#61 Adjusting to Fit the Situation

Have you ever realized that a skill you possess in one area of your life actually came from something you did in your past?

I think we all have realized time and time again that the discoveries we make with our horses, the changes that happen within us, show up in other areas. But it also happens the other way around- things you've done in other areas of your life showing up as strengths when working with our horses. 

This morning I was sitting, thinking about what I wanted to write this week. As I held a warm cup of turmeric chai tea (my favorite these days!) and reflected over the past few weeks, the theme of adjust to fit the situation popped into my mind. I started following a rabbit trail of where that skill originated- thinking it was my time with horses... but it developed before then. 

Years as an elementary school teacher (one of the most rewarding and demanding jobs on the planet- shout out to the teachers out there!!) tested me and called me to stretch to meet each student where they were at. Sometimes I nailed it- a spark ignited in a student and the confidence and curiosity soared. Other times I struggled to find the right way to reach him or her- I lost sleep over it and one time I surrendered to the idea that I wasn't the right person for the job and another teacher who was connecting with this particular student took him in- best decision ever for him! Adjusting to fit the situation was essential to the job. 

Then it definitely is called for when working with horses. As I shared in a past blog post- I sometimes completely miss the mark. But more and more I'm realizing that we all do- even the masters- and it's about brushing yourself off, apologizing to your horse and vowing to search and stretch to be better. 

So... the rabbit trail brings me back to today and a new endeavor calling on my skill to adjust to fit the situation.  Shine a Light and A Learner's Journey. A whole new roller coaster ride of learning and growing; celebrating and scratching my head and adjusting to fit the situation. 

The first year of Shine A Light brought some fabulous learning adventures- maybe you were a part of some of them. 2-4 week virtual clinics designed for you to dive in deep and learn with the coaching of some amazing horsewomen and men. In the year ahead, I'm planning to continue with a couple of these but add in a new format that I'm super excited about. 

The idea for this new format came from listening to you and others in the community. I heard some say they LOVE the intensive clinics while others were struggling with finding the time and feeling de-motivated when falling behind (YIKES!! The opposite of my goal!). So I'm pivoting to offer more variety- don't worry- if you're someone that the intensive format works perfectly for- they aren't going away- I love them too much 😊. 

But... I'm adjusting to fit and will now be offering 2-hour interactive workshops too. Have I already mentioned repeatedly that I'm excited about these 😆 These won't be your everyday zoom sessions.

• There will be material for you to check out ahead of time so you can bring questions to the session. If you join right before the workshop starts- no worries- the workshop will cover the materials available for previewing and you'll have access to them after the workshop to review.
• You'll be able to interact with the clinician during the workshop through the chat window and other tricks we have up our sleeve.
• It'll be a fabulous way to get to know someone you haven't learned with in the past OR get a little dose of education and inspiration from one of your favorites at a very affordable price.
• This format will allow me to bring an even wider range of people to you. 
• You'll have access to the recording and materials for a full month after the workshop (with an option to extend access yearly for a small fee). 
• You'll also get a downloadable workbook and access to an app. 
• I'm super excited!! 

The first workshop will be coming up on Oct 8 with Lillan Rome. If you haven't met Lillan yet- she's such a gift! I interviewed her for the podcast a while back- you can check out that interview here.

She has a passion and talent for teaching- she shares things in creative ways and she's dedicated to helping people bridge the gap between building skills and knowing when, where, and why to use them. This first workshop with Lillan will focus on building confidence in our horses. The things she has to share are so good! I guarantee you'll pick up something new and leave with a deeper understanding of familiar concepts. Click here to learn more about it. 

I know one thing- I'm dedicated to continuing to listen to you. I want to bring things into your life that help you feel more connected- with your horse, with other horse lovers, with some amazing professionals and with yourself. 

I'd love to hear any thoughts that came up for you as you read this. A great place to share is in our private Facebook Group: A Learner's Journey OR if you aren't on FB- shoot me an email at [email protected]

I'm grateful for you! Thank you for being part of this!