 I rode my three FEI horses in a clinic this past weekend and the theme that kept coming up for me was that of accountability. Those three horses are all schooling or showing the Grand Prix movements and it was a great reminder this weekend that is not simply enough that my horses do the movement. It’s now time to build in the quality and ease with all but invisible aids. Are you holding yourself accountable when it comes to training or do you cut corners (literally and figuratively)? Do you avoid difficult movements because it’s hard? Do you avoid sitting the trot because it is uncomfortable? I know I have to push myself to do the hard stuff! I encourage you to dedicate yourself completely towards your evolution. Hold yourself to a high standard. Step outside your comfort zone for the sake of expansion. If you have a bad habit, discipline yourself to correct it. I used to say that I was a more effective rider than I was a pretty rider. Then I decided why confine myself to that statement? If I keep saying it, that is the reality that I am creating and I will never then be the pretty rider. I decided to double down on discipline myself to keep stretching my upper body tall and my legs long. Each time I’m riding towards the mirror I take a moment and make sure my toes are directly under my knees and not rotated out. I’m still a work in progress of course, but holding myself a little more accountable has made all the difference. I think it is totally normal in the course of training to get a little sloppy. Maybe we don’t ride our circles 100% accurately or we don’t ride a specific movement at a letter, which leads us to not have total control over the line we are riding. We may avoid riding deeply into the corners or aid just a little to big or do too much to “help” our horse with our own bodies- guilty! However, if we want to become the best rider that we can be, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. This is the difference between a good rider and a great rider. A great rider is detail oriented and not satisfied with mediocrity. As the saying goes, it’s not practice that makes perfect but perfect practice that makes perfect. And while I do think striving for perfectionism can be dangerous, I do believe that we should pay attention to the details. Don’t accept that bad transition. Repeat until lit is something your proud of. Your standards may differ from horse to horse and they will change over time. We will be more forgiving of a young horse just learning walk to canter transitions than we will be to a Grand Prix horse that should be held to a higher standard. Of course in all of this we must have self compassion. Training is tough and training in this way can be a physical and mental challenge. Be kind to yourself. Do your best. Make mistakes, learn from them. Enjoy the journey. Of course we can apply accountability to the larger scale of our life. Where can you be held to a higher standard? For me, it’s being able to handle my stress by finding positive coping mechanisms rather than emotional eating that leads to further guilt and stress. Do you scroll Facebook endlessly instead of reading a book that can further your growth? Are you distracted in moments with your children? I challenge you (and myself) to be hold yourself accountable. Nobody is going to do it for you. Be present and aim higher. You can be and do anything you set your mind too. Jenna
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 “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” -Henry David Thoreau It’s no secret that we all perceive the world in different ways. The same situation can cause two different people to have completely opposing reactions based on their individual personalities and previous experiences. For example, while for one person, public speaking can be a thrilling and invigorating experience that brings about joy, and for another it can be panic inducing and terrifying, throwing the individual into fight or flight mode or causing them to completely freeze up. How do you relate to your world and to the challenges that are presented to you? If you believe that the world is out to get you, you will find evidence of this in all of your experiences. But if you see the world as a benevolent and kind place then you will see evidence of this. Reality is, in a way, an illusion. We experience it through our own, unique filter based on our previous life experiences. You have the choice every single day to choose how you will relate to your experiences. The key question to ask is not “Why is this happening to me?” but instead “why is this happening FOR me?” If you choose to find the opportunities for growth in all situations, you will shift yourself from victim to one that is in control of your life. You have the power to create your own reality based on your perceptions and reactions to life’s experiences. All of life is an incredible journey, though not always an easy one. Focus on the lessons you can learn and the ways in which you can grow into the most beautiful version of yourself. Next time you encounter a challenging situation, whether in training your horse or perhaps a difficult relationship with a coworker, ask yourself what are the lessons for me to learn here? How can this help me grow? Are