Belief is something we don’t talk about a lot. But I think it might just be the most important piece of the puzzle of life – and key to our relationships with our horses. Sure, you can train, you can do all the right things, check all the boxes and put yourself on a path to your desired destination. But if you don’t actually believe in what you’re doing? You’ll never get there. Belief comes from your core. It’s the fire inside you that lights the path toward what you desire. It’s deeply understanding what’s meant for you. It’s not about what we can see, touch, or hear – it’s what we feel deep inside. And since so many things get in the way of connecting to our truest selves, it can be hard to hold onto. |
There’s a quote from Rumi that says, “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” For a control freak like myself, even reading those words generates a great deal of anxiety. Belief requires trust, patience, confidence and—ultimately—surrender. Ugh. Personally, I like certainty. A lot. I like knowing before going. |
But the truth is if you want to get to the really good stuff in life, you have to be willing to venture outside of what’s comfortable. You have to believe the path exists, even if you can’t yet see it. I know—we’re getting a little woo over here. Stay with me. The thing is, we don’t always have to know the how of things. In fact, that’s where so many of us get stuck. Because we think we already know, we do the same things over and over again. It can be scary to let go of a particular way of being. Whether it works for us or not, there’s comfort in predictability and familiarity. There’s a reason pretty much everyone agrees that habits are hard to break. Think of all of the habits in life and in your relationship with horses that are not serving you. And while you’re at it, think about some of the wonderful habits you’ve cultivated that are serving you. |
What might happen if you simply held the belief that–again with Rumi–“What you seek is seeking you”? What if you could believe it without having to know the when, where, why and how? For me, the things I find myself working on and coming back to again and again are about consistently trusting and believing in myself. Frequently, I find myself digging out of a mental hole I’ve buried myself in and it’s easy to get distraught; to feel defeated. Because it’s hard to stay connected to your truest self. But the effort is worth it. I hope our latest collection inspires you to believe in and trust yourself. I hope it inspires you to be brave enough to embark on your own path, to take things one stride at a time, to breathe. I hope it inspires you to remember this: you’re a total badass. |