Moment to moment

Which are you...right or left brained, maybe a little of both? Introverted or extroverted? These categories describe the human psyche, simply put. Right brained people tend to show more creativity where left brainers have marked language skills and are more inclined to be systematic and organized. Introverts are more reserved. Extroverts are gregarious and have more of a need to be doing things, with other people. I'm a mix of left brain/right brain qualities but most definitely extroverted. I like to be outside and active. I'm usually always happy and smiling.

Well, today, I'm not smiling so much. I'm inside, it's cold...yes, it's winter and I am just so done with it this year! Snow is beautiful, there's no doubt, and I always looked at the cold weather and winds strong enough to make my house sing, as a challenge. I defied it to rattle my nerves. Well, I'm now in my late 50's and my nerves are rattling. When the sun shines, I most definitely feel better but I'm so tired of it taking me 20 minutes just to layer up before going to the barn. Feeling this way is not like me. And I don't like it.

So on this blustery day after getting enough snow to make us homebound, I'm feeling it's a good time to think about how our emotions can change from moment to moment, depending on the circumstances, and how these changes might be perceived and/or how they affect others.

What kinds of things make you go from smiling to tears, contentment to anger? Could it be a change in seasons? Discrimination and intolerance? Politics? Memories? So many things could flip that switch - that one action, one look, one sentence or even one word that might turn us inside out. We all experience these changes, from time to time. How we deal with these changes in ourselves and others is of utmost importance.

And now that I'm so involved with horses, I've learned that they have "horsenalities" which can change from moment to moment. Horses have also been categorized as being more right brained or left, more introverted or extroverted. Right brained horses, in their 'fight or flight' survival mode, will most likely flee and think about it after the fact, whereas a left brained horse is more of a thinker and quite curious. They might startle at that flittering butterfly but figure out pretty quickly that they are safe and don't need to go anywhere.  Introverted horses have more "whoa than go". When you see a horse whose feet are a dancin', you know they're extroverted. BUT right brained horses can be left brained and vice versa depending on what's happening at any given moment. Pain, people, weather and other horses can change the mood of a horse.

So, with this bit of information, I've learned how to read a horse and to respond at any given moment in the appropriate way without reacting with emotion. I've been taught to think the phrase "how interesting" when a horse does something so out of character that you need to use a different strategy to deal with that particular horse that's shown up, perhaps the one that woke up on the wrong side of the stall that particular day. It helps the horse to rebalance, so to speak. 

Now if I can just remember to apply this strategy to changes within myself and others. Who am I at this moment? What am I feeling and why?  How about you?

How interesting!