The Katmah Experience

In the past week, in an attempt to make up for some of the fun (spending) I had while on holidays, I’ve worked close to 90hrs. Luckily most of those hours were spent at horse shows as the medical coverage. A world I’m very used to.

While it was very nice to catch up with some of the regular crowd and observe the sport I’ve been a part of for so long, it also gave me lots of thinking time. While I worked away at my CV, reflected on internship hours and progress of my own business, I recognised that everything comes and goes in phases.

I’ve learned many things since venturing into developing my own professional image and business, which is bound to happen when you go into such a venture with zero business experience or training. I’m pretty good at learning on the fly, but I also battle impatience with progress as I go.

A year ago at this time I was making the tough, but necessary, decision to step back from competing. It wasn’t even a tough decision in the fact that it was so clear what I needed to do for both myself and my horse. And I don’t regret any part of it. However, it did change my lifestyle quite a bit.

After a stressful first last semester at University, and a rough growing period through the early winter I stumbled into learning how to focus my energies on bettering myself, practicing gratitude, and figuring out where I stood now that I didn’t quite have the routine of spring and summer training to look forward to. While I haven’t ever really gone through a huge longing to find horses to ride and train on lately, I realized that I have struggled with finding a hobby that really keeps me motivated since last summer. I became quite regular with yoga through the winter, but as spring came and I got busy with business and new clients I phased that practice out (temporarily of course). Then came going on holidays, and returning was a stark reality of something all of those who are self-employed and newly started will likely get… all the leads on clients I’d had before I left had moved onto other things, gone to the lake, or lost interest.

Not a big deal as I am not solely self-employed, but a realization that I’d entered a quiet period. For MB, July-August are always quiet in most areas as people take off for the lake or other things. And since I’m now in crunch time to finish up internship hours, it’s almost a good thing I don’t have too many new consults on the go. However, impatience always sets in when I realize the phase I’m in doesn’t match up with where my head is ready to be.

Slowly but surely I am getting clients back onto a regular schedule, and restarting my regular marketing. Nobody ever tells you how easy it is to poor endless energy into your creation, and not see much return. I would be lying if I said I haven’t had a few freak outs the last month or so. With all the little stressors that come along with starting something new and out of the box, plus beginning to study for the certifcation exams this November, AND working three part-time jobs to support those things and live in general I’ve found a love for days where I’m not required to be somewhere.

Before this Spring I was the type that needed to be busy all the time, and usually was. Then I got hit with Mono, and while I got over the worst of the symptoms within a month.. my threshold for stress and energy output is still recovering. I’m sure there are other factors feeding into the decreased energy, but every once in a while I have a week or two where I’m visibly lacking in vim and vigor.

Luckily this weekend I have entirely off, and off is exactly what I plan on being. Fitting in a few social calls is all I have planned and am thoroughly enjoying it. I’ll take every chance I get to recoup and re-organize! It’s probably a good thing I don’t have heading back to school in the fall to look forward too, I’m not sure if I am ready to add in a full semester to all the other things I have going on. Certification with be just enough for me, thanks!

Coming up for the rest of this month I continue as the medic for a few hunter jumper shows, get a study schedule in order, and continue working on improving my own health and energy levels. Since this weekend isn’t crazy I chose it to try out a juice fast. 48hrs in of just juicing fresh fruits and veggies, eating only watermelon, fresh made vegetable soup/broth, pineapple, drinking cranberry juice and apple cider vinegar, and lots of water and herbal teas.. I’m already feeling revived. Although I also slept half the day today, that may be part of it as well. With the mono my immune system also took a good hit, so I’m rebuilding my energy, immune, and digestive systems back up slowly but surely.

As students head back to school this fall, so will I to practice and study the last four years of my education. With my three-part certification coming up in November, I’m getting back into that headspace. It’s actually a challenge to start studying things that you know, but haven’t studied for in quite a while. I’m tentatively booked for a few more clinics this fall, returning to places I worked with in the Spring. Another thing I”m looking forward to; seeing how riders were able to use the tools I gave them months ago (and seeing if they did use them at all), and giving them some more.