As we get older, it becomes easier to appreciate an experience and to reap the
benefit of doing something we don’t really want to do, than when we are
children. Even though adults have most of the same subconscious motivations,
desires and “knowns” that we had when they were little kids, we also
have the benefit of experience. We know that we will learn something
from this experience if we just open up our minds and are willing to
take in this new information. We know that nothing really does last
forever—whether it is a six-hour riding demonstration or that time we get
to spend just hanging out with a beloved parent or child. So we just go with it
and try something new.
As adults, we can appreciate
that the logic, reasoning, will-power and decision-making faculties we possess
in our conscious mind were actually the catalysts for organizing this family
time in the first place. I love horses; I train in dressage. My dad says he is
afraid of horses, and he doesn’t really know anything about the discipline I
ride. But the opportunity to spend “family time” together was the subconscious
“known” in our minds that clinched the deal.
So, a couple days ago my dad accompanied me to the second day of Charlotte
Dujardin’s dressage symposium at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. This was a
big deal for me: I have been a big fan of Ms. Dujardin since I “discovered” her
during the 2012 Summer Olympics; the opportunity to watch her teach and ride
(in person, not on TV) was an opportunity of a lifetime. More important, I got
to spend the day with my father, which hardly ever happens because of our very
different schedules and my predilection to spend most of my free time around
horses. But, my dad was a good sport. He didn’t tell me that he was bored even
one time; I even caught him leaning forward in his seat once or twice to get a
better look at what was going on in the arena. He just went with the flow of
the afternoon: demonstrations, lunch, more demonstrations and then a
question-and-answer session with Ms. Dujardin and her former trainer, Judy
Harvey. He even made some very good, informed observations about what he was
watching. He wanted to know if my horse could do some of the things he saw
being done in the arena; and he seemed proud when I told him that Galahad is
working on a lot of those movements (albeit at a much lower level).
At
the end of the afternoon, he told me he had enjoyed himself. He said liked
spending time with me and that he had a very good day.
So
did I.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in
Southern California. She graduated with honors from the
Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about
Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
© 2014
