going to get off work early so they could pick me up before they had an airport run?  Maybe they could squeeze me in before the rush? 

But what if Diane was not early?  Then what? What to do? Should I call the cab company or not?

All of a sudden a light bulb went off (in my head silly, not in the room  ) I remembered the audio series I’d been listening to by Dr. Wayne Dyer, “The Secrets to Manifesting Your Destiny.”

The first principal is about recognizing that you have a higher self.  And one of the things he recommended was whenever you are about to act, if you have any conflict at all in your mind, you can ask the question “Is what I’m about to say or do going to bring me peace, more peace in my life?  Or is it going to bring turmoil, some kind of struggle or anxiety?”

So I asked my higher self what I should do. And the answer was clear.  I was already feeling anxious about the taxi.  So I decided not to call the cab company, as it would just create more questioning and worrying. I decided I would focus on manifesting that the cab would be ready and waiting for me; even if I was off early. Then I surrendered the outcome to the Universe, knowing no matter what the outcome was, I was at peace with it.

I had realized my forcing the issue, and wanting the cab to be there when I wanted it to be there was not bringing me peace.  I was stressing and worrying about it.  My ego wanted it, and felt that if I paid good money for a taxi, it should be there when I wanted it to be there. Thank you ego for looking out for me, but I choose peace.

Now, this was not really a huge ordeal at the time, but a lot of times we struggle needlessly with the myriad of small details in our lives. This was an eye-opening moment for me: recognizing that I could be at peace no matter what the outcome.

As I suspected, Diane showed up about 15 minutes early.  So I gathered my backpack and slipped into my coat.  As I went to clock out I could tell there was a car outside the doors, but with my low vision I couldn’t tell if it was my taxi or not.

After clocking out I went outside and to my delight there was my taxi cab waiting for me.

Sometimes it’s the little stuff that carries the biggest lessons that hit home the hardest, if we only wake up and pay attention.  I choose peace.

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

^ Click Arrow To Listen

Recently, we were discussing how our current money system got started.  Without going into too much detail about it, one thing I came to realize was that money is really just a belief system.  I mean, think about it.  How can the government just keep creating more and more money?  We certainly don’t have that much gold in Fort Knox! We have to have faith in that piece of paper with the dead president’s face on it or the number in our bank account, for it to be real, because there really is nothing (no gold, no mountain of banana peels or parakeet feathers) to back it up and confirm that one dollar is worth one dollar of value except for our faith in the concept of a dollar.

So if the government can just create money out of thin air why can’t you or I?  Well, basically we can! But only if we believe we can.

For example, as T was explaining the other day: When she buys a mobile home for a few thousand dollars, goes in and fixes it up by spending some more money, and then puts a price tag on it of x number of dollars more than what she invested in it, she has just created money. The sales price of the home is just a number. And when someone gives her that number of dollars in order to now own that home, she has literally created money out of thin air.

And the way that she can do that is because people are grateful to have a decent roof over their head, that is affordable, that gives them a place to store their groceries and televisions and computers and toilet paper, and that they can now call their own. That pride of ownership creates gratitude. And gratitude creates money in her pocket. In reality, money is just gratitude.

My attitude towards money has changed dramatically since that conversation.  I now treat each bill I have to pay as giving gratitude for the product or service received.  I am truly grateful to pay the power bill that provides heat to my house. I like heat, especially in the winter. I show gratitude to the grocery store for letting me take home food to eat. I like food to eat. And while no one enjoys paying taxes towards wasteful spending, I really am grateful for the schools and the roads and the fire department, etc.

A few weeks ago, after I had my deep tissue massage for my sciatica I forgot to give Robin a tip.  So when I was paying my bill at the front desk, I asked Kelly to please give Robin this gratitude for me. 

Really it’s all in how you look at it.  Are you just spending money and paying bills and complaining the whole time, under the mistaken impression that money is something? Money isn’t anything but a belief system that helps us enjoy the things we want.  Maybe try shifting your thinking and realize that it is a way to be grateful for all the things you have, and often take for granted. 

I still find myself grumbling about paying a bill or the cost of gas, but for the most part, I try to remember all the great and wonderful blessings I enjoy and that I’m living in a great country where I can pretty much show my gratitude for anything I want!

And when we are truly grateful for what we have, then more and better can come our way!

Speaking of that, did I mention how grateful I am for my running clothes?   ;)

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

^ Click Arrow To Listen

Now we’re getting into the fun part of my marathon training adventure!  As much as I love running clothes, and the sweet tasting goo, the reason I get to love them is because of the running.

In 2007, when I decided to train to run a full marathon, I was fortunate to have fairly decent weather to start out my mileage build-up.  I started on Jan. 1^st , and I was able to do all my training runs outside.  I had joined a gym thinking I would have to take advantage of their treadmills if the weather turned ugly, but to my delight, I didn’t have to use the treadmill even once.  On the down side though, I never made it into the gym to do strength training either. 

I did my early runs on a path not far from where I live. This afforded me easy access to run the necessary miles I needed to get me on track.  There were a few times where the trail was too icy in parts, so I would turn around and run the same dry stretch of trail again.  Kind of hard for me to do, as I am like a horse; that is, once I’m turned around heading for the barn…err I mean home, I want to keep going that way.  But I knew I had to get the miles in, and I’d rather do it outside up and back the same trail several times than run on the treadmill anyway.

