SHED

On my way out to the barn in Los Osos, California recently, I noticed it was COLD outside; nice and winter-like.  Taking off my horse’s waterproof blanket, I noticed she was already starting to SHED!  “It’s only mid-December!”  I thought.  “We are just starting to get some cold weather, and she’s already beginning to lose her winter coat!  What’s up with that?”

Horses, I guess, are better at preparing for future events than most people are.  The winter solstice had just passed, meaning the days had started getting a whopping one minute longer or so each day.  My mare’s finely-tuned physiology had responded appropriately to this cue.  By the time our long warm days are here in the spring, she will be looking and feeling cool in her shiny new summer coat.

This amazes me.  Horses are thought to be not consciously aware of time or seasons.  How can people then, who are supposedly of higher intelligence, so often ignore the signs of coming change?  We are intellectually aware that the changes are coming, yet many times we are unprepared, at least emotionally, for the inevitable.  We are often taken aback when a major life event occurs.  But horses subconsciously “know” when the days start to get longer and respond immediately.   It’s as if they can predict the future!  But if we think about it we realize that our problem is that we DO predict the future; but most of the time we expect it to be the much the same as today.  Change is so often not planned for!

This month, Salvini Financial Planning has a recommended reading book (see our Resources Page) called SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Julie Morgenstern.  Julie’s a brilliant writer with a laser-focus on the inner workings of our subconscious mind when it comes to making or positively adapting to a change.  Martha Beck is quoted on the back of the book as saying, “I’ve always been amazed by the way Julie Morgenstern can organize everything – but until now, I didn’t realize that included human minds, hearts, and souls.”

SHED stands for:

Step 1:Separate the Treasures

Step 2:Heave the Trash

Step 3:Embrace your Identity

Step 4:Drive Yourself Forward

I can’t wait to get into the body of the book.  Julie’s got several case studies of getting people in difficult situations “un-stuck” and making exciting strides towards new, meaningful and fulfilling directions for their lives. 

I know I will find things to “SHED.”  I feel their weight dragging me down and it will be thrilling to learn to identify the Trash while appreciating the Treasures.  Clarifying and embracing my Identity will be like purifying my horses’ gaits; causing all my actions to be more gracefully guided to their ultimate purpose; and of course, Driving myself forward towards my goals and dreams will be much more inspiring to myself and others when there’s impulsion created by focused intent behind it!

--Yvette