Like all of you, Ive been looking at the landscape of 2020 with a whole lot of different feelings. Honestly, its been difficult to figure out where to put all of the emotions. SO much seems to be emerging for us to collectively look at all at one time. How in the world can we address it all?
In April of 1990, I got clean. While I was still quite young, I managed to get ultra committed to using drugs and a scary lifestyle in short order. My parents, who were pretty darn scared for me, found a rehab center and sent me there… for 26 months. While there are many details related to being overwhelmed and trying to figure out how to essentially rebuild after such a seismic shift, the one I really want to focus on is the adage from AA that suggests taking things “One Day At A Time”.
I have turned out to be a person who plans and executes. mostly, things go well and right for me. I plan on some need for flexibility and the outcome typically lands in the realm of my expectations.
Not so for this year.
Between a major vehicle accident, having to close one of my businesses (a hair salon) for 10 weeks due to COVID-19, Dreams of a competitive season with my horses, a major reroute in some decisions I made early in the year, I have had the need to get back to the practice of ODAAT. Or, one MINUTE at a time!
This is always where the horses remind me of how to be in the moment. They require me to practice clarity and neutrality. They need my questions to be plain without emotional residue. Expectations to be out front and attainable with a known path to accomplishment.
This is hard to practice when things are swirling and everything appears murky and unclear. Im glad to have a reminder from these amazing creatures to be in the moment and address what is in front of me. Ive heard folks talk about it as “ride the horse you have today”. Its helpful for me to think about where I am more than where I am going.
Sometimes I forget, but, the horses always remind me in one way or another.
Heres hoping this is a helpful reminder to do whats in front of you and let overwhelm pass on by.