these experiences happening for me to bring about my highest evolution? You have the power to choose how you interpret your world. If you believe you are a failure, you will see evidence to back this up. If you believe you are never good enough, you will find support for this too. But, if you begin to cultivate self love and acceptance and begin to see yourself as a most beautiful incarnation of light and love, then, guess what? That is exactly what you will see, and, when you do fall short, because we are all human after all, you will be able to show yourself compassion and understanding because you know who you are at the deepest, most spiritual level. It’s like when you’re driving a horse trailer and all of a sudden you notice all of the other horse trailers on the road or if you make an intention to see all of the red cars along the road they are all but invisible until you make that decision to see them. They were there all along but until you set an intention to see them, they were not perceived. I had a major burnout in 2014. I felt like every ride I had was a failure. I felt like I could not make progress and was a terrible rider and trainer (even though evidence did not support this). I had no joy when riding because I had decided, more subconsciously than consciously, before the ride even began that it would not be good enough. I had no compassion towards myself and would become angry and frustrated. It was a tough time and I questioned why I was even riding anymore. I had decided that I was not a good rider, that I was a failure and I saw that each and everyday even though from the outside looking in I looked successful and happy. My story is not an unusual one. I think anytime we are passionate about something, we go through times of difficulty when we question ourselves and our abilities as we attempt to live up to some impossible standard. Who set these standards anyway? Early life experiences of always falling short- getting the B instead of the A or not being as successful in sports as our parents believed we should have been or not being as comfortable in social situations as our sibling. Whatever the case may be, we all have our own unique stories that create our current perspectives. The key is understanding that you can change it if you wish. Now, five years after my burnout, I am loving riding more than I ever have. I took off about six months from riding at the end of 2014 into 2015 when I was pregnant with my first child. What had become a stressful job for me now was my alone time, the time when I could focus on myself and my horses. My horses became a place of peace and solace, my rides became the time in which I could quietly study to improve myself and through improving myself, improve my horses. Develop the rider, you develop the horse. Did I magically become that much “better” a rider in the last five years? I hope I have improved but more likely it is my interpretation of myself and my rides now that had led to my joy. Where I used to berate myself for not ever being good enough, now I enjoy the journey each and everyday and when I do have difficult rides I can see them for what they are, not a reflection of my failure but as a beautiful opportunity for learning and growth. If you are interested into shifting your life and finding more peace, happiness and freedom, I encourage you to set an intention to find the things to be grateful for. Make this a practice. If you can begin to train your mind to look for the positives in your life, it will be easier to find the lessons that aid you in your growth in tumultuous times. Believe that you are the creator of your own reality and begin to shift the perspective of your life into one in which you are evolving into the absolute best version of yourself! Jenna  Horse Showing Lessons
This horse stuff is tough! Day in and day out- often, at least in Texas, in very hot temperatures about seven months out of the year. So, there is a lot of sweat involved and hopefully not too much blood or tears, but this is Dressage after all so sometimes we have it all! I’ve been showing horses in dressage for almost 20 years. There are good days. There are bad days. There are times when you get totally screwed and times when you are gifted with a score you didn’t really deserve. I think it all evens out in the end. We keep coming back so obviously there is enough enjoyment to keep bringing us back time and time again. We work so hard at home so we can have (hopefully) five glorious minutes in the arena showing the judge all the amazing work we have done all year training. We come out of the ring, feeling elated! The ride went great! The horse was supple, forward, soft in the bridle and you’re grinning ear to ear. Then, you get the score...and it’s lower than you could have possibly imagined! It’s like a punch to the gut. You question your feel. Maybe it totally sucked and you have no idea what you’re doing. Or you think, obviously, you shouldn’t be doing this show at this level. How stupid you are for even trying! Then you get mad. What the hell do those judges know anyway!? How dare they say this, that, or the other about your ride!? What idiots! Have you ever felt those emotions come through when showing? Oh boy, have I! Every show has its ups and