Take Time for Rest and Play

What a wonderful spring, summer and fall season I have had. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with so many horses and their owners. But to tell you the truth the hectic schedule has been more than I expected and I am so far behind on office work and honey do projects around the home front that I need some time to just catch up, rest and play a little. Even though I love my job and I am so grateful that I have been on a horse nearly every day since last March I am going to take some time for catch up, rest, and play the next couple of months. However I will be in the Omaha and Lincoln Area for regular lessons the weekend of Oct. 23-26, Nov. 13-16, and Dec. 11-14.

I will still be taking private lessons at my house or the mini clinic with FREE trail rides on Wed. I will not be scheduling any clinics away from home until January 2010. I know it will be hard on the pocket book but I am willing to invest in this time for my family, my own horses and myself in order to keep balance in my life. But come January watch out, I plan to have another busy schedule with lots of fun and challenging learning opportunities for those who wish to participate. If you want to host a clinic, let me know as soon as possible and the 2010 Camp schedule will be coming soon as well. So sign up early you will be glad you did!

Both amateur horse owners and professionals who are in the horse business know all about work. There never seems to be an end to it. Being “all caught up” with your work is impossible. Being “all caught up” in your work is probable. The nature of horses is to be “on” twenty-four hours a day. A barn full of living animals dependent on our diligence for survival can be both tiring and at the same time very rewarding. Our responsibility to give daily care to our horses is a given, and I also consider it my duty to help my horses be happy and physically able to do the jobs I ask him to do. So I focus on building his confidence, mental and emotional frame of mind, and his physique. I am obligated to balance his work with relaxation and times of rest and play in order to keep him from getting sour.

I also take my job very seriously to help my clients continue advancing down the road toward becoming an even better horseman. I believe this is my calling. I feel thrilled to have found it and to have so many clients who put their confidence in me. The question I am asking myself right now is whether I am creating the opportunity in my busy life for rest and play like I give my horses to keep them fresh and exuberant. As I consider the balance of work, rest and play in my life I would like to offer these suggestions to those of you who may also feel the need for a little rest and play.

Rest

1. Set a regular bedtime each night and do your best to stick to it.
2. Rise each morning at close to the same time. Like our horses, our bodies thrive on routine and stress on chaos.
3. Replace your mattress if it doesn't provide the comfort you deserve.
4. Indulge in at least one break in the morning, in the afternoon, and stop to eat lunch.
   Your mind and body will function better with defined breaks in your daily timeline to rejuvenate.

Play

1. Schedule at least one day off a week. (I haven’t done this is 6 years, it’s about time)
2. Create time for yourself to be away from the farm and business doing non-horse activities. It will do wonders for providing the opportunity to relax enjoyably. I may go play with my nephew in the park, play cribbage or go fishing with my Dad.
3. Consider a fitness program to complement your busy daily life style. A fitness center or personal trainer can help you stretch and tone muscles, and improve your cardio health. It will help your riding ability as well. A new fitness center just opened in Burwell, I went to check it out and even if I don’t join, I’ll start on my own DVD routines again, as I do every winter season. Plus as soon as snow piles up a little I’ll be cross country skiing with my dog.
4. The mind and body stay fresh when they have the opportunity to experience new things. A Yoga class, dance or scuba lessons, classes in painting, instrument and voice instruction are all opportunities to do something just for you. I plan to do some artwork which I love, and get back to playing my piano and violin again. I haven’t done either since I started this business. I would love to do dance lessons, just not sure anything like that is available in Burwell, maybe Ord? I’ll check it out.
5. Plan a vacation away from the farm and your home. Even if it's just a weekend away from it, the opportunity to play and relax will provide measurable results in your renewed attitude and productivity. Maybe I can go hunting with Keith, or just go to a B&B somewhere and hang out together.

Now, if you need permission to take a break, slow down or have some fun, You are hereby ordered to get work, rest and play in balance. That is exactly what I am going to do and I know with this balance I’ll be refreshed and renewed for another busy 2010 season of clinics, lessons and camps. I look forward to working with old clients and meeting new ones.

Until next time,

Sherry Jarvis

Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship LLC

Others have said
"The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man." -- Euripides

"Most people struggle with life balance simply because they haven't paid the price to decide what is really important to them." -- Stephen Covey

"We can be sure that the greatest hope for maintaining equilibrium in the face of any situation rests within ourselves." -- Francis J. Braceland