Walking the Talk

I set up my treadmill today.

- I can already feel the fear and panic emanating from you that those words evoke. Susie is exercising? Has hell frozen over? What next? Is she going to start cooking?

(God, no!)

Relax, nothing crazy will come of this. I will not start buying spandex workout wear and videoing my ass while I jog (because there will be no jogging, I guarantee you that). I will not post times or speed, or brag about what a great workout I got today.

The treadmill is a means to an end; any health benefits are truly way down the list of what I wanted one for – I can be honest about that (besides, anyone who knows my eating habits knows that).

Two of my favorite relaxing pastimes are driving and walking. I’m lucky enough to drive for a job-needed-to-support-me-while-I-work-on-what-I-really-want-to-do-in-my-‘spare’-time, but I don’t have enough time to take a walk when I feel like it – plus, I live in New England; ¾ of the year I don’t have the choice to even if I have the time to.

Both driving and walking, to me, are therapeutic. I think, I listen to music – and sometimes I even do both at the same time. The rare occasions I am quiet usually happen while I’m driving or walking – not that anyone could tell, because if I have company I am usually talking.

Both are great ways to relax for us fidgeters – those of us who listen and pay attention better while moving in some way. I already know that I can’t meditate traditionally because I've fallen asleep every single time I've tried.

It is always the other things I am doing while walking or driving that make me love those activities. I work on my writing problems/stories/development in my head. I observe my surroundings closely. I think.

I get most of my inspiration that way, and I need inspiration like I need oxygen (or coffee). It’s the things that go on/happen/are observed around me that bring ideas for everything – especially when it comes to entertaining myself, and that is what keeps me going on a daily basis. I got an idea for a commercial for tires/breaks just because it was super windy outside. I came up with an idea for a Dunkin’ Donuts ad because of something I did when I got in the car, and in less than thirty minutes driving developed it into a whole ad campaign in my head (maybe one day I’ll actually tell them about it). I hear one line or a series of notes from a song that sparks an idea – and I will play that song on repeat while I work through the thought.

Yes, I can sometimes overthink on a problem I may have, I can beat myself up over something stupid I feel I’ve done, or I can worry an issue to death – but I try to stay out of those rooms in my head as much as I can (or at least set a timer); I’ve got plenty of other spaces that are much more fun (including a mental ball pit).

During those periods of thought, the ones where I am capable of the most damage, I control the sounds around me. I won’t go into the many different mood playlists I have on my iPod, but I have one for pretty much every mood I’m experiencing or every mood I want to direct my thoughts toward. I also listen to audiobooks – never stories; only information that teaches or supports. The self-help shit. Those especially are the best to listen to when I’m walking or driving - particularly when I need to get my head out of my ass.

Back to the treadmill; I got it free from someone on a Facebook page called “Buy Nothing”, it’s a local group where people give stuff away they don’t want anymore. Someone posts what they want to get rid of, and whoever wants it responds – usually the ‘winner’ is chosen out of a hat. I was the lucky giftee. I got it a month ago, put it in one room out of the way until I could set it up, moved it two weeks later to its destination spot, and set it up today.

By ‘setting it up’ I don’t just mean plugging it in; I had to open it (took me a few minutes to figure out how to get it out of its storage position) and arrange it in such a way I would actually use it. It will remain open and plugged in.

Its location is not just a matter of where I had space for it – even that needed to be part of the ‘my actually using it’ train of thought. It is next to my bookcases where I have notebooks, writing supplies, little doodads and toys and pictures that I use for inspirational fidgeting, and (of course) books. I have enough outlets nearby to keep the iPod and tablet running to use while I walk. It faces both my computer (so that I can watch webinars and instructional YouTube videos) and my TV (Netflix, duh).

I’m aware that when I ‘walk’ at home, my view will not be as interesting as being out in the real world, so I’ve managed to control my visuals in the same way I control my audio. When I look to the left, the first things I see are my vision board book, the collection of books that I wrote and books written by friends of mine, and other special little thingys I get my happies and support from. In front of me, the aforementioned computer and television. What’s behind me is a wall, because what’s behind me doesn’t matter. To my right … well, I’m still working on the rest of the room, but I don’t have to look there.

The space is actually quite cramped, which will also work out well – once I’m on the treadmill I’m kind of stuck there, because my bed is to the right of it; because it’s behind my computer chair, it limits my movement in and out of the chair – kind of forcing me to focus on what I’m working on (an added bonus).

I like that the treadmill has a place for a book or picture or tablet, too (and one of my favorite toys) – again, allowing me to do everything I like to do while I’m walking. 

You can worry about the obvious – that I might hurt myself – but you don’t have to worry about that scary idea of Susie exercising. That is not my intention, believe me. To me, a treadmill is a writing tool, a creative tool, and something that gives me the space to organize my thoughts.

Think of it as a new background for my Gratuitous Nail Shots.

(It does work, by the way; I came up with what I was going to say here while I was walking on the treadmill.)

(Yes, I may have had a couple of close calls with the wall behind me while I was adjusting the settings. But I’m good now.)