Word From The Herd ~ The Power Of One

"It may not be your fault, but it is completely your responsibility." ~ Kerwin Rae

This one's short but sweet...oh and there are helpful phone numbers at the bottom of the page if you feel the need to talk...

You might wonder what horses can teach us about personal power when they themselves have been subjugated for centuries? Quite a lot, actually, as it turns out.

Don't be a victim. It might sound brutal but I've been there, and it's not pleasant. If childhood or health or terrible tragedy or environment or mad, bad circumstance or indeed anything else has allowed this to happen to you, recognise it and take steps to take back your power.

And yes, you can always take back something. You can always empower yourself in some small way. You can find something positive in the bad. Truly.

One of the things we have learned here at Wadi Farm (with the help of the horses), is how to fight against what has been dubbed 'victim mentality'. You see victim mentality in the news and on social media every day. Politicians, even professionals and every day folk giving away their chance to make positive change. If you give your power away through whining, blaming or allowing certain behaviours from others, you become a victim. Don't be a victim.

Have you ever noticed? Horses own their behaviour.

Horses can help humans learn how to establish boundaries and personal space, among other things. Horses can teach us to take responsibility for shared decisions, and to own our own behaviour. They can teach us how to take back our power, without robbing them of theirs. They can teach us how not to get stuck in a moment, or a mindset.

Yes horses can become victims too, but never through personal blame. Only humans do that. Even when horses are made victims through the sad, cruel or ignorant ways they are treated by humans, they endeavour to go with the flow and keep on with dealing with each day. They stay in the moment as much as they are able and move through distress, stress, fear, activation...they don't give that power away by blaming the human. In fact most animals don't.

Some horses do get stuck in trauma, but they are always looking for a way out. And they still don't cast blame.

What can we learn from this? Yes you may have suffered. Yes you may have had the worst childhood imaginable. Yes you may be in pain. Yes you may be in poor health. Yes you may be physically or mentally or emotionally ill or dis-abled in some way. (And hey, none of us are perfect) But owning it, accepting it, and working with it...finding a way to learn to love yourself, to help yourself, to focus on gratitude and abundance, to find a simple, healthy way to make it through each day...is a huge step towards taking back that personal power.

Yes it sucks. Yes it's hard. But it's possible.

Life. We are all worthy of a good one. But don't overthink it. It is what it is. Horses don't overthink it. They don't brood, they don't give away the energy they need to get on with living by wasting it on blame or self-pity. Again, horses own their behaviour.

As a wise man once said, it may not be your fault. It may not have ever been your fault. But it is what it is and only you can make it better. Take responsibility for making yourself happy. Healthier. More forgiving. Braver. Less anxious. Less angry. Only you can make the decision to do so. Own it and it will set you free.

Don't measure your own value by the way someone treats you.

Remember...while those who are bullied are victims, the bullies themselves are victims too. 'Poor Me's' are victims. Abusers are victims (as well as their victims). Angry people are victims. Haters as well as those who are slaves to the needs of others are victims. Judgemental controllers are victims. Addicts are victims. Accident victims are victims. Those who live in constant fear are victims. Don't get stuck in the one state of being. Don't get stuck being a victim. Learn to let it go, to accept responsibility for healing, and learn to let it flow. Allow each and every one of your emotions in, and out again. Every part of you is worthy of respect, and love. Even what you might see as the crap parts, because they are a part of the whole. To think yourself unworthy or unloveable is to adopt that victim mentality. Own your ability to grow, to learn to feel worthy and loved.

Accept the challenge of becoming enlightened, and therefore responsible.

If you can help a victim, please help. Be compassionate and take personal responsibility for offering support if you are strong enough to do so. And if you are a victim? Be kind to yourself. Be gentle. Find someone who can help.

YOU ARE WORTH IT.

Recognise victim mentality and behaviour. Own it. Grow from it. Free yourself and those around you today.

All photos (c) KAW

For further info on how to help conquer victim mentality, with the gentle help of the herd, come visit or head to our 'Contact Us' page and message us today.

If you feel the need to talk to someone straight away, here's a few (Australian) contacts you may find useful...

Lifeline 131114

Mental Health Triage 131465 Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800