Worst case scenario thinking...

...AND how to overcome it! 

• Do you find that whenever issues arise with or around your horse, your brain goes straight to the WORST possible outcome?? 
• And you can't think clearly or logically in those moments, it's like something takes over your brain??
• And the feelings that come along with the worst case scenario thinking are heavy and negative, maybe even staying with you for long periods of time afterwards? 

Well first, you are not alone. This type of thinking, jumping to the worst possible outcome in your head immediately, I call it CATASTROPHIZING. And it's SO common with horse owners. It's like a well oiled machine, so to speak, the brain is very well experienced in this way of thinking...the neural pathway is strong, to explain it another way. 

It can kick in at any moment, even with quite small issues, and can create quite a negative vibe around your horse. It's like a stuck record, an old pattern that isn't actually helpful! AND you might not even be fully aware that it's happening. 

What's actually going on...

This is actually a form of negative mindset, it's quite rigid and fixed, negative, looking for the worst outcome, the lowest possible thought. And it turns into an endless cycle of expecting bad things to happen and the worst outcomes, and therefore creating the negative outcomes in your world...you're basically seeing everything through a negative lens. 

And while your brain is in this 'mode' you won't be able to access the logical 'problem solving' part of brain, so it's an ongoing cycle.

What to do...?

Well the GOOD NEWS is that this way of thinking can be changed!! Imagine that you view life through a negative lens...and you want to shift to looking through a positive lens...it's all about brain training! With my mindset coaching clients, we work specifically to switch on the filter in the brain called the reticular activating system, that enables you to see life through a positive lens, GENUINELY, and build the new pathways in the brain that make this a permanent change!

An example I have for you, is an incident that happened with Azuro and I out on a hack a few weeks ago...half way around the hack he spooked at a bird in a tree, and suddenly went very lame on one of his back legs, he was actually holding it off the ground. He was in a bit of shock, he looked worried and was not his usual confident self. 

The old version of me would have leapt immediately to all of the worst possible outcomes in my head, getting myself stressed and upset, making the whole situation worse. 

But because of my extensive and ongoing mindset work, I was able to stay cool, jump off him, check him over, stay grounded and give Azuro some confidence,  think about the solutions, and make a plan to get him back to the yard, without getting upset, stressed and catastrophizing, which would have been worse for Azuro in that moment. (Long story short...he had bruised his foot, he is fine but it appeared quite dramatic at the time). 

I've trained my brain to react in a certain way and have the neural pathways established in my brain that allow me to think in that way. It's really fascinating how the brain works - I know I'm a bit of a geek with some of this stuff, but the proof is in the pudding! So many of my mindset coaching clients have made MASSIVE shifts in their connection with their horses, really quickly, by working directly on their mindset and energy! 

Does this way of thinking affect you?

If you would like my support to work through the steps to creating a more positive mindset, that will directly impact your relationships with your horses... click here to BOOK A CALL with me to discuss the options available.

Or if you want to learn more about how all of this works, CLICK HERE to watch my online Equine Connection Workshop 'Master the art of unlocking trust and connection with your horse' where I explain how your mindset and energy directly affects your horse, and what to do to make improvements.