Come April I needed to find other safe running routes, as I was moving into my higher mileage marathon training program.  This would require longer runs of anywhere from 12 to 23 miles at a time. I could do a 12 mile route I used to run along the river and an old railroad track that has been converted to a nice running/bike path. But what to do about my longer runs?

I could run on a running/bike path that went for about 15 miles.  The problem though, was that it was 8 miles out of town outside of Lolo.  I thought I could get dropped off and I could call to be picked up when I was getting close to being finished. Yeah, that could work.  But my other problem was stashing water and power drinks along the trail.  I wasn’t worried about someone taking them, but with my vision issues, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to find the spot where I had left them!  So I had to burn up some brain cells trying to figure out what I could do. 

I know that the Universe is on my side, and I totally believe that once you make the commitment to do something, the “How” of it will figure itself out. Cause the next inspired thought I had was of my friend Vickie.

I knew that even though there was a gulf of several years between now and the last time I had seen her, we always had a close bond.  So I didn’t hesitate to call her. I told her how I was training for the Missoula Marathon in July, and I asked her if she would be interested in helping me with my training.  She was thrilled! 

In fact, she told me the timing couldn’t have been more perfect, as she wanted to do something to get back in shape.  I suggested that she could ride her bike alongside me during my long runs, hauling  my water and power drinks, along with any extra gear I might need.  That would leave me free to just run! She immediately agreed and was totally on-board!

Stay tuned for the conclusion on Friday.

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

^ Click Arrow To Listen

Sometimes we all need a little nudge…Or maybe a big kick in the rump, as was my case.

Recently I have been working on taking full responsibility for everything that comes into my life. Sometimes this is a hard concept to swallow.  But as we have been learning, everything is connected. That means, at least for me, as much as I would like to not have to admit it, I have somehow attracted my eye disease into my life. And it is my responsibility to draw my healing.

As much as I want to believe that I can change my reality and heal my eyesight, life seems to get in the way.  Living with RP every single day, I find myself thinking, “How can I ever possibly have perfect vision again?”  It seems an impossible task…How can little ol’ me do anything about this huge, insurmountable problem?” 

Don’t get me wrong. I respect and honor my strength that has allowed me to overcome the obstacles that have presented themselves along the way that could have kept me from doing the one thing that I love to do more than almost anything else, which is why I’m still running.  But on the other hand, I have allowed the disease to slowly take other parts of my life I used to enjoy from me, such as bike riding, driving, and beading, and stamping to name a few. That is when the nudge, or in my case the kick in the tail, becomes necessary. 

And thank God I have T to keep me on track.  She checks in with me and asks me how it’s going with the healing of my vision. I hem-haw around and try to avoid the question. 

Always gentle, she persists by asking me why I am so resistant to fixing my eyes?  When I really think about why, I realize that it boils down to belief.  Specifically, my lack of belief in my ability to fix my vision.  And If I don’t believe my vision can be fixed, then the Universe can not bring about the circumstances to heal me.

Even though I knew it before, one of the things I’ve become more conscious of recently, is the thought that it’s not me healing my vision. It’s me putting things into play so that a stronger, higher power can do the healing. It seemed so huge and overwhelming when I was looking at it as “little ol’ me” having to do this big job called “healing my vision and restoring my eyesight.” Shining the light on the basic concept that I’m not actually in charge of “doing” the healing makes it so much more conceivable. I can request it from the Universe, and then be open to whatever the next inspired action will be whispered to me.

I started doing EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique.  Simply put, it involves tapping on different places on your body with two fingers, which works to clear blockages and resistances in your energy field.  Before you begin tapping, you rate from 1 to 10 how you feel about a certain resistance. 

You then own your resistance, whatever it is, indicating that you still have love and respect for yourself. For example, mine is: “Even though I don’t fully believe that I can have perfect vision, I completely accept and love myself” while tapping 7 times on the different meridians.  Then you rate how you are feeling, and you can continue to do the technique until your resistance gets to a zero. (To get more info Click Here! )

I have started to do EFT while in the shower or walking to my mom’s, or even during a quiet moment at work. Currently I’m at a 6 with my resistance about being able to have perfect vision. I know I need to work on it, and I may need some help figuring out the root cause of this disbelief. Enter Theta and Radical Forgiveness, two huge emotional/spiritual healing techniques that I have barely scratched the surface of learning how to use.

Just the other day T was reading me a true story from Joe Vitale’s book, “Expect Miracles” about a guy named Gary who would not accept the doctor’s diagnosis that he had MS.  He just refused to believe it.  He decided to change his reality and found out what MS was, and in his mind he created a work force of beavers to work around the clock patching and repairing his myelin sheaths.  He also visualized what he would be doing on his 100^th birthday…Jumping out of a plane! 

The doctor had given him a dismal outlook on what he could expect his life to be like.  When he told his doctor what he was doing with his visualizations, the neurologist, already resigned to Gary’s fate, said “Don’t expect too much.” So he fired his doctor.  

Now 20 years later he is doing great and has accomplished all sorts of things, from a fire walk, to mountain climbing to bungee jumping! Amazing results since he was supposed to be dead or confined to a wheelchair years and years ago!

