On Saturday I will be at my first dressage show with my new horse. The last time I was in a show was September, 2013. Ruby (my horse) has shown before as a hunter-jumper. This will be her first dressage show. I started to imagine being at the beginning of the test, about to trot into the arena. I imagined saying to myself, “You’ve got this!” I plan on telling myself that several times before we begin. I think it will help build confidence.
I have always thought that the very best gift you could give your children (or certainly one of the best) is confidence. Believing in yourself can make the difference between success and failure; between getting the most out of life or just sitting on the sidelines and buying time. Success starts in your head! Have you ever heard of two people vying for the same position and even though one of them was more qualified, the less qualified person got the job? Yes! You want to know why? Confidence. We like to be around, hire, date, marry, associate with people who believe in themselves. Self-confident people can be infectious, making us want to do better. They can inspire us to go for something we are afraid to fail at.
Self-confidence is sexy. A person who believes in themselves is like a magnet, making us want to be with them. Self-confidence can turn a plane Jane or homely Harry into a desirable mate. Interesting, right?
Becoming an author for the first time wasn’t nearly as difficult as trying to sell my books. I have never been very good at self-promotion. It is very challenging and certainly out of my comfort zone. But I had to develop some of those skills if I wanted to get my books out there. I have learned and stretched but I still have a long way to go.
So it’s been almost two years since I participated in a dressage show. This is not the big leagues, by any measure; but for me, a lofty challenge. Why? Sure, I know the two tests I will be riding backwards and forwards. I have known them for almost three years! But I am not going into that show arena alone. I have another living creature with me. She must understand my cues (which, by the way, have to be subtle enough so that no one knows you have asked for anything) and I must give the cues correctly. Nerves have no place here but you know some will show up. They hinder your ability to focus and focus is very critical for those few minutes in front of the judges.
Ruby and I have a few challenges as a team. We have only been working together for three months. That’s not very long. But she is a great horse with a good mind and great work ethic. She wants to get it right and tries hard to understand what you are asking of her. So, suffice it to say, if we mess up, it will probably be on me. Wait – that doesn’t sound very confident!
Next time you are about to do something out of your comfort zone, dig deep to the place your true self resides. Bring that person to the surface and say loudly and clearly with every fiber of your being – “I’VE GOT THIS!”
Believe it and then see what happens. :))