Near Valentine's Day I popped in to the library with zero leads on new books to read. They had a table set up of books that were simply red in colour. I browsed briefly and stuffed a couple under my arm to check out: The Beauty of Discomfort - How What we Avoid is What We Need by Amanda Lang & What We Ache For by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. A couple of weeks later I was standing in line at the drugstore and saw a single book out of place next to the magazines and gum: The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi. It is hard to believe in the randomness of these finds, now that I've read them.
You might ask "What does any of that have to do with horses?", and if you were interviewing me to help you with your horse training and riding, I'd say this:
The beauty of discomfort is that you'll find your ability to grow within it. The only way to get better at something is to feel that soreness and see it as a beacon to the next level. See the potential in a bit of struggle. Don't ruminate, feel appreciation for what you have now and approach change with enthusiasm because that's what successful people do. Accept the challenge. These concepts are supported by science and they build on themselves. We ache to do what we love and find meaning in it for ourselves. Since there are no equestrian events in the foreseeable future, ask yourself now: Why do you ride in the first place? What do you love about it? What don't you love? What do you feel while you're riding? Why do you show? What do you think is holding you back from meeting your goals? Perhaps you see obstacles in front of you like time, facility or the physical ability of yourself or your horse, but could those just be excuses that you build like protective frames around your weaknesses? Are you refusing to even try so that you stay comfortable in your protective, predictable framework? That might be an unpopular opinion, but I think it's a fascinating idea, and I have the courage to be disliked for it.
I'd never heard of Eckhart Tolle until after my father died and I found a copy of The Power of Now in my Dad's office. Someone Dad worked with gave it to him with a note "Hope this book aids in your search for the meditative state". I'll never know the context of the gift. It took me many months to finish reading it, to accept that I could let go of so many things, and that a clear, quiet mind is a much more content place than the racing analysis of every event. Mr. Tolle posted recently regarding the pandemic, and when I heard him refer to 'Comfort Zones', another common theme drove the good messages home.
You might ask "What does any of that have to do with horses?", and if you were interviewing me to help you with your horse training and riding, I'd say this:
The beauty of discomfort is that you'll find your ability to grow within it. The only way to get better at something is to feel that soreness and see it as a beacon to the next level. See the potential in a bit of struggle. Don't ruminate, feel appreciation for what you have now and approach change with enthusiasm because that's what successful people do. Accept the challenge. These concepts are supported by science and they build on themselves. We ache to do what we love and find meaning in it for ourselves. Since there are no equestrian events in the foreseeable future, ask yourself now: Why do you ride in the first place? What do you love about it? What don't you love? What do you feel while you're riding? Why do you show? What do you think is holding you back from meeting your goals? Perhaps you see obstacles in front of you like time, facility or the physical ability of yourself or your horse, but could those just be excuses that you build like protective frames around your weaknesses? Are you refusing to even try so that you stay comfortable in your protective, predictable framework? That might be an unpopular opinion, but I think it's a fascinating idea, and I have the courage to be disliked for it.
I'd never heard of Eckhart Tolle until after my father died and I found a copy of The Power of Now in my Dad's office. Someone Dad worked with gave it to him with a note "Hope this book aids in your search for the meditative state". I'll never know the context of the gift. It took me many months to finish reading it, to accept that I could let go of so many things, and that a clear, quiet mind is a much more content place than the racing analysis of every event. Mr. Tolle posted recently regarding the pandemic, and when I heard him refer to 'Comfort Zones', another common theme drove the good messages home.
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