About five years after his diagnosis, he had an MRI and 90% of the previous scar tissue was gone. The doctor told him this just doesn’t happen! Well of course it does!  He just proved it does – because he changed his reality and never bought into the diagnosis.

This got me thinking about my eyesight, and I decided that I was not going to accept the doctor’s diagnosis of RP. Even though I thought over the years I had not accepted the doctors diagnosis, in reality I had…And as a result my vision has gotten worse.  So I figured why not create my own work force of beavers.

My beavers would be the best of the best; specially skilled to work in my Rods And Cones factory manufacturing and placing the cells that I need that are dropping out of my retina and not replacing themselves.  They are paid extremely well…as Gary said in his story, “Hey, I’m worth it”

My Rods And Cones factory runs 24/7 producing the rods and cone cells.  They also have an on-site pond to relax and play in.  All meals are provided free of charge to the workers in the Beaver Lodge where the best beaver chefs prepare and serve meals around the clock. There is an on-site store with all sorts of snacks and supplies also free of charge. 

I have hired supervisors and line operators, as well as Quality Control beavers to check the rods and cones before they are loaded onto trucks that take them to the main placement site: my retina. There the heavy equipment operator beavers, in their Carharts and hard hats, take the rods and cones to where there is a hole in my retina to fill.  After dropping in the rod or cone, my “Weaver Beavers” put the finishing touches on the cells to keep them in place patting them down with their flat tails.

Why beavers?  Of course, Gary’s story started it. But it makes perfect sense. Well think about it…beavers are always building and repairing, always hard at work.  That’s who I want on the job of fixing my eyesight. And more importantly, how cute is the image of a beaver in a hardhat?!!!

So the night that I had my first shift of beavers working away, I had gone to take my evening nap before I had to be at work at 11pm.  T came in to wake me up to get ready for work…”Get up, Get Up you little ol’ sleepy head!”  After waking me, she came back into the room and said, “You know I had to get up from my desk where I was working three different times tonight to answer the door.”

“Really?  Who was it?” I was curious.

Seriously she says, “The tapping was very persistent.  When I answered the door there were several furry critters with flat shiny tails, and hard hats on. They were looking for you.  They asked if you were still hiring.”  T left the room and I’m laughing. She then turns around, sticks her head back in the room for a second, saying deadpan “They seemed quite eager.”

I burst into a new chorus of laughter.  Her timing and delivery was spot-on. Sometimes I just don’t know where she comes up with this stuff!

So with the beavers working diligently on my behalf, another technique I am using is visualizing my day with perfect vision.  T has also helped me with this taking me through my day expressing what I might see and say as the day progresses.  It was quite fun, and served to remind me that visualization and imagination are powerful tools, that I don’t use often enough. It’s not hard. I just forget.

With the tools I have at my disposal, I am now ready to start changing my reality.  I’m the only one who can.  As much as T wants me to see again, it’s up to me to do the belief work.  I do want to see again.  I just have to work through whatever resistances I have and keep visualizing.  I am learning to live in the moment. And any moment now I’ll see perfectly again!

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

^ Click Arrow To Listen

I was still limping from the tightness of my sciatica, but it was improving.  The doctor gave me about 4 stretches to do for my back and hip where the sciatic nerve runs through.  One of the stretches makes me laugh every time I do it.  I get down on my hands and knees letting my back sag with my tummy dropping as far down as possible.  Then I arch my back up like a Halloween cat…Making the appropriate hissing sound to go along with it, just for fun!

I continued to see Dr Krieg three times a week, and I stayed in adjustment for the most part, maybe a little off every three or four visits or so. After a couple of weeks of getting me aligned, and me continuing to apply the Bio-Freeze and do my stretches, my right leg was still really tight and I was still limping around on it.  It was a bit frustrating, but I had learned that sciatica is one of those mystery ailments that seem to be on their own time table.  But as I said, each day was better.

My right leg was now feeling like it was getting more numb than tight.  And my right foot would get very cold, while my left was nice and toasty.  I told Dr. Krieg about this.  The good news was that after a couple of weeks, the alignment was holding for the most part, with occasional minor adjustments every few days.  So when he checked my alignment and I was still looking good, he began to work on my sciatic nerve on my right leg with pressure point therapy. 

Painful doesn’t even begin to describe how it felt when he was pressing on my leg, but I knew when it was done it would feel better.  He explained that he couldn’t work on my sciatic nerve before, because it would have been way too sensitive or “hot” as he put it.  That made sense as I could hardly stand the pain as it was after a couple of weeks of healing and adjustments.  But after that session my leg did feel a lot better. 

At this point, I have been going to see Dr. Krieg for about a month.  I’m seeing him a couple of times a week now. We’re going to have my re-exam this week, and we’ll see how much better everything is. I’m sure the results will show that I’m nowhere close to an inch and a half off from my left hip to my right hip, and hopefully my weight is more balanced on my left and right side. My leg is doing much better, just a slight limp and tightness.  I did have a couple of deep tissue massages with Robin where she mainly worked on my right glut and upper back and neck where I have been getting adjusted.  That really has helped expedite the healing process in my leg, as it no longer feels numb or cold.  I may have another one soon.

