Last week Activate your Seat shared a post which started with the words:
“It’s time to stop comparing your body to what it used to be”.
This really struck a chord with me as I am always thinking ‘I used to be able to do xyz…” or “this used to be so much easier”. Whether that is in the gym, out running, swimming or simply the energy levels and amount of sleep I now need to function.
We used to joke that sleep was over rated, and do a full day (or sometimes several days) work on very little sleep from work or partying (or often both!), but now if I lose a few hours here or there, it takes weeks to catch up. Not sure if that is due to age or peri-menopause but either way, I know I need my sleep.
I do wonder whether we now need more down time, because our focus time is bombarded with so much more information that it was in years gone by (excuse me for sounding like my grandparents). We are exposed to constant information from phones, computers and the internet, so it is a lot for our brain to process. Whatever the reason – we change, our bodies change, we get older, stiffer, get injuries and it’s not as easy to bounce back.
It isn’t just physically that we have changed either, mentally we probably process things differently too. As we live our lives, experiences change us. Each time we face a challenge it brings with it a new level of experience.
Every time you do the hardest thing you have ever done, it is the hardest thing you have ever done. It doesn’t mean that you can’t deal with more challenging things, it just means you haven’t had to yet. You can look at someone else who is going through something that seems easy to you, but to them it is the hardest thing they have yet experienced, so they find it challenging. We deal with our lived experiences and cope with them the best way we can, so remember to always be kind.
Comparison is the thief of joy – this doesn’t just mean when you are comparing yourself to others, it is also comparing to your past self when it was easy to lose weight, you could run a sub 25 minute 5km, jump on any horse you were offered without a second thought, or jump around a 1.20m course of show jumps.
Your body and experiences will have changed you, in some ways you will have learnt new skills and you can do things you could never do before. In other ways your brain will perhaps be trying to protect you; if you have had a bad fall in the past, your brain will want to stop that from happening again. Or it is simply that your body just isn’t as strong or mobile as it once was.
What can you do?
The thing to remember is, to start where you are and improve on that. What is within your control that you can change? What goals can you set that are achievable – forget what you could do once, what do you want to do now? And how can you make that happen?
It is great to have big dreams and goals, but it is important to have a plan in place to help you achieve them. As you get older, you will need to work harder and smarter. Keeping yourself strong and fit will help you enjoy life more both on and off the horse. Everything is more enjoyable if it doesn’t hurt!
Being honest with yourself is hard sometimes! But as Liz likes to say –
If you really want something you will find a way, if not you will find an excuse!
So, if you do want to jump that course, gallop on the beach, ride around a BE, you need to work on yourself as well as your horse to make that happen.
Find what works for you – the Activate your Seat bungee, Equestrian Fitness Scotland’s cardio or strength workouts, yoga, pilates or simply start moving more.
Whatever it is, investing in your own body and mind will help you enjoy your horses and your life more. Especially when you stop comparing what you used to be able to do and focus on what you can do now!
Lou x
