Manifestations & New Beginnings

I'm sure you've heard the beautiful quote by Paulo Cohello "And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.?It's one of my favorite quotes, and whether it's for something personal or professional, it never fails to come true.

I want to share a very recent personal story - about the power of intention, self sabotage and manifestation.? ?Hopefully, my experience gives you some encouragement for something you really want to call into your life, and the importance of clarity about what you truly want.

?Last year, when my horse, Chip, passed away, I was devastated.? He was such a huge part of my life for 15 years, and the whole reason for Believe & See Ranch and many of our programs, he was loved by so many people - both in person and online - and there is a hole that just cannot be filled.

?While he can never be replaced, when I considered the needs of both my Herd, and my business, I knew that another horse needed to come into our lives.

?Having lost 2 senior horses (approx 30 years old) in less than 9 months - both who required a lot of extra care in their final years, and being with both of them as they took their last breaths, my heart was at capacity, I was clear that in this season, I did not want to adopt another senior horse.? Nor did I want to rescue another horse with potential behavioral issues.? ?

I thought the right decisions was to buy a horse that is a great match for our programs, and is a riding horse that is young enough to take the baton from Escudo (my current riding horse) in a few years when he retires.

So I started my search....

?If you've ever shopped for a horse, you'll understand (no pun intended) that's a real Wild West out there .....I'll spare you the details, it was not fun..... I looked at a LOT of horses, and from health issues, to training quirks to some being so overpriced for what they were, not one seemed right.? To say it was frustrating was an understatement. I was beginning to believe I wouldn't find one in time for our 2024 retreat season.

?But here is something else that's true - the universe may conspire to help you achieve something you really want, but when you don't really want something, your subconscious mind will make sure you find a way to not have it.

?In the book The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Joseph Murphy states "As you sow in your subconscious mind, so shall you reap in your body and environment."

?I had to ask myself - what was really going on?? Why couldn't I find the perfect horse?? Well the answer was really quite simple - I didn't want what I was looking for!?

?GAH - admitting that hit me like a 2 X 4.??

?I realized that my fear of having my heart broken again is what sent me down the wrong path.? A path where I was thinking about "shoulds" and logic, instead of what I really wanted.? And then I realized that with horses, they do what they do!? A young horse is not a guarantee against heartbreak, and a senior horse is not a guarantee OF heartbreak.

?And I was reminded of this quote I had recently seen:

?"Fear can sabotage your everything. It can be such a loud overwhelming voice in your head. Quiet this voice now and live.” –?Christine E. Szymanski

?I was totally missing out, because I let fear sabotage me. I decided to quiet that voice.? And to really listen to what my inner voice truly was saying:

?

RIGHT NOW in this season, another riding horse is not what I want or need or have time for.

• I love senior horses, and now with a relatively young crew, our herd (and I) were missing that wisdom.?
• I don't want to teach the basics this time around.? I want a horse that is already calm, emotionally balanced, and safe for clients. One that had the foundation already laid and that was ready for the specific advanced training I need to give them (that is NOT a young horse, nor a rescue needing rehab)
• I want a horse that can be a good friend to my own herd, and that can work with them and clients.

?Once I got clear internally,? I said the words out loud to my husband :

?"I'm really not ready to buy a horse that needs to be ridden, that is still a goal, but for further down the road. I was thinking instead of offering free board and care for a retired school horse that still wants a purpose in exchange for a free lease*. This way, by not adopting or buying it, I'm not taking on "the big decision" if & when the time eventually comes."

?*(if you're not familiar, this means I take full custody, stewardship and financial responsibility for the ongoing care of someone else's horse, and they retain ownership)

He thought that was a great idea.? That was December 22nd.? And I had no idea if I would find the right horse, let alone the right owner, who would be interested in that kind of arrangement.?

The next day, on Dec 23, I told my barn manager that this was my decision and talked about placing an ad in some local Facebook Horse Groups in the New Year. She also thought it was a great idea.

On Dec 28, while I was binge-watching The Crown, not even thinking about horses, I received a text message from another friend of mine, who owns a local riding school? "Hey I heard through the grapevine you're looking for a retired horse - let's talk"

?And on January 1, our newest herd member arrived at Believe and See Ranch.? A beautiful 24 year old, gentle and kind thoroughbred gelding.? A retired school horse with a lot of life left in him. An absolutely perfect addition to our farm and programs.?

Why I wanted to share this story today, is that I work with a lot of leaders who have incredible big visions. And on that path, they sometimes set goals that just don't seem to work and it can feel that this one goal is going to be an obstacle to their vision.

The biggest takeaway from this experience was that, for 6 months, I searched for a horse based upon criteria that had "should" and fear written all over it.? 6 frustrating months.?I felt like I was banging my head against the wall almost daily.?

It seemed at that time that the needle would never move.?I felt that my bigger vision was going to be stalled.

But 6 DAYS after getting clear and honest about what I really wanted, and letting go of what I thought I needed but didn't really want - I received that unsolicited text.? And 4 days after that, the horse was living here.? All it took was clarity and self-honesty and then it happened lightening fast.

So yes indeed, the Universe is indeed always conspiring to give you what you really want, not what you "think" you should do.

So maybe it's time to put aside the "shoulds" and truly prioritize and get clear on what it is you REALLY want?

Wherever that lands for you today :)

And a "Head's Up"

We will be officially launching our retreats for this upcoming summer in the next couple of weeks - however, the registration page is open, and we've already sold a few spots without officially marketing.?

If you're a woman entrepreneur or business leader at a crossroads, ready to infuse your work with profound meaning and purpose, then join us for our?Signature Equine Partnered?retreat, near?Vancouver, BC, where you will come away with strategic clarity, enhanced intuitive leadership, ignited creativity, and activated power to confidently build a prosperous legacy doing what you love - you'll be hearing a lot more about this in the upcoming weeks - We are in super early bird savings with EZ payment options available!? If you have any questions feel free to message me