I’m not back to running yet, but I’m sure as I continue to see Dr Krieg over the next several weeks, he’ll have me back in my running shoes just in time for the beautiful spring weather.

So this brings me to why I named this blog “Back to Basics.”  For years I have been ignoring my back.  I was not doing the things that I knew I should be doing to insure I would have a strong and healthy core.  I suffered for that when I ran my first marathon, and now with my lower back and the sciatica. It’s horrible to be disabled and unable to do the every day things you enjoy…like sitting and standing!  

I am now a newly-converted believer in good chiropractic care.  And not just when your back hurts, but getting a screening and making sure everything is working the way it is supposed to.  It’s all about being proactive in my health and well being.  Wellness instead of sickness!

This is a continuing process and I will be sharing my progress with you as I go along.  Oh yeah Dr. Krieg also holds wellness classes every month at his clinic that we’re planning on attending.  They sound like just what we are looking for: planning for a healthier life style.

How ‘bout it?

 -Vision Runner

^ Click Arrow To Listen

For my first adjustment, we were led into one of the adjusting rooms.  Dr. Krieg had me stand at the foot of an upright exam table that was positioned vertically.  He then lowered it as I laid on it face down so that it laid me down from my natural standing position.  As I lay face down on the table, he had me bend my knees up and back down.  Then turn my head to the right and then to the left, and back to center, looking down toward the floor.  He then asked T if she could see my legs.  She said yes, even from across the room she could see the difference in my leg lengths.  My right leg was 1½ inches shorter then my left!  When he pulled my right leg down to where it matched up with my left, boy did that feel weird and uncomfortable.

He then raised the exam table up, and we moved over to a very low adjusting table.  It was only about a foot off the ground. He positioned me on my left side with my head in a donut like pillow.  He did some adjusting of my head and then applied pressure to my head with his hand and I felt a slight drop and the table make a loud POP…But it was the table, not my neck. 

It didn’t hurt. In fact it didn’t feel like much of anything really except a firm but gentle and non-violent push to my head.  That was it.  We then were shown to the resting room where for 15 minutes I reclined and relaxed. T was having fun with all the different massage settings on her recliner.  

When we left the chiropractor’s office, I didn’t feel much different.  However later that night watching TV, I started to have some bad indigestion. I never have indigestion, but it was bad enough that I took a couple of chewable antacid tablets…although it was clear to me that the Maalox was not going to even touch it. I have never really had problems with indigestion before. It was awful. 

In fact, if we hadn’t known that this could be a side effect of being adjusted, I would have sworn I was having a heart attack, that’s how bad it was.  Finally I had an inspired thought to lay on my trusty ottoman with the heating pad on my chest and stomach, and T and I did some Theta Healing on it.

Finally, finally, after what seemed like hours of indigestion (in actuality, it was probably about an hour or so) I got some relief from the awful heartburn!  And thankfully, it didn’t come back. 

Before bed I used some of the Bio-Freeze that we got in sample packets from the chiropractor.  It’s a natural ointmet like Icy Hot or Myo-Flex or Ben Gay, but natural, without the chemicals.  It smells like Vicks Vapo-Rub, but for only a few minutes, then the smell dissipates.  I used it on my neck and shoulders, and also applied some to my lower back and hip of my right leg.  Boy, the effect was almost immediate and lasted for hours.  I love this stuff!  Barkeep….Bio-Freeze for everyone!!  (Actually I tried to get some sample packets from the Bio-Freeze company cause I wanted to offer to send samples to you, my blog readers, if you wanted to try it, but the company only gives samples to health care professionals…and I guess being a Call System Operator at the hospital and a blind runner who blogs doesn’t really count. Oh well. “C’est la vie” say the old folks…)

The next day at the chiropractor’s office, I told Dr. Krieg of my indigestion reaction to the adjustment yesterday.  He was delighted that I had some sort of reaction because this meant that things were happening.  After all, the spine is the nervous system’s super highway.  All our nerves come from the spine, and by making a cervical adjustment to a spine that has been out of alignment for over 20 years, it would have been surprising and even a little disappointing if I didn’t have a reaction.

So once again he had me stand next to the exam table and layed me face down on it.  After he had me do all the head movements left and right, and bending of my knees, my right leg was almost even with my left this time!  Maybe a ¼ inch difference. What a dramatic change! 

Overnight!

After just one adjustment…

Come back for more on Friday….

While fixing sciatica is a process, we’ll get you caught up to current on my whole back pain/sciatica healing journey.

See you on Friday…

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

^ Click Arrow To Listen

After the emergency room visit for the sneeze-induced, instant onset of excruciating back pain, my routine for the week was to take my pills and lie on the couch or curl around the ottoman.  Obviously not much walking, let alone running for me. I would take a hot bath before bed.  Fortunately, I had no problems sleeping.

After a day or so, my back was no longer hurting that badly, but my right leg was tight and I could not sit for much time at all with out it hurting.  I was limping around as if I had pulled all the muscles in my leg. But my leg only hurt when I sat for too long.  It wasn’t too painful to walk, but I could not put much weight on it, as it felt like it was all swollen and I might tear something. It wasn’t swollen. In fact, I kept checking in with people, “Does this leg look swollen?”

