Do you get the feeling that society at large has thrown in the towel? People keep talking about the end of 2020 as though everything will magically be better when the clock strikes midnight on January 1.
Some of this will be out of our control. But how we respond to whatever comes (to wax a bit Viktor Frankl) is up to each of us. The calendar isn’t going to make 2021 different. You are. You’ve seen this meme, right? I love that. Sure, change is going to hurt. But staying the same is worse. Consider: What makes you feel better when you’re feeling down? There's the old "me time" recommendation. And sure, a little “self care” in the form of a hot bath or takeout dinner is nice. But in my experience, it fails to offer lasting change. I wake up the next day feeling exactly the same (or, in the case of General Tso's and egg rolls, worse). Real relief isn't found in taking a break from reality, but in taking control of it.
Think about your life right now. What’s going on with your body? Your time? Your emotions? Your space? Your mind? What bothers you about the way things are? Most of us carry around some level of dissatisfaction. Often, the burden is so familiar that we forget it’s there. That old resentment. That extra jiggle in your arms. That soda habit. That colt's bucking tendency you’ve been working around instead of working through. It’s like wearing sunglasses in a dim room. You’re always squinting, trying to see, but putting up with it because that’s “just the way it is.” Well…what if you took the sunglasses off? What if, instead of just resting from 2020, you took on 2021 with purpose? What if you stood up one more time and took control? Don’t just lay there all wrung out! Do something hard. I’ll do it with you. Here are the rules:1. It has to be challenging but realistic. Think tough, but possible. (As much as I’d like to set a goal of riding Tevis, I don’t have a 100-mile horse right now, so that idea isn’t really in the cards.) Choose something that you think you can do, but you're not 100% sure. Something that scares you a little. 2. It has to be specific and measurable. You need to be able to objectively identify progress toward a specific goal. That's how you'll know when you succeed. That's it! The sky's the limit. It's all about you. Here's how to join:1. Drop some personal goal ideas in the comments. There's no need to get it exactly right or make your final choice at this point. In upcoming posts, we’ll dig into some ways to analyze, prioritize, and strategize. For now, let’s just brainstorm. I'll go first. Here’s my list: 2. Follow The Sweaty Equestrian on Facebook. This is totally optional. However, if you do the Facebook thing, it’s a good place to build community around your goal, find frequent encouragement, and make sure you don't miss upcoming posts. Ready? Let's win 2021.
25 Comments
Carol
12/29/2020 10:38:18 am
Ok I'm in. This isnt my whole list but some of my top choices are 1. Lose 20 pounds. My horse will like that, haha. Probably should cut out the sweets habit that I started during the pandemic 2. Declutter my house. Too much stuff collected over the years especially since my mom passed and I kept a lot of her things. 3. Stop being hyopthangry. That post resonated for sure! 4. Read books instead of watching TV. I'll probably think of more but that's a start. Looking forward to some accountability.
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Tamara
12/29/2020 11:43:41 am
Woot woot! I love your decluttering idea! And do feel free to add more ideas later. I actually just edited the post to add a few more things that I thought of during my workout.
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Jenny
12/29/2020 11:17:36 am
I’m in also! Last year a friend pushed me to better my riding and my horsemanship. I have some PTSD from a mare that was extremely difficult to ride but I had her for ten years. It was like riding a lit box of dynamite. The gelding I have now is safe, sane, and sound. So, on the push of my friend, I have been doing arena work in addition to trail riding. Our goal was the AQHA world show but.....Covid. So this year’s theme is Let The Pony Run and working toward shoeing in ranch horse shows.
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Tamara
12/29/2020 11:45:14 am
Hi Jenny! OMG, riding fear. I hear you on that one. See "challenging filly" above - ha. I'll be interested in hearing about your progress!
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Aubrey
12/29/2020 11:38:54 am
Me too! I don't have horses (I just admire them from afar) but I found you through the iFit page. I just got a treadmill to get back to running after a couple kids and a lot of pounds gained. I'm just walking now but I want to run a 5k in 2021.
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Tamara
12/29/2020 11:46:50 am
Welcome, Aubrey! No horses necessary. :) I have the treadmill too and am doing Tommy's Iberian Beginner Running Series -- on week 3 now. Slow and steady does the trick, eh?
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12/29/2020 12:05:41 pm
My list
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Tamara
12/30/2020 07:20:37 am
HI Kris! Nice! Sounds like we have some overlap in our goals -- cool. I can't wait to "meet" your dragon. :)
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Jessica
12/29/2020 12:07:16 pm
1. Lose 20 more pounds
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Tamara
12/30/2020 07:23:15 am
Sweet! Are you strength training at home, or do you go to a gym? Tevis *longing sigh* I will be pulling for you guys!!!
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Jessica
12/30/2020 07:56:28 pm
Going to the gym since September.
Finish rebuilding my website & blog!
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Tamara
12/30/2020 07:25:54 am
Awesome! I hope you'll share your blog when it's up and running. We need more good distance riding blogs in the world. :) And you know the fitness stuff is close to my heart.
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Keila Aartila
12/30/2020 09:25:24 am
I will share! Thanks! & I should add that by "every day" I mean weekdays -0 we got a snowblower, so Now I'm hopeful to actually be able to GET to the horses for more than tossing hay or graining - but I am excit3d to at least try & I am preparing by gathering the warm gear I know I'll need! I have a schedule & a plan,.
Rebecca
12/29/2020 07:57:58 pm
1) 10k race (human running)
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Tamara
12/30/2020 07:29:33 am
Rebecca! So cool! I hear you on the pushing toward goals while trying to remain injury-free. I think I have finally learned that backing off on one workout if I start feeling tweaky is better than pushing through and costing myself 2 weeks of recovery. *eyeroll* It only took 20 years to figure that out. LOL
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Rebecca
12/30/2020 07:35:51 am
I so wish! I’m in northern Texas.
Simone
12/30/2020 11:33:21 pm
Hello,
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Tamara
12/31/2020 07:47:31 am
Simone, I LOVE this. As I read, I found myself reaching the same conclusion that you did: the challenge you're proposing for yourself is a different kind of hard, and sometimes it's the most important thing we can do. It especially resonates with me because that was my 2020. I had to learn to slow down, let go of always being the best and striving, and just be. It took me over a year to get it (somewhat) figured out, as you know, and I'm still very conscious of it. I'm right here with you. <3 As for more time with the horses...me too.
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Katie
12/31/2020 07:48:46 am
2021 Goals:
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Welcome, Katie! I hear you on the heavier weight. Me too. LOL.
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Katie
1/1/2021 01:49:28 pm
Same! I also had a bad wreck a few years ago that tanked my confidence. That's when the fear came on. I swore I would never ride that horse again. But, I did. And completed an LD on him!
Sylvie
12/31/2020 08:04:02 am
1. Walk/run with my horse 40 km in January (groundwork, not riding)
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OMG, Mr. Sweaty and I had exactly that same conversation this morning. Sooooo many things to accomplish, and a limited amount of time. Hopefully we can all help keep each other on track as we take on whatever is reasonable at any given time.
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JessW
1/15/2021 02:31:22 pm
I'm late to the party but I'm here.
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WelcomeThanks for dropping by! I'm an endurance rider in the northwest region of the United States. I believe that how I eat and move impacts not only how I ride, but how I think and feel. This blog is about the practice of being my best self for my horse. I hope you'll come along for the ride. ~ Tamara Read More
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