Showing Up is Half The Battle, Showcase Sunday

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Get up, take a shower and show up. Simple? For me it has been the key to success. Show up.

Many people talk about thinking positive, I say that is one step too far. I say, just show up. Sometimes you have to fail to succeed. No matter how you feel, take a deep breath and just show up.

Many times in my life I have been filled with fear, either real or imagined. I wanted to quit, I felt I was failing, I didn’t think I knew how. I just didn’t want to. I have a rule about showing up. I learned this on accident.

One of the first times I learned this lesson I was 12. I had a 6-month-old filly my parents wanted me to show her in a National horse show. I hadn’t shown before, I was very shy, I didn’t want to be in the arena with all eyes staring at me. Seeing my flaws, seeing my inexperience.

The day before the big show, my filly, Valentine, was loaded into the horse trailer and I was loaded into the truck. Someone had purchased me a hot pink “show outfit” to catch the judges eyes. I thought the outfit was hideous. I was filled with dread, and my protests fell on deaf ears. I fell into silent, angry compliance. We drove to the city the show was in, Upon arrival I was distracted from my pouting with the chore of getting Valentine out of the trailer and set up in a show stall at the fairgrounds. Unloading, prepping the stall, watering, feeding, brushing, braiding and glossing up Valentine keep me busy. That night we stayed at some friends of my parents. I spent the evening trying to think of ways to get out of having to participate in the show. I knew I would have to be deathly ill. So, I laid awake fearing the day.

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In the morning, filled with dread, I took a shower, and prepared to show up. Soon it was time to get ready for the show. I had to dress in that pink outfit, have my hair done and put on my show hat. I walked to the barn to touch up Valentine’s coat and hoofs. There was so much to be done I forgot to be nervous for a bit. The sounds and smells of the barn distracted me from my nervousness. The smell of hay, horse poop, and hoof polish were thick in the air. The sounds of other people busy getting their horses ready.

The countdown began, two more classes before the foals were shown, one more, time to go. I was dizzy, I was shaky, I was frightened. I had no choice, I had to show up. I took Valentines halter and rope and walked to the entrance of the arena. Valentine had never been shown either and she was also upset and nervous. Our energy fed off of each other. By the time it was my turn to enter the arena we were both really upset. The showing of fouls entails leading them around the arena while judges look for conformation, obedience, and style. Valentine didn’t want to go in that arena either, and she spent the entire time in the ring, rearing up, running in circles on her lead line and she even tried to kick me. This of course brought gasps and moans from the crowd. I was engaged with trying to calm her, but I could hear the crowd and my face was hot and red. Needless to say we didn’t place that day. It was a two day show though, so I had to do it again the next day.

I guess I felt different the next day, because the worst had already happened. I had done a terrible job and yet, I had survived. Nothing was different, I still breathed in and out, the planet still turned on it’s axis, life went on.

On day two, I just wasn’t as nervous. I wasn’t as horrified by the outfit. I got dressed and ready and took care of grooming Valentine with more acceptance. Valentine wasn’t as nervous either. This time we entered the ring calmly and we did all of the judges commands calmly. My face still felt hot and I was self-conscious, but we just did as we were told. On the second day, we received a 4th place ribbon. It was improvement.
Valentine and I went on to do many shows. We won some, we lost some, but somewhere along the line we learned, we got better, and we started to enjoy the process.

I learned a lesson that weekend, sometimes failure is the first step to success. Just show up, be willing to succeed, be willing to fail, but show up.

https://steemit.com/life/@whatsup/just-show-up-sometimes-you-have-to-fail-to-succeed
@whatsup



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28 comments
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To listen to the audio version of this article click on the play image.

Brought to you by @tts. If you find it useful please consider upvoting this reply.

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According to the Bible, How does the kingdom of heaven suffer violence as it is written in the Bible? (Part 1 of 4)

(Sorry for sending this comment. We are not looking for our self profit, our intentions is to preach the words of God in any means possible.)



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Hey look who else showed up. Now, you seen @dreemit around, or heard anything about @lordless.exile? Glad to see you're still here too!

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I've been around just not posting... :) But it's time I think I finally missed it.

Haven't heard a thing about Exyle, but I've never really had an issue with him. :)

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huh, was just thinking about you this morning. good to see ya..... showing up! :)

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just today i was thinking what's up with whatsup.
just showing up is my solution to all the social gatherings. i had hard time just going out from the house, but when i show up, most of the time it is fun time

Posted using Partiko Android

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Good to see you yeah, I've been around

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I agree... one of my old teachers said 80% of life is just showing up... the rest tends to take care of itself ✊

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Agreed... either you will get better at the thing or something new will come up

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I learned a lesson that weekend, sometimes failure is the first step to success. Just show up, be willing to succeed, be willing to fail, but show up.

Ah yes! Pink attires. I'm well aware those are infallible to find success with just show up. };)

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Hi, @whatsup!

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Omg...that picture looks like someone I knew back in 7th grade.

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haha, where did you go to school in the 7th grade... I was in WA

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I was in PA. lol

I'm a lot younger than you, so it couldn't have been you.

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it’s really nice to get to know some personal stories since we have interacted a lot randomly for short seconds long bursts!

I can relate! This has always been a method to my madness...fuck up first! Fuck up hard! And then come back ready to do better. Once you fuck up everything, you don’t really need to be scared of anything and you can give it your best without any of that pesky self sabotage.

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It was nice to read about you and Valentine @whatsup . I had a whole family of Valentines as friends growing up...but, they weren't horses :>) as far as I knew???

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I hope you enjoyed your Steem vacation. It seems like you are happy with your horse. I wonder how the horse is doing these days?

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