“Nope, it’s the same size as the other leg.”

I called in to work and told my supervisor that I could not work my shifts that week.  She told me not to worry, they would get covered. 

About two days into my work week, I called work again, to make sure my last two days were covered.  My co-worker, Chris answered the phone.  She asked how I was doing.  I told her if I wasn’t better by Monday, I was going to have to go see someone about it.  She asked me if I had a chiropractor. A chiropractor?  Heck it hadn’t even crossed my mind to see a chiropractor. 

Chris told me she had an awesome one, and she had a coupon for a free exam and x-rays, a New Year’s special.  I thought what the heck, maybe this was the way to go. We were working on manifesting a solution, with grace and ease in the highest and best. Obviously the idea of seeing a chiropractor, and this specific chiropractor were dropped into my consciousness for a reason. The Law of Attraction works.

Well, by Monday my right leg was still not doing well, and my sciatica was really giving me fits.  So I called Dr. Krieg’s Chiropractic office.  Kelly answered the phone, and I explained my situation.  She was very sympathetic and said that Yes, it was something that the doctor had been able to help others with.  In fact, he could see me that afternoon.  Wow, I was impressed.

When we got to the chiropractic office, as we were sitting there filling out paperwork, Dr. Krieg came out and introduced himself to us.  Exuberant and joyful doesn’t even begin to describe this man.  He made us feel very welcome, and I swear he had the softest hands ever!

Kelly gave us a tour of the offices and showed us the exam rooms and the adjustment rooms.  She then explained that after an adjustment, here were the relaxing rooms, where the member would lie in a very comfortable recliner for about 15 minutes while the adjustment settled.  They even had a mini-fridge available with water and juices to keep you hydrated.

We then were led to the exam room.

T asked me if I was okay, saying that I looked a little scared. Maybe it was the deer-in-the-headlights look on my face…I don’t know what gave it away. Yes, I was scared.  This was my back we were talking about, and the idea of it being adjusted, was a little freaky to me.

After just a bit, Dr Krieg came in.  He was very sympathetic as he listened to me explain my problem.  He had some kind of instrument that he ran up my spine.  This measured the nerves and muscles.  The different colors…which I couldn’t see…represented where the muscle and nerves were in stress.  Of course my L5 in the lower spine was red, meaning very stressed.  Also some spots on my upper spine were, too.

He had me get on a scale and took my weight. Then I got on a dual scale.  This measured my weight on each side, left and right.  The crazy thing was that I was 13 ½ pounds heavier on my right side! He said a 2 to 3 pound variation was normal. 

I had a knee injury in high school over 20 years ago: a torn ACL in my left leg.  He said that made sense, and that my body had been compensating all these years for my weaker left knee. Even after my knee was stronger, my right side was still compensating for it. 

He then showed how my hip and also my shoulders were off, left to right, by an inch and a half.  He asked me to shut my eyes and turn my head right and then left, up and down and come back to center….well, where I thought center was. 

When I opened my eyes I was looking to the right. It was very dramatic and quite the eye-opener when Dr. Krieg took my chin and placed it where center should be aligned. Imagine my surprise at being so far askew!

He took about 6 or 7 x-rays of my spine and neck.  With that, the exam was over, and Dr. Krieg said he would study my films that night, and he would be able to tell me if and how he could help me the next day. 

Quite impressed with the entire process, I was looking forward to hearing what the doctor would find on my x-rays.  I was, however, a bit disappointed that my sciatica was still very much with me.

The next afternoon we arrived at the chiropractor’s office.  We were impressed with how different it was from other doctors’ offices.  It felt more like a receiving room and less like a waiting room.  I guess this was due to the fact that our waiting time was pretty much non-existent.  Shortly after we arrived, Kelly showed us to Dr. Krieg’s office.  Within a few minutes the doctor came in.  He had my x-rays and said he would go over them with us in a bit, but first he wanted us to watch a short video about upper cervical chiropractic care.  I mostly just listened as I could not see the small screen.  But that was okay, as most of it was telling us about the options we had.  1^st one was to do nothing. 2^nd one was treat the condition with drugs. 3^rd was to treat it with surgery and physical therapy, or the 4^th was the upper cervical adjustment. 

Well I knew I didn’t want to use any of the other methods if I didn’t have too.  So this chiropractic thing was sounding better and better all the time.  Dr. Krieg came back in and put the x-rays up on the light box.  He first began by saying that he was very happy that we came to him first.  A lot of people go to other MD’s and after considerable time and expense and usually a significant intake of pharmaceuticals, when they got no relief, they will then seek chiropractic help.  He was very excited about my x-rays as he said there was nothing major on them that he could not help me with.  No ruptured disks or fused vertebrae, etc.  I didn’t have any arthritis.  All good signs that he could help me. 

I got up close to the light box, and Dr. Krieg pointed out that my neck should have a natural curve to it, like a slight C.  Mine was very straight.  I attributed that to 13 years of office work, plus the fact that I am constantly straining my neck to look at the computer monitor.  Right now at work the monitor is not positioned correctly, and I have to really strain and stretch my neck forward to see it…even with the monstrously large font.  But there is nothing that can be done as the monitor is on an arm that does not move up or down, just forward a bit.

