Glorified Burnout

Horse people

Let’s stop glorifying lack of self care as a marker of success

I get it- I’ve been training horses for a while- longer than some, far less time than others. I’ve lived on coffee and ibuprofen too. I was proud of getting right back on after an injury. I was proud of my ability to keep trucking along.

My horse has a body worker, nutritionist, fitness program and busy social life. And shoot, I deserve that too.

I realize it comes from a place of privilege to be able to prioritize self care, and will be more or less available to different people. I am working intensely on changing my life to move away from work only at my expense, to being able to care for me so I can work better. I’m making small, doable steps, and I feel much better. I don’t want to go back to coffee and ibuprofen as a meal. I want to feel my best so I can give my best to my horses.

Some folks will have less access to self care, some more. There are small things we all can do, no matter our situation- and the first one is to stop glorifying burnout. I have two little children watching me- I’d hate for them to grow up thinking the way to succeed is to drain yourself dry for others- there is always resentment on the other end of that kind of giving. I want them to love what they do, and give freely from a filled cup- with the freedom to give without strings or resentments.