Otherways- Fiction Fanatics

Many years ago, I had a horse with...issues. He was talented, gorgeous, and moody as hell. As an added bonus, he bolted and bucked. Not his fault, I knew he came from a less than ideal past, but not exactly a pleasant, relaxing ride either. I'm not a bad rider, I've trained a number of horses, but I just couldn't get this one fixed. So I turned to my boss, and asked her to help me out. She watched us "canter" in the indoor arena for just a couple of seconds before she asked me a question that has more or less changed my life.

"Do you trust me?"

I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach, because those words preceed "because I'm about to scare the hell out of you", but I nodded, because I really did trust her. I'd seen her results: happy horses and happy riders. I wanted those results, and I was willing to step completely outside my comfort zone to get them. 

Then she told me to ask him for the canter again, but instead of asking him to slow, or even thinking slow, I should push him for every bit of speed I could get. My inner child considered crying, my safety conscious super-ego was busily having a nervous breakdown, but she was right. I did trust her, and this was at least something I hadn't tried. 

The results weren't instant. I'd be lying if I claimed they were. We made several dizzying circuits of that arena at a full tilt gallop before I felt the miracle occur. My horse relaxed, started listening to me, and came back down politely. We still had work to do, but the giant problem between us was solved.

Writers don't get coaches. We have to coach ourselves. What we have to do is create a system, a plan that we truly trust to get us where we want to be. Let's face it, this is a scary business. Someone will always be criticizing you, rejecting you, or just plain ignoring you. It is so easy to fall into defensive behaviors that feel safer, but actually keep you from getting where you want to be. Dream what you want to achieve, forget your fears and insecurities, and write yourself a plan, a system for getting from where you are now to where you want to be.

Then trust the system.

Cheers,

Michelle