He showed me the tail bone area had some sort of injury to it, but there was no scar tissue forming, so that was good.

With that, he wanted to make sure I knew that this was something he could help me to correct.  He explained that he did not heal people, that the body did that, he just helped to get it started.

So then the big question came up …How much was this going to cost me?  For that, Mandi came in a few minutes later with a treatment plan that the doctor recommended.  He had me set up for 28 visits.  Three times a week for the first month or so, then 2 times and then once a week.  But how much was this going to cost me?  And was my insurance going to cover it?  Mandi went through all the different payment plans with us. Seems that they were a preferred provider for my insurance, so that gave me a discount, and if I paid in advance I would get a 1 hour massage and 15% off any items they sold.  Plus access to dietitians and trainers for free.

What kind of place was this? We were being treated like they really wanted our business and they truly cared! 

After considering all the options, I chose to pay the full amount in advance…hey, the discount and that hour massage was the kicker! 

Come back Wednesday for Part 3,

See Ya Then,

How ‘bout it? 

-Vision Runner

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

Mary’s Story….

“A fit woman is a powerful woman” is the motto of Moving Comfort who makes running clothes exclusively for women. With all the talk of New Year’s resolutions and tips for health and fitness, I want to speak to the incredible psychological, physical and spiritual power that I experience now that I have been blessed to discover the joy of running. As a child, I contracted paralytic polio at age 5. I ditched the idea of ever being able to participate in athletics or ever being able to achieve a level of fitness. I was ever so grateful for the ability to walk again and went on with my life … that is until I was diagnosed with post polio syndrome at age 53.

It took about 10 years for me to finally trust my instincts that I was experiencing symptoms of post polio syndrome. I went to Spaulding Rehab’s International Rehab Center for Polio and after 7 tubes of blood, innumerable tests and a complete physical with my primary care provider, the diagnosis was confirmed.

I embarked on a journey I never imagined was possible, and this journey is now taking me, along with my daughter and husband, to the starting line of the 113th Boston Marathon to run for Spaulding Rehab.

I went through intensive outpatient therapy at Spaulding and after I was discharged from their care, I hired a personal trainer, Janine Hightower, who had been a friend of mine for several years.

My body was asking to do more but my big question was…could I defy the diagnosis of post polio syndrome and heal mind, body and spirit? Only time would tell.

I began strength training and the day after the first session I could barely move as we began to engage muscles that had never been worked before. There were many times when I wondered what I was doing and when I wanted to quit, but the spark of moving forward and finding my strength and power fueled my journey.

I visualized, meditated, journaled and sought out other healers to be a part of my team. I used my gift of poetry which I discovered when I was diagnosed with post polio syndrome to continue to inspire my body to heal.

Last February when Janine asked me what my new goals for health and fitness were, the words “I want to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab” just fell out of my mouth. I could feel God’s call to challenge myself and stretch myself beyond all my wildest imaginings. What a blessing to have my husband, Tom and daughter, Ruth Anne join me.

For the first time in my life, I am a member of an athletic team – Spaulding Rehab’s Team McManus. We have already run the Corrib Pub 5K, The Marathon Sports 5 Miler, The Tough Ten Mile Turkey Trot and the Tufts 10K for Women.

We are registered for a 16 Mile Long Run as part of BAA’s Charity Event Team, The Hyannis Half Marathon and the 21 Mile Long Run – our final long run on 3/28 before we taper to prepare for Boston on April 20, 2009.

Every step, every challenge, every triumph, every frustration and every joy continue to prepare us physically and mentally to run 26.2 miles. I have learned so much about myself along this Road to the Boston Marathon, and the most important lesson of all for me has been the power of love to fuel healing, hope, courage, faith and grit and determination.

And just remember, as Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t – you’re right.” So why not think and feel you can – I did and it has been the greatest blessing in my life!

To read more about my journey, you can check out my website at www.newworldgreetings.com and our Team McManus website at www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus.

^Click Arrow To Listen

Here we are at the end of an amazing and life-changing 2008. I thought I would take this opportunity to thank all of you: my loyal readers from the beginning four months ago, the ones that have joined us en route, and to thank and welcome all the new friends that have joined us from Twitter and MySpace and other avenues more recently. We appreciate you all, and truly hope that all of you are getting as much from this blog as we are.

I’ve had the website/blog up for four months now, with about 60 posts in those four months, and readership is continuing to grow! You’ve been hearing from me, so now I’d like to hear from you. What do you like about the website? What would you like to see more of? Is there something you would like us to do that we are not currently doing? If so, please leave us a comment. We want this website to be a place where you can come to be inspired, or even to have a laugh or two. We truly want to make your time at the website well worth spending here. So with that in mind, if there is anything we are doing right, please let us know, and if you want to see something else or even if there is something that we’re doing that you want more of, tell us that too! It would be cool to have enough feedback to put up a great testimonial page with written and photo and video testimonials from our readers! In fact, since I just thought of that … why not do it? I’ll tell you what. We’ll look into setting up a way and a place online for our readers to upload content…we’ll keep you informed, and let you know once we figure it out. In the meantime, use the comment form, and be sure to participate in our Top Ten commenting contest (explained below and on this recent Monday’s post).

