You and me, we’re all are born our authentic selves and connected to our Mojo, but somewhere along our journey of growing up, starting a career, climbing the corporate ladder, getting married and possibly having kids, we lose our connection to that part of ourselves.
While you may attain success, there’s a niggling feeling, something is missing or a depressing emptiness. Sometimes, you hit a crisis – a health challenge, a divorce, career failure or a child who is born different – which wakes you up to what’s not right in your life.
We believe working with a horse and connecting to your body are two of the fastest and most powerful ways of tapping back into your authentic self, your essential self, your Mojo, and get your life back on track.
Susan’s Mojo Moment
About six years ago, I, Susan, learned this lesson firsthand when CrisMarie dragged me to a horse workshop, Leading from the Inside Out run by Koelle Simpson at a ranch in Phoenix.
Only problem: I was not a horse person. However, on day one I found myself first to volunteer to walk into the round pen with a horse and see what happened. The general instruction was simply to establish a relationship with the horse. Sounds easy enough, right?
Coming down from my seat above the round pen, I began having second thoughts about my decision to jump in. Those doubts grew even stronger as I got closer to the round pen door and heard the horse making quite a racket.
I panicked inside, but I wasn’t about to look scared or chicken out. It was time to muster up my courage. So I did what any good participant would do under pressure, I put on a happy, confident face and walked right in.
Let me just say, that horse kept running circles and stayed as far away from me as possible. I tried to do it “right,” moving towards the horse, following all of the recommended tips – eyes down, curved movements, non-aggressive posture, visualizing the horse letting me get closer.
I got nothing. The horse just stayed quite restless and very distant.
Koelle started to coach me. She asked me, “What’s going on inside? What are you thinking and feeling? What is your intention in connecting with the horse?”
After some lame attempts to answer intelligently, I broke down, “Honestly, I am scared silly of this horse.” I was looking at Koelle, almost in tears, hating myself for volunteering first.
“I have no idea what I am doing, and frankly, I am not even sure I’d be comfortable if that horse got any closer.”
I noticed some muttering from others watching, but I was wrestling with my tears. Finally, I lost the battle and let a few tears run down my cheek. Suddenly, I felt the breath of the horse on my neck. Wow, I did not see that coming.
Unbeknownst to me, the horse had been moving closer the moment I started being honest about what was happening inside me. That’s what’s so amazing about horses.
Over the next couple days, I learned just how amazing horses are as mirrors. The experience was so profound I signed up for the Equus Coaching Training Program. When I’m with the horses my heart opens, I’m connected to my authentic self and I feel alive.
Over the next few years I needed lots of practice. So I started regularly taking CrisMarie out to work with the horses.
CrisMarie Finds Her Mojo
Yes, Susan often took me, CrisMarie, out to Stillwater Horse Whisperer Ranch here in Montana. This time she had put a few horses in the arena and suggested I go in to see what happened. When I stepped inside the gate, it was as if all the horses converged on me. I was terrified. With my back up against the railing, I made a decision to leave and quickly slithered out. I signed in relief. I told Susan, “It felt like too much.”
She asked, “How are you with boundaries?”
“Clearly I suck at them!” I replied, but message received.
At this point, I had been studying to develop a deeper connection to my body and my emotions. Growing up, I coped with my life by staying in my head and ignoring how I felt. While this created a lot of outward success – Boeing engineer, Olympic Athlete and Arthur Andersen business consultant – it led me to saying yes to things that made other people happy or impressed rather than me fulfilled.
Susan suggested, “Why don’t you try some of your mind-body tools before going back in?” I did some grounding and breathing to get into my body.
I walked in the arena shakin’ by bootie, which always helps me land lower inside myself. She gave me some coaching. So when the horses came towards me, I put my hands up and moved them out, as if sending a signal, give me space. Magically, they moved out of the way. Wow…that was easy!
Once I discovered a path for communicating my boundary, I relaxed. I was much more interested in establishing a relationship with the horses. Yet, whenever I’d try to make the horse do something, they’d just stop or worse come circling back in on me again! Okay, the way I had succeed in my life by striving and driving was not effective with the horses.
What worked? Play.
Whenever I’d shake my hips and make some sound, those horses were all in. Not only were they responsive, we’d move around the arena in-sync. I loved the connection and possibilities. It wasn’t work, it wasn’t hard I was enjoying the dance.
Who knew my authentic self, my Mojo is fueled by play?!
After having such a powerful felt sense with the horses, it has been so much easier to translate this to my everyday life. Sure, I flip back into my striving, driving energy, but when I recognize what I’m doing, now I wiggle my hips and access my playfulness. I’m setting healthy boundaries and making work much more playful these days.
Find Your Mojo in Montana
As we have both learned, when we are connected to our Mojo we are much more creative, inspired and things flow with ease. We designed our Find Your Mojo in Montana in this energy and we are so excited about it!! Heck we want to have fun with you!
Come join us in Montana on May 19-21st for Find Your Mojo in Montana. We can’t wait to have you work with the horses, connect to your authentic self and access your Mojo!
Bring your relationship, health or career challenges. We’ll help you break though what’s keeping you stuck and access your heart and your spark to live life from the inside out!
You’ll head home feeling more inspired, creative and connected to your Mojo! Plus, you’ll have tapped into the magic of a herd.
Come Find your Mojo in Montana! Create a connection to your inner resources and that is very empowering!!!
CrisMarie Campbell and Susan Clarke are Master certified life coaches, business consultants, speakers and authors of The Beauty of Conflict. They believe real relationships are the key to creating great business results. They’ll take your team from mediocre to great.
Interested in coaching? Check out CrisMarie’s executive coaching and personal coaching, or Susan’s personal coaching and equus coaching.
Want to take a class? Sign up for one of their virtual classes: Get Unstuck, Relationship Mojo or come to their signature retreat Find Your Mojo in Montana. Click here to check out all their service offerings.
Click here to contact them to coach with you, consult with your team, or speak at your next event.