http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-harsh-truths-that-will-make-you-better-person/
I stumbled over this article while I was doing some research for work. It is amazing and, if you haven’t already, I would highly recommend that you read it. I started with this because during the second half of the year 2015 I had some big changes in my life. They were absolutely all for the better but did lead to me deciding to take a step back and work on self improvement. As the rest of the year went on I felt like I kept stumbling over puzzle pieces about how to make these changes and this article was one. I do, actually, happen to be one of the people that is told not to finish reading the article since it was fairly easy for me to name five things about my life that I’ve accomplished and that I’m very proud of but I’m always curious and a lifelong learner thanks to my mom so I read it anyway.
It’s sections #3 - #1 from this article that really made me think and made me reconsider how I structure my goals and what I find most important. Because of that I rewrote the goals that I was going to post for 2016 which is why this is especially relevant to this post.
Goals for Katai:
Master our canter transitions
How to accomplish: Practice, practice, practice! I need to stop avoiding them because they are ugly and just do them many times so that we have a chance to figure them out together. I’m such a perfectionist that I tend to avoid what I can’t make perfect rather than just working to make it better. I need to stop that and just practice these as much as I can (with guidance from L of course J)
Perfect Leg Yield
How to accomplish: Pretty much the same as above but with more guidance from L.
Practice riding through at least two Intro tests and at least two Training Level tests
How to accomplish: Just do it! They may not be pretty but they will bring to light things that I need help with which I can then bring to L. I think, especially with how dressage is structured, that this would help me set some more specific goals about how to proceed.
Sign up for at least two clinics
How to accomplish: Again, just do it! Stop talking about it and thinking about it and psyching myself out and just do it! L can be helpful in narrowing down who to clinic with but I need to ask sooner rather than later so that I can participate in the clinic(s) that would be most beneficial to us.
Go for a trail ride off farm property
How to accomplish: Find someone that’s willing to trailer us out to a trail and then beg them to take us along ;-)
Attend at least two dressage shows
How to accomplish: This one was tough for me. I’d like to do more shows but I also want to set a reasonable goal. I also want it (per the above article) not to be too out there but I think that attending the show is different than saying “win a blue ribbon at a dressage show” so I’m sticking with it.
Goals for Katlyn:
Continue with my own self improvement
How to accomplish: Stay curious, ask questions, and keep searching for information and also continue with veganism.
Gain Strength
How to accomplish: I’ve already started this process by participating in the 30 day Rider fitness Challenge. I didn’t get through all 30 days but I have been consistently doing the reps and sets in that program and can already tell a HUGE difference in my riding (side bridges are the worst and the best at the same time). I’d like to keep that up and add some cardio for 2016. Maybe start running again?
Blog more often
How to accomplish: My goal is to average at least 15 blog posts per month. Mainly I just also need to sit down and do it. It’s not that I completely lack the time, just that I lack the motivation to do this in the small amount of time that I do have.
Better pictures and video both for blog posts and just for myself!
How to accomplish: I’ve always wanted better pictures but the other day when I was trying to find a picture for someone else who has horses I couldn’t even find one that wasn’t horribly blurry. I’d really, really like to get some professional or semiprofessional pictures of myself and Katai this year but may focus more on getting a better camera and taking more pictures myself first since, especially in the barn, my iPhone just isn’t cutting it!
Purchase a set of show clothes and tack
How to accomplish: I think that I’ve narrowed down what I’m looking for and, thanks to Christmas, already have one big item (more on that in a different blog).
Finish building tack locker with my dad
How to accomplish: This one shouldn’t be tough. I’m planning on going home the weekend following New Years and should be able to make some great progress then. I’ll try to get some in progress pictures of that and do a blog post soon!