it’s downs. The highs are high and the lows are low. It’s a whirlwind of emotions leaving you feeling exhausted and perhaps in need of an alcoholic beverage! So, how does one persevere when faced with the injustice of a unfair low score or a ride where your horse was less than cooperative or perhaps a ride where you made one too many mistakes? Keep in mind, one show is just a blip on the map in the grand scheme of things. Know going in that there are ups and downs. My biggest tool is to make sure I evaluate my rides on how I feel the moment I leave the arena. If I feel pleased, I won’t let any score take that away from me. I may be frustrated if the score did not reflect my feel but I trust my feel enough to know what was good and what could be improved. In a subjective sport, we do not have control over outside conditions. I find that at times, each judge has a little different idea of the level of balance, engagement, and suppleness the horse requires at each level and this can affect a score, sometimes quite dramatically. I’ve had some shows where one day, with one judge I score quite low and the next day, with a very similar feeling ride, I will score much higher. So, how do we deal with this? We have to understand that this is the nature of things. Sometimes you’re scored low but sometimes you are scored high and it all evens out in the end. The important thing is to keep showing up. Understand that this journey is about you and your horse, not about the score the judge gives you on a given day. At the end of the day, our goal is to train each horse to their utmost potential and a show is more than an opportunity to win- it’s an opportunity to learn. It’s an opportunity to grow. It’s an opportunity to expose your horse to new experiences, to new places so that they may gain confidence, and each show is a stepping stone along that journey. It takes grit, determination, perseverance, faith. Believe in yourself, believe in your horse and in your training. Have faith in the process. Sometimes things go our way. Sometimes they don’t. It’s not about the difficulties handed to us but how we handle them that makes us into great riders. I encourage you to allow love to permeate through you in your riding. You are love, you are loved and you are always enough. Jenna  The chaos of the Christmas holidays is behind us and the New Year is fast approaching. As we transition from 2018 into 2019, it’s time for rest, reflection and renewal. Rest- I encourage you to spend some time on self care and rest as we shift into the new year. Find the quiet, or create it around you with the intention of discovering the stillness within yourself. It’s in that stillness that we can quiet the mind and begin to listen to the whispering inner voice of the heart. It is in this space where we can connect to our intuition and inspiration. If you struggle with finding your purpose, or feel like your life is spinning out of control around you, it’s in this quiet time that you can begin to connect with your inner knowing, to Source. In this restful time, sit or walk in nature, journal, paint, write. Find the time, even if it means waking up 15 minutes early just to have some time for yourself. Reflection- What happened in 2018? Who did you become this year? In what ways have you grown? Reflect back on your experiences. Did you achieve your goals? If not, what happened? To me, more importantly than whether you accomplished what you set out to is how you have grown. Did you face your failures with grace and determination or with self hatred and ridicule? Reflection is the best way to start charting your life forward. Renewal- Who do you want to become in 2019? What characteristics do you want to build upon? What goals will you set to help you accomplish this? The transition from one year to the next is a new beginning- a chance to start new and embrace whatever you envision for yourself. My belief is that we are reborn each day if we choose to be, so even if you set those New Years Resolutions and fail at them in a few weeks, don’t quit and say “well I’ll try again next year”. Each day, each moment, we have the opportunity to make a choice. We can stay in the status quo, perhaps not living the life that we wish we had but we are comfortable in the known. Or we can take a chance, face our fears and embrace the unknown. Take that first step forward into living the life of your dreams. Each day, do something that moves you towards the life you imagine. Experiment, try new things, open yourself to new experiences. You never know where you end up when you follow the breadcrumbs. When watching a dressage horse working, it’s in the transitions where we can see if the horse is truly on the aids. It’s the transitions that tell the story. If the horse isn’t on the aids, the transitions will be hollow, non responsive or unbalanced. The same can be said for us as well. How do we handle transitions? When change happens, as it inevitably will, how do we face it? Do we stiffen and resist or do we relax into the shifting experience? The Buddhist philosophy of impermanence teaches that the nature of the Universe and of humanity is in constant change. American Buddhist nun and writer Pema Chodran explains “When we resist change, it’s called suffering. But