I am absolutely having a blast writing the posts and making the videos. The videos have been especially fun for me, as I’ve always enjoyed the visual arts. It’s obviously harder now for me, with my vision issues, but I still love doing them, and I just have to ask for help from my lovely assistant and editor now and again.

As a recap of 2008, I started this blog at the end of August/beginning of September, with a desire to share my passion for running and inspiration for making great things happen in life. We’ve personally seen any number of miracles happen this year on several fronts, including in our health, our relationships, our standard of living, and spiritually. We’ve learned to expect great things to happen, and it is producing magic and miracles for us. We’ve got even greater goals to manifest this year, and I’m expecting huge, major breakthroughs now that we’ve cleared the way with some grace and spiritual healing. We’ve recently written and adopted the philosophy of Be Here, Be Open, Surrender and Allow…and it’s working. Great things are coming.

Once I started this blog, we quickly came to the conclusion that three times a week would be a good middle ground for the number of new posts I could come up with. More than that, and it would just be too much; less than that, and I wouldn’t be able to create a good connection with you. Although I have had multiple requests to publish new content every day, that’s probably not going to happen. Three times a week seems to be a good balance.

In order to make things more interactive, we held a Halloween contest, with several interesting submissions, and the winner’s true Halloween story about a Cowboy and a Princess was given the place of honor as our blog post on Halloween. We’re looking forward to even more great submissions for the contest next year.

I wrote a book this year, a simple little free downloadable eBook that’s available to everyone. It’s called “Gifts For Runners – More Than 50 Unique and Creative Gifts For The Runner In Your Life” We got this out just before Thanksgiving to satisfy the demand from holiday shoppers as non-runners looking for great gift ideas for the runner in their life. And the best part of the book is that there are easy links to online resources to see pictures and descriptions of the items mentioned, and some can even be ordered online, directly from the link.

As straight-forward as running is, it seems as though the whole psychology of running is kind of a mystery to the non-runner. And as my partner (still a non-runner…so far …diabolical grin) is wont to say “Why would I want to run unless someone was chasing me?” So, thanks to the non-runners and quite a few runners as well, we’ve had over 60 downloads of the free eBook in the past month, and it’s still available by filling in the form on the sidebar. And just to let you know, the gift ideas are not just for the Christmas season; they can be used all year long, for your runner’s birthday, anniversary, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, etc. So if you haven’t downloaded your free copy yet, you should do so immediately, if not sooner

And oh yeah, don’t want to forget to tell you, I’m working on another book that will be done sometime this year (2009) about my training as a legally blind runner to run in my first marathon. So watch for it!

We had a great review of our website come from Traxee.com, a website designed specifically for women runners. So thanks a bunch to them. They also helped to promote our give-away of the eBook, “Gifts For Runners” as did the blogsite RunWithDogs.com. So thanks to them as well.

We published a few articles online, as well as sent out a press release about the launch of the RunnerInsight.com website, so we’re getting the word out there, slowly but surely.

We set up a MySpace page this fall, and recently joined Twitter, so you can follow me on those sites as well. And Twitter is great for more frequent short updates of what I’m doing off and on through out the day.

We’ve had some great comments on the blog posts, and look forward to even more this year. Right now we’re looking to define the Top Ten Runner Insight Blog Posts of 2008, so vote for your favorites by leaving comments on your top ten favorite posts. Every comment left between now and Jan 30th will be entered into a random drawing for a fabulous prize. See all the details in our Monday December 29th post.

Once again thanks for coming back to check out the new content, and re-reading the old. And thanks for telling all your friends! Remember if you click on any of the links at RunnerInsight.com and end up getting something from that linked site, we get a small percentage to help support some of the costs of running this blog. Hey, every little bit helps. And don’t forget that you can subscribe to all the new posts on the blog via email or RSS feed absolutely free…There’s a spot to do that at the top of the sidebar

Okay. I guess that’s it for now, but I’m here to tell you that I’m looking forward to 2009 being even better with all new content and more exciting contests and some fabulous surprises, too!
Thanks again…We appreciate you!

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

^Click Arrow Above To Listen

What better time of the year than today to share my thoughts on gratitude with you. And since I like to compile videos, there’s one at the end of this post for you to enjoy too!

Since I received “The Secret” DVD about the Law of Attraction as a Christmas gift in 2006, my awareness of what I have in my life and what I want to have come into my life has become significantly sharpened. 

Honestly, not a day goes by that I don’t give thanks for all the awesome and wonderful things in my life.  And it’s not just the big things like my health and wonderful relationships, but the little things too: like a sunbeam coming in the window, and my cup of Starbucks and the beautiful weather and driving by the love park, and having the opportunity to sleep late.

Someone wise once said “The enlightened give thanks for what other people take for granted.”

I have learned that by being grateful for everything I have in my life right now, even better things are coming…

I really do have it made: we’re living a great life that’s getting even better every day.

…And I am so happy and sincerely grateful for all of you who read my blog.

…And I am so happy and sincerely grateful for all of the positive feedback we’re getting on the stories we’re posting on the website/blog.

…And I am so happy and sincerely grateful that people are enjoying the free eBook I wrote “Gifts For Runners” (that you can download right now by filling in the web form on the side bar or below this post).

