Have you lost your mojo?

This article is from the April 2020 Horse Deals magazine.

Life often gets busy and it is easy to feel overwhelmed. There are the long hours at work, the family commitments, housework, kids, study... the list could go on.

When we get too busy it’s easy to either go into procrastination mode, sitting down and doing nothing, watching a movie or doing the unimportant things that are on the bottom of the important list, or we do everything for everyone else but ourselves.

Overwhelm seems to come hand in hand with self-sacrifice.

So, the obvious solution to overwhelm is better problem solving and organisation.

I have a very busy life and often get caught up feeling overwhelmed. In those moments I wish I would have a pause button, a magic button that I can push that makes time stand still, so I have enough time to get everything done to catch up before pressing play again. Wouldn’t that be great?!

Unfortunately, there is no such button, or at least I haven’t found it, which means that we have to learn to deal with it.

Being overwhelmed can often make us feel stressed and anxious and lead to lack of focus and clarity about what to do and how to tackle the issue.

So here are some tips on how to move forward:
First get clarity on what the issue is and what would solve the problem.

• Too much to do and not enough time to ride. This is a common problem and you need to make sure you organise your time. If riding is what you do when everything else has been done then you will never find time to ride. If riding makes you happy, fills you with confidence and increases your wellbeing then riding needs to be much higher on your list. My tip is to make a time each day or multiple times per week where you have a designated time to ride, and you honour that time just like you honour any other appointment that you have.

• Everyone else is more important. That’s an easy one, the answer is NO, they are not. Whenever you board a plane you are told that in case of an emergency to fit the oxygen mask on yourself before helping others. The simple answer is that if you are not looking after your own wellbeing then you cannot be there for others. Again, make a list of importance. There are plenty of times that you have to help others where they come first and plenty of times where you will help others after you have attended to your own needs.

• My family and friends don’t understand and support my horse time and therefore I feel selfish. Your family and friends love you and they want you to be happy. If you come home after each ride frustrated and in a bad mood because the horse didn’t go well or you feel like you are not good enough then it is understandable that they don’t support you. To them, you are not happy. Be open and tell them how much the riding means to you. Show them how much happier you are after you spend time with your horse. Instead of being too hard on yourself enjoy your riding and I am sure they will understand and support you too.

• I have goals that I want to achieve but I don’t know how to get there. Find a coach who will support you if at all possible. Otherwise, write down your goals, break them down and get as clear as you can on the steps that will lead you there. It is easier to stay on track and be successful when you know the steps you need to take. If the ideal scenario to solve the problem does not exist then find another solution that does exist. Don’t give up!

Focus on your achievements rather than on the problems.
• We can easily become a perfectionist and then nothing is ever good enough. Remind yourself of your achievements and as well as the improvements you are working towards. Keeping the balance is very important.

• Instead of setting your goals too high make them achievable. Smaller goals are more important than big ones. When you keep achieving you stay motivated.

• Remember that riding has to be enjoyable. If you become too focused on reaching goals then you might forget the real reason you are riding. The connection and love for your horse.

• When you have reached a goal, acknowledge it. It is so easy to ‘move the goal post’ by making the achieved goal not good enough anymore.
Keeping your mojo helps you to remember why you ride, how much you love it and the enjoyment will keep you motivated to do more. This is something you can do for yourself that makes you smile, that gives you fulfilment, and in return you can be there for others. To keep the balance you need to understand that you are important too.

Happy riding everyone!

*Tanja Mitton - Australia’s No. 1 Equestrian Success and Mindset Coach. *
Phone (07) 5446 7339, 0419 891 319, Email: tanja@equestriansuccessmindset.com | www.equestriansuccessmindset.com

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