when we can completely let go and not struggle against it, when we can embrace the groundlessness of our situation and relax into it’s dynamic quality, that’s called enlightenment.” Change can be uncomfortable but lean into it rather than resist it. Allow yourself to feel what arises within you and then let it go. It’s in allowing this energy to move through you that you can find peace and happiness. So, in these last few days of 2018, I invite you to rest, reflect and renew yourself and remember that this power is yours all the time, not just at the passage into a new year. May 2019 bring you abundance and joy! I invite you to Awaken to the Truth of your Divine nature. You are love, you are loved and you are always enough. Jenna  Last weekend, we were lucky enough to have classical riding master, Charles de Kunffy in for a clinic. We have been bringing him in twice a year for many years now and each time we count our blessings that as a man in his 80s, he continues to impart his wisdom on those willing to learn. In his Saturday lecture he said something simple yet very profound. He said “the magic lies in taking a piece of nature and elevating it to art.” He probably said it much more eloquently than that but you get the idea. This was the first time in all these years that I heard him refer to training as magic and it really resonated with me. In our pursuits to become the best rider we can be we must not lose sight of our main objective - amplification of the horses gaits through gymnastic exercises aimed to supple and strengthen the body and calm the mind. Only through patience and understanding of the horses character and physiology can we sculpt our horses into willing and eager partners. If we can move from ego into a higher plane of existence we can create a beautiful piece of living art, that is the horse. As the sculptor uses his hands to mold clay into something to inspire, we can use our body and intention to create a harmonious experience where both horse and rider unite by the force of love and compassion into something truly magnificent. As the sculptor creates, so do we, as riders, and as with any artistic endeavor, we discover a more honest, authentic version of ourselves along the way. If we allow love and kindness to be our guide, we cannot falter. It’s when we are rooted in ego and the need for external validation that we allow our path to be clouded with insecurity. This path can only lead to suffering- not just our own, but our equine partner as well. Can you think of a time you lost your patience with a horse? Perhaps you were overcome with frustration, not necessarily with your horse but with yourself for not being a good enough rider. Or perhaps you doubted yourself or became angry for a mistake that you made in the past that is coming back up now. In these moments, be kind to yourself. Be kind to your horse. Horses are so incredibly energetically sensitive- they can feel your emotional state immediately. Take a moment prior to each ride to center yourself with some deep breathing. Connect with your intention to provide your horse with a training session that will allow his body to feel more supple and his mind to be more relaxed. By all means, set goals but be mindful of your mental and emotional state as you work towards those goals. Keep your horse a willing partner and don’t make him into a machine just to bend to your will. Let love always be your guide. This is where the magic happens- connecting into the beauty of divine inspiration and allowing it to be creatively expressed through your communion with the horse. I wish you the most beautiful, divinely guided rides for you in the coming weeks, that you may find connection to that magic- we all have access to it, if only you know to look within your own heart. And please, embrace the magic. I invite you to Awaken to the Truth of your Divine nature. You are love, you are loved and you are always enough. Jenna  Ahhhh, Thanksgiving, the smell of turkey roasting in the oven, all assortment of sides, fresh baked bread and the sweet smell of pecan pie. Family and friends gather together for fun and games. After the meal, folks may take a leisurely walk or settle down for a nap or to watch a game of football. Thanksgiving means something different to everybody but I think we can all agree that it’s a day that we all pause and take a moment to reflect on all we are thankful for. It’s a day totally dedicated to gratitude, and for that reason I have come to love Thanksgiving a little more each year, especially now as a parent of young children so that I can instill in them a sense of gratitude for the things that are most important in ones life. Good health, clean water and the overall abundance we experience as a citizen of the western world are so often taken for granted. Until one is faced with illness themselves or experiences the loss of a loved one, it’s easy to focus on our daily stresses and worries and lose sight of the bigger picture. So, today, as you gather with family and friends, I encourage you to take a moment and really reflect on what you are most grateful. The simple things. The feeling of love when your child brings you a flower, the warmth of an embrace with someone you love, the connection you feel with others as