I took twenty long years to go from my accident to my destination, getting my courage back. Along the way, there were many bumps in the road but looking back at the road, I can see the journey and how it could be streamlined. Here are the major milestones on a journey into courage after an accident.
MILESTONES:
1️⃣ Reframe the Fear: Shift your perspective — fear isn’t the enemy, it’s a signal. Learn to listen without letting it control you.
2️⃣ Focus on the Mindset: Build a strong mental foundation with positive self-talk, visualization, and daily affirmations.
3️⃣ Have the Physical Health Ready: Make sure your body feels strong and supported — physical readiness boosts confidence.
4️⃣ Gain the Knowledge: Understand what you’re doing, why, and how to handle challenges — knowledge quiets anxiety.
5️⃣ Take the First Step: Action builds momentum. Start small and don't stop — courage grows with each step forward.
6️⃣ Enjoy Your Courage: Celebrate your progress and savor the feeling of showing up for yourself — this is where confidence thrives.
Do you want to overcome anxiety with a little extra
help? Let’s explore breaking free from anxiety and stepping into calm.
Book your free chat now and take the first step toward finding your calm. I have helped clients with both courage
coaching and hypnotherapy to overcome their anxiety and enjoy life again.
My husband was out of town and there were so many chores to finish and a huge storm heading right at our farm. I was so overwhelmed with all the preparations and just getting everyone fed and buttoned up for the storm that I didn't realize at first that my anxiety was off the charts. My breathing was short, my palms were sweaty, I almost couldn't even function my anxiety had gotten so bad.
We all have those moments, when we have more to do than we can handle but we get it done anyway. The toll often comes in the aftermath — when we push through, but our body and mind pay the price.
What can we do to delink overwhelm and stress?
Here are a few things that have helped me.
1️⃣ Mindfulness in Motion: Focus fully on each task. Notice the textures, sounds, and sensations as you work. This keeps your mind from racing ahead. Put as much focus on all your senses as you move swiftly through the tasks. Let the part of your body that isn't doing the task fully relax. Feel that relaxation as you work. Mindfulness helps us to accomplish more, faster, and better than when we are thinking about twenty things all at once and doing nothing efficiently.
2️⃣ Breathe with Intention: Inhale calm, exhale tension. The exhale is the most important. Visualize the anxiety flowing out of you with each exhale. Try to make your exhale a bit longer than your inhale. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, as if you’re fueling yourself with each breath. You can even pair this with a mantra like “I have time for what matters.”
3️⃣ Smile (Even If You Don’t Feel Like It): Smiling shifts your nervous system toward relaxation and tricks your brain into believing you’re more at ease. It will help to delink the anxiety from what you have to get done.
4️⃣ Micro Pauses: Every 20-30 minutes, pause for 10 seconds — stretch, roll your shoulders, or take one deep breath. These “reset moments” break up the tension that builds during busy stretches. Let that anxiety flow out your fingers and toes as you stretch.
5️⃣ Gratitude on the Go: As you check things off your list, silently say “Thank you” for the ability to do each task — this switches the mindset from overwhelm to empowerment.
Do you want to overcome anxiety with some help? Let’s explore breaking free from anxiety and stepping into
calm. Book your free chat now and take the first step toward finding your
calm. I have helped clients with both
courage coaching and hypnotherapy to overcome their anxiety and enjoy life
again.
Reflecting on your rides—both the fearful ones and the amazing ones—can help you build confidence and overcome riding anxiety. Fearful rides teach valuable lessons about triggers and responses, while positive rides reinforce courage and connection with your horse. By shifting your perspective, you can turn fear into growth and ride with confidence.
Read more...
Struggling with anxiety and fear can lead to embarrassment, but you can overcome it. Discover three powerful tips to transform your anxiety into confidence: don't worry about others' opinions, use embarrassment as fuel for growth, and be grateful for the experience.
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It was a simple Christmas party that I had a few people coming over for. It was not my choice. I would have avoided it if it had not been my husband's kids. I started to think, why would I have avoided a simple dinner party with just a few people. I realized, I was afraid of being afraid. I was afraid of things going wrong, but more than that, I was afraid to relax and enjoy the evening. I had developed a fear of fear, and it led me to almost becoming a recluse.
Fear is a natural response, meant to protect us from harm. But what happens when fear itself becomes the thing we fear most? Many people get stuck in a cycle where they aren’t just afraid of a situation—they’re afraid of feeling afraid.
This builds a fear of becoming afraid and shuts us down before we even try.
Fear triggers a physiological response—racing heart, shallow breathing, tense muscles. When we experience this repeatedly, our minds begin associating fear itself with danger. We start avoiding anything that could bring up that dreaded feeling, even if the situation itself isn’t truly harmful.
For example, if you've had a bad fall while horseback riding, you may not only fear riding again—you might start fearing the nervousness that comes with getting back in the saddle. The fear of fear becomes bigger than the fear of falling itself.
Breaking Free from the Fear of Fear
1. Recognize the Pattern
The first step is awareness. Acknowledge that you’re not just afraid of an experience—you’re afraid of how fear feels. This realization alone can give you some power back.
2. Shift Your Perspective on Fear
Instead of seeing fear as a threat, reframe it as a signal. Fear is just your body’s way of preparing you for action. What if, instead of resisting it, you allowed yourself to feel it without judgment?
3. Expose Yourself Gradually
Confidence isn’t built by avoiding fear—it’s built by facing it in small, manageable steps. If riding again feels overwhelming, start by spending time around horses, then progress at your own pace.
4. Use Your Breath
Fear tightens the body, but deep, intentional breathing can release that tension. Try inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for six. This helps signal safety to your nervous system. As you exhale, picture the fear and anxiety flowing out of you, out your breath, out your fingers and your toes. As you inhale, feel confidence filling you up.
5. Fill Up with Courage
Fear loses its grip when you actively focus on courage. Picture yourself succeeding. Remind yourself of past moments when you have overcome fear. The more you fill up with courage, the less room fear has to take over.
Confidence Comes from Action
You don’t need to wait for fear to disappear to take action. True confidence comes from moving forward with fear, proving to yourself that you can handle it. When you stop fearing fear, you free yourself to step into the courageous, confident person you’re meant to be.
I can help you explore breaking free from anxiety and stepping into calm. Book your free chat now and take the first step toward finding your calm. I have helped clients with both courage coaching and hypnotherapy to overcome their anxiety and enjoy life again. Schedule your free chat here!
