Sounds strange, I know. But when reading Richard Carlson's book 'Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work' I came across the chapter "Strengthen your presence" and found it very applicable to a lot of areas, especially my riding. What can I say, as hard as I try, I often cannot switch off my brain from work mode to pleasure mode. I do exactly what he describes: thinking at a myriad of things when I should only be focusing on the task at hand: Giving my horse the best possible ride I can.
Excerpt:
"So much of the stress we experience has to do with our minds being in too many places at the same time. We are doing one thing, yet are preoccupied with a dozen others. We are distracted by our own thoughts, concerns and worries.
Being present eases our stress because our minds are drawing back to this particular moment, fully attentive to the task at hand. We begin to operate at an optimal mental pace with near-perfect concentration.
It is difficult to experience genuine satisfaction when your mind is too busy, scattered here and there, thinking about three our four things at once. Yet when your mind is focused, when you are fully present and engaged, your world comes alive."
Amen to that! Now, where do I find the "Off" Switch that leaves only the task at hand on "On"?
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