The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.

~ Oprah Winfrey

How we move through life has everything to do with mindset. If we focus more on what we can do and less on what we cannot do, we may surprise ourselves.

After ten years of retirement from competing in endurance riding ( 50-100 miles on a horse), I just finished a 50 miler tying for 2nd place, and I was honored with a High Vet Score for my horse. The result was more than I imagined. We can build up or tear down each day we train, so the goal is always to do the best my horse can do, wherever that may land us.

The guy I rode with for most of the race was half my age, a fantastic athlete, got off and ran up or down some of the steepest topography, and probably was trying to lose me all day. LOL

At the finish, he complimented my ability to ride so fast over such technical terrain. I could hear in words not spoken by him that he was surprised due to my age. I didn’t mention to him that I have probably been competing since he was a child and riding before he was born.

Finding the wins in life, small or large, is key to my happiness. Life is a continuous process of making decisions, and these often begin with comparisons. Although comparing A to B may help us discern which choice to make, comparing against others is a surefire way to dissatisfaction.

Celebrating what we can do begins by deleting the impulse of wishing we were the way we once were or the way someone else is and replacing it with methods that yield optimum results.

This does not mean looking for an easy way out. The easy way out is to find excuses why something cannot be done, why it is hard, and all the reasons that prevent success. Search for possibilities rather than challenging roadblocks. Reframing our way of thinking is imperative to a mindset adjustment.

Words create our worlds, so focusing on choosing the right ones is critical. The terms and thoughts we use to describe ourselves or situations can make a difficult situation into one that is manageable—I, for one, refrain from blaming anything on age. My body may be tired, but you know what? I am active. My body was tired and ached after intense exercise when I was 20, 30, and 40 years younger.

Our outlook on aging has everything to do with perspective. For example, looking again at the race, I cannot run the way I once ran, but I have found a way to ride as effortlessly as ever; now, I would be more of a hindrance to my horse if I became overly tired, so instead, I work on becoming as light and balanced as possible, combining this with the breath, what could take tremendous energy now takes less.

 I have found a way to ride that facilitates success. By altering my learned habits, I have found equally beneficial solutions.

Focusing on what we can do rather than what we lack is a strength that comes through experience. Experience is often the benefit of age but certainly can be had with youth. Obstacles are simply growth opportunities. As we age and our abilities change, we may not have the same resilience in a particular area but much more in others.

There is a reason many endurance sports attract an older demographic. We have the patience that the youth may not. We have the stamina that has been built over the years, and although our muscles may not be as potent, our inner strength may be mightier than ever.

We have a choice in how to perceive every circumstance. So the next time you focus on the lack of or negative in a situation, take a deep breath and reassess how you can turn this into an advantage. A can-do attitude yields more results than an I can’t point of view, so concentrate on what you have and not on what is lacking; you may be astonished by what you can accomplish.

If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.

~ Mahatma Gandhi