First, take a deep breath. No one ever accomplished anything great with despair and panic as their constant companions. Breathing calms the nerves and opens a door to a new perspective.

Second, remember everyone, at some point on their own journey, sat exactly where you are. That's right: Buck Brannaman, Ray Hunt, Pat Parelli, Elizabeth Werth, Beezie Madden, and every other horse person of note, at some point in their career or childhood, sat exactly in the same seat of unknowing, thrown confidence, and second-guessing.

It is true, your unique experience might leave you wondering if you are the special one that broke the code. Your particular horse or injury or situation lends to a graphic undoing of confidence and hope. But it is not true that you cannot recover and revisit the challenges you face and overcome them.

So first, breathe; second, remember you are not alone; and third, get out your pencil. It is time to write.

The brain is a clever, cluttered mess. Add a little emotion and it becomes a wet mess. The best thing to do is journal. Map your feelings and hopes and goals. Map your path toward something inspiring. And just before you put your pencil down, make one action item. Your first step.

Make that first step so easy you cannot fail. "Go hug my horse." "Go dust off my saddle."

The most meaningful happiness you will ever feel is the recognition that you are on a favorable path.

Personal relevance: I recently broke my ankle and since surgery have experienced high levels of nerve pain every single hour of every day. Some days I have the energy to distract myself and cope and other days I do not. Those days bring in despair. The thought that it will never be the same. The doctors tell me it happens to a small percentage of surgeries, a condition called CRPS, and they say it usually gets better. It just takes way longer than a typical injury because nerve damage is involved.

My injury, I know, is small potatoes compared to some. But the emotions I feel are just like your emotions. Lost time, lost mobility, and a sense that it will always be this way. It can be overwhelming. So what can we do?

Step one, breathe. Two, remember we are not alone. Three, journal and map a path to new goals.

It is a practice that lends to hope and the obvious building of new skills. It is not a path we originally planned for or wanted, but it is what's in front of us. Dwelling on what could have been does not help. Instead, dwell on what can be, one small step at a time.

I will recover what I need to move in the direction of my dreams. And so will you. And that makes for happiness.

If you feel inadequate to lead or ride or prepare your horse for riding, breathe, you are not alone, and there is a path.

Some people struggle to journal and map their goals and make believable steps to progress. That is normal and we can help.
We will give you a free discovery session with Don or Rachel and make your personal journey a magical one. Step by step, we can move toward your dreams and through any challenge. Click Here:

​Don Jessop