Agility Mind Gym, pt 1

Anyone who has ever "seriously" competed in agility (or any sport, really... dog related or not) knows that being in good mental place has a lot to do with your success on the trial field.

This morning, I read an interesting article in the latest issue of Clean Run, titled "Agility Mind Gym: Passion, Excellence and Dreams," by Kathy Keats. This article is the first in a series that talks/will talk about ways in which visualization exercises can help to clarify goals, clear our minds of expectations and pressures, and be the best agility handlers we can be. As this year comes to a close, I've been thinking a lot about what I want to accomplish next year in agility. This past year, I've allowed pressures, nerves and other outside "stuff" to cause unneeded frustration for Cedar and I in agility. One of my main goals for next year is to work on my mental game.

The first exercise Keats' article talks about involves writing down five things that you enjoy about agility. Not five things you'd like to accomplish, but five things you enjoy about the sport. Here are mine:

1) The challenge. I love not knowing what challenges Cedar and I will face until the day of the trial.

2) The dogs. It still amazes me that we can train dogs to do something like agility. The complex skills we are able to teach them really do blow my mind. I am honored that my dogs feel I'm worthy of pointing the path.

3) The camaraderie. Having the opportunity to spend time with friends, working through challenges together, is half the fun.

4) The physicality of it. I love that agility pushes me, gives me a reason to be more fit without being judgmental.

5) The stuff. Let's face it... if you do agility, there is a lot of cool stuff out there to buy. Books, DVDs, equipment, lessons... there is always something cool or new out there to check out. I love shopping for new stuff and trying out new things. I'll blame my short attention span ;)

What are your five most favorite things about agility (or your dog sport of choice)?