Today, I want to tell you something that came up this week in our cutting class: I shared a mindset that is one of my favorites because it is so empowering. Inherent within it is a growth and resiliency mindset.
It’s about challenges and about not resisting them but embracing them.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
First, we acknowledge them. Then we can ask ourselves, “What do I have control over? What do I not have control over?” The answer to “What I have control of” is always the same – my response to the situation.
Hand in hand with this is the idea that nothing is ever happening TO me; it’s happening FOR me.
I’ll give you some examples.
Okay? Let’s say the weather is funky – cold, hot, rainy, windy – whatever, and you are getting ready to go to a clinic, a horse show, or a trail ride.
You’ll be able to decide on your response. Either you go or not go. And if you go, what you don’t want to do is get in the funk of complaining about it.
It’s just – What’s my job? And what do I have control over? I love that.
Another example that would be similar is the judge.
If you are into horse shows and haven’t agreed with the judge, it’s either don’t show or show, and do your job. Know that you have no control over the judge and are in it to be excellent and gain experience. You’re there for whatever reason, but you have no control over the judge. So that’s another one that you let go of and focus on your job.
The same idea would be with poor ground. You either decide to stay and ride and have a strategy, or you decide you won’t stay. You may or may not get through it with the ‘external success’ you want, but you will have learned.
Examples of that would be in cow classes. You can strategize and learn how to handle the cattle when they’re bad and difficult to navigate. You can think, “This is part of riding a cutting horse and showing. If I can do it now, I can do it anytime. I’m going to give it all I’ve got. I’ll get grounded and focused and see how it turns out. This is an opportunity for me to grow stronger and wiser, knowing that I will always run into these types of situations.”
It’s the same way with late draws or if you’re in a pattern class. It could be that you don’t like the obstacles or think there’s too much stuff in such a small arena – or whatever it is. You use these challenges as opportunities to grow wiser, stronger, more confident, and courageous.
This no-resistance challenge mindset is a massive benefit because in our situations with horses, things that are not ideal always come up.
One fun thing you can remember to do is when something challenging and unexpected comes up, you can say, “I love this!” That’s one of my favorite things to do. First, saying that makes you laugh, takes away the sting of it, and puts you in the mindset of “What do I have control of, what’s my job, and how can I navigate this?”
For example, somebody tells you this huge thunderstorm will move through right about when your class starts, and you think, “No problem! I love this!” Then, figure out how you will help yourself and your horse navigate the storm.
That’s what I wanted to share with you today.
Have a great week, and I’ll talk to you soon. Leave a comment. You know I love that.