you gather around the Thanksgiving table. Give thanks to those who are no longer with us in the physical world, yet still remain in our hearts, shaping us into the most beautiful versions of ourselves. Choose today of all days to be incredibly present. Don’t stress about the dishes, don’t worry about the mess the kids are making as they play. Instead, open yourself to the love all around you. Choose gratitude. I challenge you to keep a little of this Thanksgiving spirit each day of the year. Take a moment at the beginning and end of each day and give thanks for all the wonderful blessings in your life. Especially when you face great challenges and heartache, a gratitude practice can help you to stay grounded and connected to the abundant love that is all around us. Life is a gift. Happy Thanksgiving! I invite you to Awaken to the Truth of your Divine nature. You are love, you are loved and you are always enough. Jenna  This week is the final week of preparations for the show that we work towards all year- Regional Championships! Manes are getting pulled, the horse trailer is being serviced, and in our training rides we work on those final little details that will influence the quality of our tests next week. And you know what? I hate the week before a big show! Well, hate is maybe a bit too strong a word... Our group has ten horses heading down to Houston next week for the show and I know, for me, I tend to get hyper focused the week before a show, which can be both a blessing and a curse! (But honestly it’s more stressful than not) In today’s blog, I invite you all (and myself) to embrace imperfection. Maybe that seems like a negative thing to say before a big show. Maybe that comment seems like I’m lowering my expectations but it’s part of my beliefs that we are all here for growth and anytime we get outside our comfort zone we out ourselves in a place to experience growth. I’m not sure there are many other sports where we can get 30% taken off the score and be pretty happy. In school, a 70% was barely passing but in Dressage it is considered “fairly good”. Boy are we gluttons for punishment! This sport tends to pull in the perfectionists yet perfection in unachievable. The sooner we realize this the better! Even if a 10 is given (which is a rare event indeed), it means excellent, not perfect. The world record at the Grand Prix is a 87.46%, held by Olympic champion, Valegro. That’s the highest score given in the international Dressage ring. Ever. So, please, I beg of you to stop the quest for perfection now. You’ll save yourself so much heartache! Instead, focus on what is truly important- your individual journey of growth and development with your horse. Think about how far you’ve come. Think about all you have learned on this incredible journey of riding. Who have you become as a person? In the quest towards achieving our goals, it’s not about what we accomplish but rather who we become in the process. Give yourself some credit. We can be so incredibly hard on ourselves. Whether we win our class with a 75% or score in the 50s, what do we look at? What do we see? We see how we could have made it better...where we lost points. While it is a great thing to strive to better ourselves, it is not worth it to destroy self esteem in the process. Then we end up in a cycle that can be very hard to break out of. Striving to be better leads to being overly critical and unkind to ourselves which leads to a destruction of our confidence which makes it impossible to become better! Accept yourself just as you are. Instead of looking ahead and seeing how far you have to go, look back and see how far you’ve come. Think of all the goals you have achieved and what you have learned in the process. It’s all about progress, not perfection! I’m not saying to just be content where you are at and never aim to get better but realize that growth is a journey, not a destination. It’s through time, through experience and especially through making mistakes and through failure that we experience the most growth. Have compassion for yourself through this experience. I’m going through this right now in my riding. As I spend more time at the FEI Level, I am realizing more and more really how forward thinking the horse needs to be to be successful at this level. My knowledge has expanded a lot this year, which is great, but it has illuminated some areas I need to go back and repair in my horses training. Instead of beating myself up for making mistakes, I am going to shift that perspective to one of gratitude. I am so glad I’m learning these lessons now so all my future horses will benefit from this knowledge! Plus, going through the process of teaching my horses more about true engagement now will make me a better trainer for my clients. Changing your perspective is a choice you must make. It often requires reprogramming your subconscious if your routine your whole life has been to beat yourself up when you make a mistake. We see life through the lens that we have developed through our life experiences. If your lens is based on negativity and the thought that experiences are happening to you rather than for you that is precisely the experience you will create for yourself. But guys, this is so hard to put into practice so please be kind