…And I am just so happy and sincerely grateful that you’re having a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy the video…..I made it for you…

How ‘bout it?

- Vision Runner

____________________ 

We thought to follow up the Crazy Canyon series of blog posts last week, today we would present a video for your viewing pleasure….Enjoy.

Abundance….

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner 

^Click Arrow Above To Listen

As I rounded the corner of the trail, there it was: my magical place. I was surprised by my reaction. My eyes literally started to tear up. I was experiencing the same sense of serenity cascading over me that I had felt years before. I just stood there, enveloped in peace, the gratitude overwhelming and just pouring out of me. The awe-inspiring magic was still there.

After a long while, I took some pictures with my cell phone, hoping to capture just a sense of it, knowing that the pictures would never do it justice, and also extremely aware of the fact that, most likely, I would not even be able to see them. But I wanted T to see my magical place, to be able to share in this moment, even if she was back in the office, working. And I called her. It was incredible that here I was, standing on my platform of enchantment, and that it was just as pure and powerful an experience as I remembered. Nothing had diminished it: not any visible destruction of the landscape by human encroachment, not the deterioration of my vision, and not the inevitable ups and downs the roller coaster of my life would bring over the intervening years.

I was trying to describe my feelings, but it was hard to put into words. How to explain the medley of overpowering emotions exploding in my heart, in my soul, in my entire being? I was coming here from a different place in my life, and I expected I would be coming to a different place, a site changed, if not physically, then likely altered just from my own emotional and spiritual perspective. But the miracle was that it was just as it had been for me before. Even though in the interim I had won and lost, stagnated and progressed. I had lived and died, matured and regressed, evolved and grown and done the best I could. Through all the changes in me, it was still here, in all of its glory, with all of its fulfilled promises and future victories for me. Amazingly, this place still carried incredible magic, my magic.

I ended the conversation with a promise to be safe and to call when I got to the other side of the canyon. I stood there, still and spellbound, slowly realizing that even though it had been over seven years, and even though I could not physically see everything that I could before, my mind’s eye had taken over, and I was feeling and seeing all that I had years earlier. This feeling of wonder and my acceptance of abundance went well beyond “intense”. It had depth and focus. It had clarity and dimension. It carried with it the possibility of a new vision, a new insight, and knowledge of a whole new world. It blended color and weight and miracles and magic.

We were having some challenges with our real estate investing business. This decision to take the time and effort required to go back to Crazy Canyon in the midst of all that was obviously a God-inspired choice. Being there put me back into the right frame of mind. This moment was what was important. This place in the world and the peace and understanding it brought for me was real, not all the anger and stress and anxiety involved in dealing with an unreliable contractor. I needed to absorb these feelings and the change in outlook I was receiving from the experience, and take them with me. Abundance is. And the universe is on our side. The world is a kind and generous and loving place, and I know this to be true. Sometimes, getting caught up in the day to day trauma and apprehension, I forget that I know this.

I headed out of the canyon. Having rejuvenated my spirit, I decided it was time to recharge physically. At the top of the canyon, I got out my honey and water. Wanting to ensure I was on the right path down to the other side, I searched for the trail marker. It was up a slight hill. I scurried up it to study the sign. Confident that I now knew where I was going, I started down this little incline. I lost my footing on the loose gravel, and ended up sliding down on my butt.

Unhurt, but feeling silly for having safely traversed a steep and narrow canyon path, and then proceeding to fall on what was nearly level ground, I just sat there laughing at myself, knowing that I had gotten gravel into my shorts in places that defied appreciation.

There were trails that went where I needed to go. But since it would be difficult for me to follow them, as they branched off to multiple different places I didn’t need to go, and I couldn’t really see the trail markers well, I opted for the safer route. This happened to be the old logging road.

Running down the road, I suddenly remembered: to keep the road from washing out during the spring melt, there were big tube-like rubber gutters running across it. Sure enough, not too much further, there they were. I was glad the universe had prompted the memory, so I wasn’t sent sprawling by that tripping hazard.

By this time, the run was fairly easy, as it was mostly downhill. At some point the road took a slight turn, but I just kept running straight. I ended up on a very old, unused logging road. At first I didn’t realize I was on the wrong road. But pretty soon the road narrowed into an overgrown trail, so I realized I had to back track.

When I came across some day hikers, I thought for sure I was getting really close to the parking lot at the day use area where I was supposed to be picked up. But it was another mile or so before I got there. In the back of my mind I just kept wondering if I was really on the right road. It had been years since I had last been here, and there were a lot of things I had taken for granted at the time, like being able to see where the road turns, and that there were trails that intersected with the road. But I did manage to make it there in one piece.

Once in the parking lot I called T. She immediately headed out from the office to come get me. I walked around the parking area as I waited.

Not realizing it, I wandered out onto the road. It was not until I noticed double yellow lines that I knew what I had done. Apparently I thought the parking area was bigger than it was. So I scampered back to the lot, and decided it was time to stop taunting trouble, sit my butt down and wait for my ride!

Soon T arrived with pretzels and cold water for me. I was exhausted and exhilarated. The magic stayed with me all week. And even today, I can mentally take myself back to my special place at Crazy Canyon to renew my spirit, and relive the clarity and wonder and magic of it all.

How ‘bout it?

Vision Runner