A Quick Fix for Nerves … or … The Eyes Have IT!

You’re cruising along just fine.

Suddenly, that awful, tight, stomach knot spazzes-out in your tummy. Then, it goes north into your throat like a choke hold!

We’ve all felt that sensation. Nobody escapes it.

But, it’s not about the fact that you feel anything from nervousness to downright terror from time-to-time.

It’s about what you do with it when it happens. It’s your response to your fear that counts.

A tense situation could happen anywhere from the trail to a competition. But, that teeth-clenching, mind-racing, tight-muscle feeling is the same for all riders who feel anxious.

This article contains a simple, five-step method to give you instant relief from anxiety. It can help you shift gears from experiencing internal turbulence to feeling as if you are smooth sailing.

The positive effects of these steps can help you:

1. Stay calm and focused for all your riding experiences from practice to show.

2. Stay grounded in your thinking so you can ride with more “feel”. This technique can help you make the transition from analytical thinking (which is how you learn initially) to automatic responses (which is how you ride when things become second-nature).

These steps work because they combine the use of mental and physical “tools” to evoke the emotions of calmness and focus.

It’s important to understand that our mind, body and emotions are inseparable. One always affects the other. When you consciously apply techniques that engage one, and then another, you have the ability to channel your emotions in a positive direction.

It’s a skill to do this. It’s not a gift one person has, and another one does not have.

The steps are:

1. Prior to your ride, choreograph your eyes. By “choreograph” I mean develop a conscious plan about where your eyes will be at all times during the concentrated part of your ride.

When you consciously control your eyes and keep them up and looking where you want to go, (or focused on an object), you go a long way toward keeping your emotions calm and focused. The reason this works is because all positive emotion is associated with eyes up. All dis-empowering emotion is associated with eyes down. Just by keeping your eyes up, you can positively channel your emotions.

So, think about where you want your eyes to be at all times. Visualize that choreography in your mind. Then, do the same as you ride.

2. Next, when you mentally or physically practice, combine an awareness of your breathing with your eye choreography. Instantly, your eyes will become soft and you will have a wider field of vision. Pair easy-breathing with every part of your eye plan.

3. Now that you have an eye-breath dynamic duo working for you, again, be sure you practice it! Become very skilled so you can methodically execute it on demand.

4. This next step will help you automatically apply your new skill to any situation. Make it your personal priority to keep tabs on how you feel. Pay attention when you begin to feel anxious, fearful, nervous, etc. (You’re probably thinking, “Duh! That’s a tough one, Barb!” But, the reality is our anxiety becomes a runaway train if we don’t consciously notice when we first feel fear.)

This step of noticing your emotions is HUGE. Don’t skip it.

5. Now, with your new trained consciousness of how you feel, you can replace any anxiety with your eye choreography and breathing. You might feel instantly super focused and calm. In the least, you will feel better.

Mental and emotional tools are SKILLS. They won’t happen automatically unless you practice them. The good news is, this is fun practice!

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5 Comments on A Quick Fix for Nerves … or … The Eyes Have IT!

Bill Joyce on Tue, 10th Aug 2010 4:40 pm

The eye-breath duo is an excellent skill set. Adding a smile to it increases the effect. A smile puts it on steroids. Try some time!

Bill Joyce

Ashley Collins on Tue, 10th Aug 2010 10:09 pm

I look forward to your monthly newsletters, they always seem to come at the right time, and most of the time it is just what I need to refresh something I may have put in the back of my mind.

Thank you!

Dawn Braband on Wed, 11th Aug 2010 1:00 am

Hi Barbra,

So love getting this news letter! The eye/breathing techniques are great and I go one step further. I mentally focus on the fact that my horse is counting on me being the leader to keep her safe. All the sudden I feel very brave and she knows all is well. It really works great!

willis peek on Sun, 29th Aug 2010 2:43 pm

The last two months have been hard ones for me in the show ring. The stud I was ridding got hurt so I had to start showing a new mare. I don’t trust the mare enough yet when we are working cattle. I went from good scores to 60. I have gotten to the point it is not fun to show. I am trying to work through it. Do you have any suggestions that might be helpful? My wife and I are looking forward to the spring hoping you have a cutting clinic.

Barbra Schulte on Mon, 30th Aug 2010 5:23 pm

Willis,

I don’t know a lot of the details of your situation with your mare … but bottom line is when we don’t trust our horse, it’s tough to do well. When we don’t do well, it’s easy to lose our confidence.

Regarding suggetions, I would try to get an honest evaluation from a trainer or a mentor about your true skill level and your horse’s true skill level at this point in time. Then, get a plan that makes sense so you can both grow your confidence. It’s no fun for either one of you not to feel good about your jobs.

Hope to see you at a clinic and your wife, too.

Barbra

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