09/14/2025
The importance of a hobby.
For most of you, horses are your hobby. The barn is where you de-stress from your bill paying job. They are where you recenter yourself. For many, its where you plant your competitive dreams, and set your personal challenges.
For me, horses ARE the bill paying job. Sure, they are also some of those other things that they are for you. I'm a competitive person by nature, and in all honesty, nothing beats watching horses eat.
(Ever suffer the ptsd following a severe colic? IYKYK)
This year I stepped away from showing for a bit. In fact I stepped away from anyone and anything that was driving the burnout bus. Once you've flirted with the edge of burnout- in ANY industry- you will always have to guard against it. Instead, I focused on spending more time with my husband and inside my marriage instead of my business. A better work/life balance, if you will.
One thing I enjoy spending time with my husband doing is playing golf. He's been my coach and greatest cheerleader. I picked up my first club the year I broke my leg- so 15 years ago. Most years Im lucky to get out 4 times. This year, I was able to get out 4-6 times a month. I brought my 9-hole handicap from somewhere high in the stratosphere to a manageable 12. It's definitely satisfied my need to challenge myself personally, and a few tournaments took care of the competitive urges.
This past week was....challenging... for so many people on so many levels. A young woman, minding her own business on the train gets fatally stabbed. We've all seen it at this point, and we've all seen the other people on the train walk past her. We watched a young man, a father, who had such courage of his convictions that he invited well reasoned, intelligent discourse from anyone who may want to sway his mind get shot, and his future removed by hate.
The next day was 9/11, which for many of us, still hits hard.
That very night I had a sick donkey I babysat through to the next morning.
So on the next day, and very little sleep, the husband and I were in a tournament. I golfed well, so there's that. More so, somewhere in those 18 holes, I took my first deep breath in days. By the next day, I felt like I could pick up my phone and pilot that other revenue stream- social media- again.
The world is a crazy place. People have the capacity for great evil, and great good. We have strong emotions, and to be the best versions of ourselves we can be we need time to process those feelings.
No matter what you do, lean on your hobbies. Whether they are competitive or creative or just relaxing- they nourish the parts of you that you'd otherwise neglect.
They give you the reason to put down the phone, set aside the deadlines and just BE .
