For nearly a decade now, Tabatha has been interrupting conversations. She does so with grace and respect, and while there are times she waits quietly for patrons to finish a thought, many other times she provides the pause a difficult conversation so desperately needs. Such is her presence. Calming, positive, and full of care.

When she leaves work, sometimes she jumps off the treadmill of life for an adventure to the Finger Lakes or the Gorge or a nondescript cliff face overlooking the world. And sometimes, she sits in the car for a while and takes in the silence. But she doesn't waste time wanting another dollar or another pair of shoes. She's more likely to lose a moment to a passing chipmunk or a patch of mushrooms growing through concrete cracks.

But it's not all mushrooms and chipmunks, or rainbows and pretty views. Stepping off the treadmill also takes strength and courage, as well as a commitment to a highly personal way of living. That's something that doesn't always get talked about for folks living the 'nomad life'. It's not wishy-washy, much as she describes her post-planning trips as 'willy-nilly'. It's a deliberate choice to live the way that works best for her, not by the next step in society's plans.

So hop in the van and take your time. Whatever that means for you. Pause. Give yourself moments to wander. And leave a little bit of room for the white space of life.

Oh, and follow tabandvin_ventures and to find out where they're heading next.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #VanLife #Nomad #WhiteSpace

For someone whose brain switches subjects and bounces topics so quickly...so quickly...Eric Hersey also has long-range, singular focus...at least for specific periods of time. He's a bit of an enigma in that way. He will post once a day for 365 straight days, just for the bit. He will create one-word mantras and stick to them for years. He will answer the promise of a 16-year-old alter-ego named Hostile with a gift no one else you know owns. He believes in the power of consistency, especially in his line of work at Strong Minded.

And then he'll hang a sharp left up an alley and nearly leave you behind.

Given his penchant for productive walking (often the only way he can enjoy a walk is when there is a photo to find or a blog to imagine) it should have been no surprise how seamlessly Eric opened up about things he doesn't regularly talk about. It's a relatively common occurrence in this project, after all, people opening up. (More on that in a special one-off 'episode') But for Eric, we started and ended our Walk with the word 'Fun', which wasn't exactly the most obvious route to legacy and family and fatherhood and Ricki Lake and IMDB. So we just followed the path and let our feet fall where they would.

What we found was the beauty in trusting instincts over rules, embracing fun over money, and finding balance in his superpower, even if it takes a trip to Disney to turn it all off...

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #gened #backyardwrestling #legacy #StrongMindedAgency #EricHersey #WaltDisneyWorld

TBD

'In your life, what's the big event?'

Think of yours. What was it? It's funny how often life's most difficult moments spring to the top. (Not funny, 'haha', of course, but...curious.) It's not a defect or a mistake or anything, it's natural, or it sure seems to be based on this project. But it does beg the question:

Why can we so clearly relive our past pain while the joy in our lives seems to flitter away with the breeze?

Tammy Augustine relives her big event on this walk, and then seems to stumble upon an even bigger one. One of hope and joy and tears for the best of reasons. But it wasn't the thing that forged her strength, I suppose. That came from adversity, from fear, and from the split-second moment that her entire perspective changed. She's rocked in the checkout line ever since.

She's also allowed herself to appreciate simpler things and (mostly) overcome life's little speed bumps a little easier and sometimes, she'll just take a walk.

We'd all be lucky to find such strength.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Strength #Stroke #Kindergarten #Perspective

'I always say, did you let your freak flag fly?'

What a catchphrase to live by. It's a wild contradiction, the anxiety just being 'ourselves' can cause when it almost always feels better to let it be, to be authentic, to let the freak flag fly. But sometimes we need permission to push past arbitrary societal norms, and that's exactly what that question does. It gives permission to just...be. A family-friendly rave at a bowling alley can help too...

With a shared mantra of people over profit, service over speed, and a shared history of difficult roads changing the course of a life expected, Liz and Dr. Jeff seemed in lockstep throughout this walk. It's always refreshing to hear philosophies apply across industries, especially when it comes to connecting with people in a human way and providing autonomy to their health and future.

Be yourself. The world needs it. Let the freak flag fly.

Walking with Gregg Behr is so pleasant and so energizing, you hardly notice the soaked shins and constant raindrops until you listen back to the recording on dry land.
This child of Western Pennsylvania was challenged long ago to set his sights on the stratosphere and make meaningful change, especially in the world of innovative educational programs designed to inspire kids (and adults) and improve the community they call home. Change the system. Boy, did he take that to heart.
Now the Executive Director of the Grable Foundation and a founding leader of Remake Learning, as well as an author, speaker, and one of the most fervent believers in the Fred Rodgers legacy, Gregg has never lost sight of that challenge. From his '30,000 ft perch', it can be incredibly rewarding and daunting at the same time. We talked about that feeling of 'never enough', the urgency of a mission like his, and how the little things can add up to something truly special. Little things, like a Walk in the rain.
The Luckiest Kid in Pittsburgh, indeed.
#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Pittsburgh #RemakeLearning #GrableFoundation #Philanthropy #Education #Wonder #RainyDay #MrRodgers #WontYouBeMyNeighbor

As we mentioned yesterday, Ashley Battle was originally scheduled for next week. But, given how intricately involved she was in our last walk with Brean Vaske, and especially given the championship run of her former team, the UConn Huskies (Ashley is a 3x champion herself, no biggie), we thought it was only right to jump start the second half of this project with a true gamer.
We didn't talk a lot about Ashley's pedigree, although it's fairly unavoidable at some point. She is a national champion, former defensive player of the year, WNBA veteran, and current scout for the Boston Celtics, after all. But instead we focused on mindset, respecting the voices of children, and meaning it when we say the all-too-sarcastic phrase, 'living the dream'.
I'd say it was worth the trip...
Head to hofreuter.com/livin-the-dream to read more! Thanks, AB.

'...you make me sound like a superhero.'
'I see your cape.'
If that doesn't sum up the crux of these walks.
First of all, the efforts and belief that Brean displayed during some of the most challenging moments any of us could imagine were nothing short of heroic. Let's start there. But beyond that, it's wildly difficult to turn the gaze upon yourself, especially in the moment, without immediately finding our limitations. 'I should have done more. I should do more today. Things are good but...' It often takes hindsight to smooth the vibrations of trauma and gain any kind of proper perspective. And sometimes it takes a Walk, and a flight, and two quick days at the Garden to finally share your suffering.
Put your oxygen mask on first, breathe, and let the lotus grow from the mud. Thanks for Walking, Brean.
#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Suffering #Joy #GetReal #OxygenMask #Flight #LoganAirport #Boston