to yourself. Even with all I’ve learned and all the tools I now know about and use to keep myself from getting self destructive, I still have days where I question if I know what the heck I’m doing! I have times where I get angry with myself for not training my horses better in the first place. I know there is nothing productive about getting in that state but hey, what can I say? I’m human. I’m a work in progress. My goal for championships? While it would be fun to win a regional championship (and I really hope I do!), I am going to go into the show arena and simply ride my horse the best that I can. At the end of the day, that is all I can do. I can’t control if other horses in the class have nicer gaits than my horse. I can’t control the scoring or what the judges think about my freestyle music. All I can do is ride my horse forward, straight and balance them the best that I can. I aim to keep my horses (and myself) confident and hopefully we all have some fun too. Horse training is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a journey often spanning many years so remember that one ride is only a small moment in time. We have good days and bad days and so do our horses. Learn from those tough rides and move on. So please, love yourself, imperfections and all. It’s not your life experiences that define you but rather your reaction to those experiences. So, this week as I prepare myself and my horses for the show, and next week as we compete, what determines if I win or lose? For me, it won’t be the score and it won’t be the placing but it will be how I handle myself if and when adversity arises. I will base my success on how I feel the moment I leave the arena after my test. If I did absolutely the best I could, what more could I ask for? I invite you to Awaken to the Truth of your Divine nature. You are love, you are loved and you are always enough. Jenna  So, y’all, this weekend I got a tattoo. Me, 34 year old mother of two who drives a minivan and doesn’t even have my ears pierced got a tattoo. Who knew I was so cool! (Haha, just kidding!) This year, for me, has been about creative expression as a spiritual practice. I believe that our creative gifts are innate within us and unfortunately many of us lose our connection with creativity as we grow older. When I was young, in middle school and high school, I was an avid writer. I never went anywhere without a notebook that I filled with stories and poems. Somewhere in my late teens I lost part of myself. I stopped writing all together. Maybe it was the identity shift between being a teenage girl living at home to a college student living on her own, who really had no idea what she was going to do with her life. Perhaps it was the death of my grandmother, who was a writer and a huge inspiration to me, when I was 19. Whatever it was that made me move away from the creative inside of me, it was not a conscious decision. Those years when I was disconnected from that inner creator were some of the most difficult in my life. I didn’t know my purpose and I held on to so much frustration and anger because I was not embracing my true self. I was trying to be the person everybody thought I should be. When asked, “Who are you?”, I genuinely had no idea. For years I stayed inside that comfort zone of familiarity. I was miserable and unhappy but it was comfortable in a morbid sort of way. On the surface, my life looked perfect but inside I was hurting and felt so alone. Then the guilt would come...”My life is wonderful right? I have everything I need and more. What right do I have to be unhappy?” Those years thinking that outside validation was the only way I could find happiness were sad and lonely times for me. I would allow dark times to overwhelm me. I didn’t have the knowledge or the tools to be able to pull myself out of the pit. About four years ago I was burned out. I questioned my purpose. I had always felt that I was destined to do something important but I had yet to find what that was. It was only when I journeyed inward and found happiness within, in my completeness, that my life truly began to shift. Here I am now four years later and I feel like most days I embrace life. Yes, life has its challenges and some days I feel I’m doing a better job at living my best life than other days. And some days are just really really tough but at least now I know who I am and I know ups and downs are part of life but it’s not letting those tough times destroy you that leads to the greatest growth in life. Direction, purpose and connection to something bigger has really propelled me towards how I feel today. Now I see challenges as opportunities for growth. I feel my purpose is to help serve others by helping them wake up to who they truly are. We are all creators in one way or another. Think back to when you were young- did you have some sort of art form that helped you to express who were? Dance, painting, sketching, writing, music? I think most of us had something that we did to express ourselves until it was snuffed out by our peers, society or our families (most of the time with well meaning intentions). What was yours? I think this disconnection from our true selves, from Spirit, is a big reason we feel so unfulfilled. It’s why we may dream big but live