Growth Comes From Awareness

February 20, 2026

Take a moment to notice the stories you tell yourself.

These are the quiet thoughts that run in the background all day. Things like “I’m not enough,” “I always mess things up,” or “Nothing ever works out for me.” Some people have kinder stories, like “I try my best,” or “Things usually work out.” Most of us have a mix of both.

Now think about horses.

A horse does not wake up one day and decide to be nervous, pushy, shut down, or overreact. Those behaviors come from past experiences. How they were handled. What scared them. What helped them survive.

Our thoughts work the same way.

Every belief you have came from somewhere. Family. Coaches. Religion. School. Trauma. Even moments where your brain tried to protect you. Some of these beliefs helped you. Some now hold you back. But none of them mean something is wrong with you.

If you had grown up in a different family, a different country, or a different barn, you would think very differently. That alone tells us these thoughts are learned, not who you truly are.

Underneath all those stories is something simple and innocent. Just like a horse underneath bad habits is still a horse trying to do their best.

Never label a horse as lazy, stubborn, or bad. Ask better questions. What is their body missing? What does their nervous system need? What strength has not been built yet?

We must do the same as riders.

When you judge yourself harshly, your body tightens. Your breathing changes. Your hands get stronger. Your horse feels all of it. A tense mind creates a tense ride.

Real change does not come from forcing yourself to “think positive.” It comes from understanding. From compassion. From saying, “This thought makes sense based on what I’ve been through.”

A scared horse needs safety, not punishment. A struggling mind needs the same.

When you do this inner work, your horse benefits. Your timing improves. Your patience grows. Your expectations become clearer. The partnership feels safer and more honest.

And it goes beyond riding.

The way you treat yourself is the way you show up everywhere. With your horse. Your family. Your clients. Strangers. When you learn to respond with understanding instead of reacting with frustration, everything softens.

At the core of The Michelle Method is this truth:

Strong movement starts with safety.

Growth comes from awareness.

And compassion changes everything.

For horses.

For riders.

For life.

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