What are my gifts? How do we know what our gifts are? I ask myself this often when I think about my dreams. Follow your passion, follow your heart, do what makes you feel fabulous.

My horses make me feel fabulous, playing with them, feeding them, building fences for them, dragging and seeding the pasture. I love all aspects of living on the farm. I enjoy it more when I have company, but I also love it when I am home alone. But, are these my gifts? How do I turn them into a career?

Along with playing with my horses, I like to write, I like to teach,  I like to brainstorm ideas for myself and others.

Are these really my gifts?

I love helping people be the best that they can be, but they do not always like it when I do! Nobody likes to be micromanaged or held accountable. Yet, a couple weeks ago, I had no choice. A student was not following my suggestion. I called the office, the principal came and took her with him. She returned a good 10 minutes later. She was sad, near tears, but she followed the directions.

I saw her the other day, she made sure I knew who she was. I asked her if she thought I was fair. She said yes. I asked her if she would do it again. She said no. She was laughing and smiling and being friendly with me. Here, I was concerned that I had gone to far, that maybe a phase 4 for her was not in her best interest. That maybe I had ruined the relationship. Yet, as I communicated with her a few weeks later, I realized, that my instincts were right. I helped her to be the best that she can be. Even though, it did not "feel" so good earlier when we were at an impasse and I had to call in the troops for support!

Yesterday I was playing with Ollie, I have been playing with "follow my suggestion" games with him all winter, but just recently felt that it was time to play "follow a feel" games with him. We have lovely tight walking and trotting circles. My Instructor helped me find a MUCH deeper neutral recently which changed how I relate to my horses at a deeper level.  Now that I know what that feels like, I am able to go there quicker and easier. HOW INTERESTING!

Thinking!

With the "Follow the Feel" games, I played with having him follow my touch, keep the connection with my hand, don't go to fast, stay with me as I touch your nose and ask for you to go left, right, back and forward. How soft can I be? Can you, can I, can WE stay together? It has been interesting, at first he moved away from my feel, so, I slowed down and got softer. This worked. I asked for one step left, than one step right. One step back and one step forward.... I "FELT" like I was an awkward dancer at first, but than it started to feel like we were moving as one.

Am I suppose to get it off?

I came up with a new way to play this game with my savvy string. I put it over his nose and asked for him to "follow a feel" he was a hoot, we had so much fun. There was a moment in time when he wanted it off, and thought I would reward him for it.. he he he.. NO. But, I did laugh, Oh how I laughed while we played and developed our connection via the string around his muzzle. After a while we both figured out how to keep the string on and move with connection and grace at a walk and trot around the dry lot.

Dancing!

My heart was singing along with his. I strive to fill everyday with this feeling no matter what I am doing. When I don't feel this way, I question and ponder. I brainstorm and experiment with thoughts and ideas until finally I let it all go and I Dance with life.... Sometimes it feels awkward, but than, as if by magic, we connect, we dance and I feel full of grace and gratitude....