The Rider’s Mind Podcast Episode 100: Reflect on What You See in the Mirror

Here we are at episode 100! This is epic for me to have consistently produced something 100 times in a row! 

In this episode, I’m talking about a social media post I wrote called The Mirror. For me, the mirror is about two things: the horse mirroring your own beliefs and a mirror where you decide what you see. You have a choice every day about the reality you choose to see in the mirror. Will you choose to see the person who has unlimited potential?

I’ve recorded 100 episodes since August 2019. I’m going to take a break for the summer to spend more time with my kids, but also to put my focus on my Stride coaching group and to take time to be reinspired for future podcast episodes. 

In this episode, I’m talking about a social media post that resonated with many people. I wrote and shared a post on September 2, 2019 and it has been circulating again. There have been 253 comments from people this resonated with and it has reached over 200,000 people. I originally wrote this post in the notes app on my phone from the passenger seat of a vehicle. 

The Mirror

I see you wondering if your horse would be better off with someone a little more handy. 

I see you feeling like you’re not small enough, skinny enough, sharp enough, handy enough. 

I see you feeling like you have no idea what you’re doing. 

I see you tired, I see you overwhelmed. 

I see you thinking about how much you’d ask for your horse. 

I see you thinking of how someone could do so much better than you’re doing. 

I see pricing out training so you could really see what she’s made of. 

I see you nervous, I see you worried about failing. 

I see you fearing that you will actually suck as bad as you think you might. 

I see you wondering what the girls at the fence are saying. 

I see you wondering if they would do better. 

I see you fearing that you won’t do your horse justice. 

I see you questioning whether you’re cowgirl enough.

But I also see that you’re smart. 

You are wise. 

I see you’re more talented than you give yourself credit for. 

I see your athleticism and I see your focus. 

I see your determination. 

I see your horse sense. 

I see your ability to ask for help and I see your open mind. 

I see that you know that what others say has nothing to do with you. 

I see you growing. 

I see your unlimited potential.

I see the kindness and compassion you have for your horse. 

I see that you have what it takes. 

I see that you have all the knowledge you need in your heart. 

I see you’re deserving of seeing this one through yourself, and I see that your time has come. 

You are enough.

For me, the mirror is about two things: the horse mirroring your own beliefs and a literal mirror where you decide what you see. 

You have a choice each and every day the reality you choose in what’s reflected back to you. 

What story will you tell about yourself? 

Are you going to see the person who is wise, talented and open-minded? 

Will you see the person who has unlimited potential and has a growth mindset?

Are you going to see the person who is deserving or are you going to choose to see how you might fail? 

Are you going to choose fear? 

Are you going to choose to see the people who are talking about you or the ones who are supporting you? 

Are you going to wonder if you could do better or will you go out and explore how much better you can be?

When you look in the mirror each and every day, you have a choice of what you’re going to see. 

What you see in others is also within you. You wouldn’t be able to see it in others if it wasn’t in you. Maybe you’re not expressing it, but it’s there. 

Our ego and our subconscious beliefs can be cruel sometimes, but you have a powerful mind that can choose to intentionally put the focus on the positive. You can adopt a growth mindset and see yourself as someone who continually improves. 

You have unlimited potential. 

You’re not alone in your thoughts and insecurities. I read so many comments from this post and many other people feel this way too.

These negative thoughts pop up for all of us, but we often feel like we are the only ones who have these thoughts. You are not stuck in that negativity. You can reprogram your subconscious mind. 

To empower yourself, use these statements. Write them on sticky notes. Repeat them. Write them in your journal. 

I am smart.

I am wise.

I am talented.

I am athletic.

I am focused and determined.

I have great horse sense.

I am open minded and ask for help.

I am growing.

I have unlimited potential.

I am kind and compassionate.

I have what it takes.

I am deserving.

I am enough.

We are wired with a negativity bias, therefore it’s important to work at overriding that all the time. Learn more in Episode 57: Why We Are So Negative. If we slip into a negative cycle, things will snowball and keep building negativity. There will still be not-so-great things happen to us, but we need to rebound and recover from these thoughts. You have the willpower to rein your mind back to the truth of the matter.

You have what it takes to overcome anything that comes your way.  

You might not have the knowledge to solve the problem you’re facing right now, but you have the ability to feel it out or figure it out. It’s so important that we work on healing these insecurities because you can’t lie to your horse. He senses these insecurities. He feels your energy and “hey, I don’t think I’m good enough for you, but let’s do some stuff” isn’t a great vibe to be putting off. 

If you’re asking him to do something you’re not sure you’re capable of, there’s an incongruence there that he will sense. And then we wonder why horses are nervous or why they don’t run when we ask them to. Our legs are saying go and our minds are saying oh no.

Horses are masterful at pulling out our insecurities and handing them to us. 

Sometimes horses show us our insecurities abruptly and sometimes more subtly. Horses are our tool for growth, we are going to see all the areas we need to grow with them.

Just because you need to grow, doesn’t mean you’re not enough right now. 

You do have what it takes. You wouldn’t be given the challenge without the tools and resources to complete the task.  

Look in the mirror and choose to see the person who has what it takes, not the one that decides to opt out of the growth.

Join the Conversation

Join the discussion in the The Rider’s Mind Community on Facebook. As a member of this community, you’ll also get tips and videos from me. 

Want to connect or ask me a question? Find me on Instagram or Facebook.

I’m on Clubhouse too!  Find me @michelleadavey

Learn with Me

If you’re looking to make changes to your mindset, be sure to sign up for my free Next-Level Mindset Mini Course.

You can also join Stride, my next-level barrel racing group. This group receives video training and coaching from me and Stride members have access to special guests. We work on becoming mindful barrel racers so we can show up, be present and perform with great partnership.

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