POSITIVE FEELING
1 Filter the information coming in
The best way to maintain a clear, positive head is by limiting the outside information you consume and when you consume it. Limit news to a manageable level — just one news bulletin per day, for example. Avoid watching the news before you go to bed. Think local, not global. You can’t control events around the globe right now, but you will feel the emotional burden of them if you over-invest in them. Focus on what you can do within your community to make a small difference. By doing this you will re-address your perception of being in control and feel much better in the process.
Where possible, turn off the notifications on your phone, and make it a habit to turn off your phone when you go to bed.
2 Take time to recharge
Be strict about giving yourself recovery time. Think about professional riders and their horses — they don’t train all day every day; rest days are as important to training as schooling sessions. Prioritise sleep as much as possible and take time to relax before bedtime. The two things that disrupt the quality and quantity of our sleep the most are alcohol (sorry to be a party pooper, but the research is convincing), and the lack of an evening routine. Have a ‘golden hour’ before you head to bed to help you wind down in the same way every night.
3 Visualisation
Visualisation is a mental process that enables us to feel more prepared and confident towards specific activities or life events. The idea is to run through experiences in your mind and basically practise your emotions, which will help you to deal with the real life situation much better.
This is a skill I use extensively with athletes preparing for high-pressure performances, surgeons preparing for complex operations, special forces operatives about to conduct a dangerous mission — really anyone who wants to increase the quality of what they do and the confidence with which they do it.
These are extreme examples, but the reason we should all take time to practise visualisation is that it can help us to perform everyday activities with more confidence, more focus, more positivity, more patience and more connection.
“The yard is such a positive place for so many of us, associated with good memories and time well spent with our horses”