small for fear of upsetting the status quo. For living small is safe (or we perceive it that way)- it doesn’t require courage or vulnerability, but by living small we are denying the world, and ourselves our creative gifts and, in essence, denying who we truly are. So I encourage you to reconnect with your creativity, in whatever form best expresses you. For me, it is writing. This blog, in a sense, is a spiritual practice for me. While I would love if others would find my words helpful or inspiring, ultimately this online journal is for my own growth as I embrace vulnerability and share a piece of my Soul with the world. So, for me, my tattoo represents creative expression. It encourages me to not play it safe just because it’s comfortable and to do something that scares me if it means embracing my true nature. You don’t have to go out and get a tattoo but I do encourage you to step outside your comfort zone. Reconnect with the child within you that loved to paint, or to sing or to dance. Allow your inner artist to emerge to help you connect back to your truest essence of Spirit. I invite you to Awaken to the Truth of your Divine nature. You are love, you are loved and you are always enough. Jenna **Make sure to sign up for our Artists Way 12 week course that starts October 1! It will be a combination of in person and online meet ups so anybody can join! Go to www.mindfulriding.com to sign up!  The World Equestrian Games is going on this week and I splurged and bought the FEI TV live stream and have been watching the best riders in the world compete these last couple of days. (GO USA!) Watching these incredible riders gives me inspiration for the future but also has me reflecting on my past and how my own dreams have morphed and changed over the 20+ years I have been riding. The first big dream I remember having related to my riding career was that I wanted to be on the Olympic Eventing team. (Granted I was 15 and had competed in one green as grass horse trial but I digress) My grandma always told me, “If you’re going to dream, you might as well dream big!”. Several years later I made the switch to Dressage and was hooked. Goodbye cross country fences, hello dancing horses! I remember, one day sitting in the high school cafeteria and ended up sitting with a Dressage rider and I remember being in complete awe that she was showing 2nd Level! At the time I was brand new into Dressage and had competed in my first training level competition. Even still, my dreams were big and each Olympic Games I watched, I would imagine what it would feel like to march in those opening ceremonies. When I was 21 I was so sad to see my Young Rider Championship goals evaporate. I had not the trainer or the horse to help me realize that goal but I pushed on. I dreamed of going to Germany to ride and I did thanks to a very kind heated barn owner that I worked for for a time. I dreamed of my bronze medal, then my silver and finally my gold. I held onto those team hopes and started breeding horses hoping to breed my own superstar. Then, I attended a conference several years ago where a prominent international rider said that in order to be successful on the international stage, you had to “sell and upgrade, sell and upgrade.” I did a little soul searching after that conference and decided that, although I could see her point, “selling and upgrading” just wasn’t what I wanted to do. I would much rather see the training through, all the way, developing a harmonious relationship as I go, even if that means I will be sitting on a little less extravagant horses. And I am 100% ok with that. My Olympic dreams have changed into dreams of helping riders step into the best versions of themselves. I am loving developing my four current mounts, three of which are at the FEI level and the fourth is a super pony that I absolutely adore riding. Will I go to the Olympics on him? No, but he puts the biggest smile on my face everyday and that kind of joy is priceless. This is my tenth year as a professional rider and trainer and even though the Olympic and WEG goals aren’t what I’m striving for right now, that doesn’t mean that I may not choose to pursue that in the future. That’s the beauty of Equestrian sport- there was a Japanese rider at the Olympics that was over 70! My point is, goals and dreams change. They change as you change. If you are constantly growing as a person, it stands to reason that your dreams will shift as well. Let your heart guide you in the direction of your dreams. Dream, and dream big. Let nothing hold you back. Don’t let anybody tell you that your dream is too big or too small. If you desire with all your heart to be the next Charlotte Dujardin, more power to you! If your dream is to compete at your first recognized show, your first regional championships or ride with an idol of yours, go for it! Imagine how it will feel, visualize the whole experience! Maybe you dream of riding a piaffe or you dream of owning your very own horse. Whatever your dream is, OWN IT! Harriet Tubman said “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” If you don’t know what your dream is, what fires you up? What experience excites you? If money or time were no object, what would you do with your life? Do something each day that propels you closer to that dream. Your dreams truly can become your reality if you have the patience, determination, perseverance and faith to follow them. