Trust Yourself
Every single one of us has been at a point of self-doubt – because we were stuck somewhere in the training of our horse; we didn’t jump the course as well as planned, or our dressage test was anything but brilliant. “All of us have self-doubt, and I’ve learned that that’s okay,” emphasizes Olympic champion and winner of the CHIO Aachen, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. “I’ve also learned to no longer suppress these fears, worries, and doubts but rather acknowledge that they’re there. Only then can I work on them.”
Accept and Learn from Self-Doubt, Setbacks, and Defeat
It’s okay to have self-doubts, and setbacks aren’t automatically bad. It’s not about avoiding setbacks; it’s about learning how to deal with them. The first important step is to accept them and to actively address them. Personal defeat is always initially frustrating, possibly embarrassing, and often it undermines our sense of self-worth. Most people instinctively try to suppress a defeat, not mention it or forget about it as quickly as possible, and avoid it in the future. However: You can learn from your mistakes. But only if you really grapple with them. Only then is there a learning effect; only then can you grow and work on your self-doubt.
A mistake may set you back a step, but in an ideal scenario, it will allow you to then take two steps forward. With the right preparation and the right training, you can learn to trust your body – even in new and particularly stressful situations. Be brave and try something new. Trust that it will work out fine. And if it doesn’t, use it as an opportunity to grow.
Those who aren’t afraid of making mistakes approach everything in a much more relaxed way – you are resilient. Resilience is the term for the psychological strength to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties and to use them for personal development. It is also called the “immune system of the soul.”
How do I find myself and my self-confidence?
Being the favorite is challenging as well, and it increases the pressure. The sentence “you’re going to win anyway” has bothered me a bit, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl reports. “No, it’s not that easy. It’s always work and practice to have everything working together in the here and now.” And what if something doesn’t work out so well? How do you get back to yourself and your self-confidence? “I use different techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises that help me,” explains the rider from Aubenhausen. “And it’s very important to simply recognize that it’s okay to be insecure. It’s a little bit like putting your arm around yourself and giving yourself a pep-talk. I can allow myself to be successful. I can allow myself to have it go well. That’s what flips the switch. I then consciously decide to go from fear back to trust.”
Marcel Andrä’s Tips for You
1. Breathing and Relaxation Exercises
can help re-establish inner balance by uniting body and mind.
2. Movement and Sport
can release physical tension and stimulate mental fitness. This promotes creativity and infuses fresh energy.
3. Mental Training
fosters trust in your own abilities and helps prevent fear of failure.
4. Pushing Beyond the Boundaries of Your Comfort Zone
Too often we meander in our own comfort zone which we seldomly leave. However, fear of the unknown is rarely justified. There is a reason for the saying “who dares, wins!” Just go ahead and do it – and don’t overthink it.
5. Visualizing
You have to be able to imagine your success and capability, and experience it mentally and emotionally to be able to physically perform it. #DreamBig
Benefit as a rider from all our courses & programmes and leave self-doubt behind you. As an Aubenhausen Club member, you will learn everything about correct horse training, what is important to us in training and how you can become a better rider through DressurFit®.
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