How to Rewire Fear with Laughter and Courage
Sitting there in tears, realizing I had failed every New Year’s resolution I’d ever set, was one of the lowest moments of my life. Not one. Not a single resolution had I succeeded at. But somewhere through the tears, a different truth emerged—those resolutions weren’t what actually mattered to me.

What mattered... was happiness.

We were not designed to be failures. We were made to live, laugh, and experience joy. That realization led me to set a completely different kind of goal—one that changed my life forever: laugh 400 times a day. I set that goal over 30 years ago, and I’ve never looked back.

So, let me ask you—when was the last time you made your happiness a priority? Especially when it comes to riding. We get lost in fear, in anxiety, in “what ifs,” and forget why we ride in the first place—to connect, to feel joy, to remember our happy place.

Here’s my favorite way to rewire fear and find your courage again: turn fear into a cartoon.

Seriously. Take whatever small fear you’re facing—getting on your horse, trotting, cantering—and turn it into a silly image in your mind. No one else needs to know (though I’ve been known to laugh out loud at the most random times).

Picture this: instead of stressing about getting on, imagine your horse climbing up the mounting block like it’s his turn to ride you. I laugh every time I picture that!

Or the fear of cantering? Turn it into a cartoon train. A goofy, colorful little engine chugging slowly up the hill—then WHEEEE down the other side. Does it have a lei around its smokestack? Funky paint? A goofy grin? The more vivid and silly, the better.

When you add laughter, fear loses its grip.
When you laugh, you reclaim your courage.

And when you need a little help keeping your train on the tracks of laughter and courage, Courage Coaching is here for you. Just like the clients who’ve gone before you, you can enjoy riding again—with joy, ease, and a whole lot more laughter.


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Hey there! I’m Elise Hittinger—Fear Slayer, Confidence Creator, and your go-to Courage Coach.

 
Once upon a time, I was that fearless kid riding deep into Angeles National Forest without a second thought. Then bam—life threw me a plot twist. A horse flipped on me, pinning me beneath it, and fear crept in like an uninvited guest who wouldn’t leave.

That moment tested everything. But here’s the wild part—I walked away with only bruises and a divine reminder that I wasn’t done yet. Fear may have stolen my joy for a while, but it did not get the final say.

Fast forward to a move to Kentucky, where the trails were calling my name. I had two choices: let fear keep the reins or take them back. Spoiler alert—I took them back. Now, I help other riders (and, honestly, anyone sick of fear running their life) do the same.

I make fear pack its little bags and GTFO. Whether it’s through hypnotherapy, NLP, or a little well-placed humor, I help people trade anxiety for confidence, doubt for courage, and overthinking for action.

So, if you’re ready to kick fear to the curb and rediscover the joy you deserve—I’m here for it. Let’s do this.

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