Friends and family

‘Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.‘ Misty Copeland

I know that everyone has their own story, and that not all families are happy families. But for the vast majority of us, friends and family are (in the main) a source of happiness.

Can you remember a time you cried with laughter? If you can, I bet you were with someone else at the time. Most things in life are easier, or more fun, or more memorable, when they’re shared with a friend. As we get older, our friendship group may shrink little. But the strength of the friendships that last will often grow.

When I’m feeling low, it’s easy to hide away and not speak to anyone. I can put a front up on social media and through text messages and WhatsApp. It’s not so easy to pretend everything is okay when I’m talking to someone on the phone, or face-to-face. Which, of course, is why it is so important to do just that.

I know which friends can handle it if I call to cry to them over the phone, and which friends would wish that I had just stayed quiet. I know who to call if I’ve got money worries, or if I’m not sure what to do about a horse I’m treating, or if I’m feeling like an outsider at the school gates (don’t we all feel like an outsider there?!). Different friends have different roles in my life, and they are all both valuable and valued.

Family, I hope, are always there for you. Relationships may not always be smooth, but they are constant. You cannot change the fact that a person is your brother, your sister, your mum, your dad, your son, your daughter, et cetera. And with a little luck, your family is a support network in both good and bad times.

As with friends, it can can be hard to reach out. It’s tough to admit that things aren’t going to plan. Especially when you feel like you already used up the goodwill due to you. But it’s only through talking about  how you feel, and letting others know what you need, that anyone’s is going to figure it out.

So my top tip is to keep talking. It’s very rare that you’re the only one who’s experienced a particular situation. Sometimes talking things through helps you to realise the problem isn’t as serious as you first thought. Other times, insight from others helps you to breakthrough. And often, there’s nothing anyone can do to change the situation. But the energy and emotion that is released through talking is change in itself.

Keep smiling!

© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2021

Treating your horse with care, connection, curiosity and compassion