Two days in a row...that's good, right?

I know, I know...it's only the second day of Lent and I'm still keeping up with what I've committed to do. Big whup-dee-doo. Anyone can do something for two days.

But see, here's where that line of thinking ends up if I'm not careful: you're not really all that good; people think you're such a good person, but you know you're not; one day they'll all find out and think you're a fraud, and then why will they love you?

I've explored that idea in a previous blog post, so I won't hash it out again. But I would like to flip the conversation a bit and discuss what line of thinking I SHOULD be following when thoughts like the first paragraph jump into my brain. First, a bit of theoretical background...

In horse training (you KNEW it had to come up somewhere, right?), it is important to be constantly aware of whether or not the horse is trying to do what you've asked. Especially when training the horse to perform a new task, a good trainer will immediately stop any pressure and reward even the slightest movement or smallest try from the horse. So, at first, if I'm asking a horse to step forwards into a trailer, I may stop pressure and reward him if he even LEANS forward into the trailer. A movement that small still indicates willingness.

Let me repeat that last sentence: a movement that small still indicates willingness. Why can't I treat myself the same way? Why can't I mentally give myself a break every now and then and reward myself for small movements? Why can't I just take the pressure off?

So, yes...it's only been two days. But even that small movement indicates a willingness - a faith - a desire to move towards instead of against.

Release.