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. I invite you to Awaken to the Truth of your Divine nature. You are love, you are loved and you are always enough. Jenna  Thursday is my blog post day. I made a promise to myself that on Thursdays I post my blog that I have (hopefully) written earlier in the week. This week I have not been feeling super inspired or creative so I asked my husband what he thought I should write about this week and he said, “Inspiration”. Who better to write about inspiration than the uninspired? (I’m only partly kidding) Oh, how I love the word inspire. It’s one of those words that warms my Soul. The word inspire can be defined as “fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.” Perhaps I feel such an affinity for this word because I feel it so fully encompasses what I feel my purpose is. For me, inspiring others to embrace their true authentic self with love and compassion is my highest ideal. Connecting back to this idea helps me open myself to the creative flow of the Universe. Here are a few ways that you can find inspiration: Share your passion- For me, nothing fires me up like teaching. I can be working one on one with a rider in a lesson or teaching in a group setting. I can be sharing my passion of riding and training, or, spiritual and personal development principles. It’s that energy transference between teacher and student that I find thrilling, especially when the student understands something that they may have previously struggled with. What’s your passion? Share your creativity with others. Show your paintings to some friends or let someone close to you read your poetry, not for the external validation but for the good of putting your creation out to the world. Allow others to share their passion- Find a riding instructor that is passionate about teaching. Not all great riders are great teachers so find someone that you feel has both a riding and teaching philosophy you can believe in. Go on a retreat or sign up to attend a lecture or motivational speaker. Try to find someone that is passionate about their craft and open yourself to their enthusiasm. Positive energy is contagious! Read something inspiring- This one, perhaps, seems obvious but sometimes when you are feeling overwhelmed and lacking inspiration or motivation to ride, write, work out etc... reading someone else’s experiences about it can certainly help give you a boost. If you struggle getting yourself out to the barn to ride, consider reading The Ethics and Passion of Dressage by Charles de Kunffy or Riding Towards the Light by Paul Belasik. If you struggle getting inspired to write, read a few passages from your favorite author. If you write poetry, read some poems to get in the rhythmic flow. Listen to someone inspiring- Who inspires you? See if you can find a YouTube video of them speaking or a podcast that you can listen to when driving to work. Go audit a clinic of your favorite instructor or watch them coach on video. When I need a little energy and inspiration boost, I like to listen to Inspire Nation, a podcast that features inspirational authors, spiritual leaders, athletes and entrepreneurs. When I really want to get into a flow for a writing topic a little more spiritual in nature, I like to listen to Matt Kahn and Pema Chodran. Join a community- Join a community of like minded people! You’ll see this one come up time and time again because in this world that is more and more technologically connected, people are more disconnected than ever. Join a barn that has a great vibe or join a moms group or a church. If you write, join a writers group. If you love to dance, join others that also love to dance. Get in on that great group energy! Get moving- Even if you don’t feel inspired to write, write anyway. If you don’t feel like going to the gym even though you said you would, go anyway. Get out of the house. Take a walk in nature or go ride your horse. Half the battle is just getting started. Once you start, you gain momentum. You never know when that beautiful divine inspired creativity will hit you- you might as well have pen or paintbrush in hand! Finally, breathe, take time for yourself. Listen to your heart. If it says take a break, take it. It’s 100% ok and natural to not be inspired, motivated and enthusiastic all the time. When you feel blah and like sitting around and watching Netflix, it’s ok! Do it. Reset and you’ll be surprised that your creative juices often flow again after a break. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Show yourself love and patience when you’re struggling and when you do feel inspired, girl, share it with the world!!! You are the only one with the gifts you have to offer the world. Express yourself, share your passions and love abundantly! I invite you to Awaken to the Truth of your Divine nature. You are love, you are loved and you are always enough. Jenna |
AuthorThis blog will be all about personal growth. I will discuss different topics and issues, some relating to horses and some not. Feel free to comment! Archives
September 2018
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