How ready should you be when you take that step off the edge? There have been many times in my life when I was standing at the precipice. My worrisome thoughts about the judgment of others holding me back.
In high school, I didn’t fit in. I loved horses and they were a major part of my life. You’d think in a community that is driven by agriculture that would be normal. For most of the people in the community, their horses were a tool in their business. Mine were my friends, confidants, and partners in competition.
Whenever I had a bad day, I’d go across the road and talk with them. They had infinite patience for keeping my mental health intact. Whenever I felt I was being harshly judged by others they accepted me. I could be myself and drop the façade that I put up so I fit in. They never divulged my secrets. Whenever I was at a horse show or rodeo, I was also able to be myself because everyone there understood.
Susan and Reed Man pole bending at the Kansas State High School Rodeo
My freshman year of high school I discovered high school rodeo. I was the only one in the school who wanted to rodeo. Even the principal gave me a hard time when I asked him to sign the paper saying my grades were good enough. He asked what if he wouldn’t sign. This got my defenses up because they were more than good enough – I graduated with honors.
Through the years I always had horses. In college, I discovered hunter/jumpers and showed in these classes as a young amateur. Then I acquired some of my grandpa’s racing-bred Quarter Horse mares and I started racing and breeding. I still have some of the racing-bred horses that I raised but I haven’t had any at the track for several years.
Then I found the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® and I was very intrigued. Something that was a marriage of horses and healing. I talked to Mike about it, and he said he would not be spending any more money on the horses. So, I put that aside while still keeping my eye on it.
When my full-time job was combined with another full-time job, and I was almost three years into caregiving for Mike I quit the job. I enrolled in the EGCM program and took care of Mike.
This was the best thing I could have done for myself. I learned that my horses really had been keeping me mentally healthy. That’s why everything always felt right with the world when I was at the barn.
When I started the EGCM program I had no idea what it really was. I only knew that I wanted to do it. Stepping off that ledge in faith was the right move for me. It put me in the best place I could be emotionally to be diagnosed with breast cancer, to help navigate Mike through the health system, and to lose him at a fairly young age.
What’s holding you back from taking your leap of faith? Let the horses help guide you to the first step. Connect with me here for more information.
Take the Leap Of Faith.
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Onward!
