A simple mindset routine can help you get back on track when life knocks you out of rhythm.
Whew.
I’ve been sick.
Like “lay on the couch and feel like a used dishrag” kind of sick.
And if you’ve been there, you know the weird feeling that comes after.
You start to feel better… but not all the way better.
Your body’s not 100%. Your energy’s all over the place. And your mindset feels a little… off.
You know you should get back into your routine.
Ride your horse. Move your body. Do normal life again.
But everything feels a little rusty. A little heavier. A little harder.
And honestly?
I think this happens to riders all the time.
Not just after being sick.
Why your mindset routine gets interrupted
Maybe you’ve been sick. Maybe you just got home from a big horse show. Maybe work got busy. Maybe life happened.
And suddenly the routines that kept you grounded disappear.
You stop journaling. You stop doing the things that help you feel like yourself.
And before you know it, you don’t quite feel like “you” anymore.
Not because you’re lazy. Not because you’ve lost your edge.
But because your mindset has gotten out of practice.
That’s exactly why having a mindset routine matters.
My go-to mindset routine
This week, I did two things.
Nothing fancy. Nothing sexy.
Just two simple tools I come back to again and again:
Breathwork.
And gratitude.
Now before you roll your eyes at gratitude…
stick with me.
Because gratitude isn’t just a Hallmark card exercise.
It’s one of the most well-researched mindset tools we have.
Gratitude literally changes what your brain notices.
It shifts your nervous system. It increases resilience. It helps you recover faster emotionally.
And honestly?
When I was frustrated about being sick, gratitude was exactly what I needed.
Why gratitude is part of my mindset routine
I wasn’t pretending being sick was fun. I wasn’t pretending I felt amazing. I was simply choosing to notice what was still good.
My horses. My family. My clients. My warm bed. My truck. My healthy kids. My body working hard to heal.
And somewhere in the middle of naming those things…
I felt it.
A shift.
If you’ve ever done a gratitude practice, you know what I’m talking about.
Something softens. Your nervous system exhales. You come back to yourself.
Why a mindset routine is easier to maintain than rebuild
This is the part I really want you to hear.
Mindset is a lot like keeping your house clean.
It’s much easier to maintain than it is to catch up.
Because if you’ve ever let the house get completely out of control… you know how overwhelming it feels to clean it all at once.
The same thing happens with your mental game.
It’s easier to stay at 80% and make small adjustments… than to drop to 50% and try to claw your way back.
That’s why mindset isn’t something you do only when things go wrong.
It’s something you practice before you need it.
How a mindset routine helps your riding
Because let’s be honest.
When I swing my leg over my horse, I want to be present. Focused. Connected. Happy.
I want to have good rides. I want to make progress. I want to be in the zone.
And if I’m distracted, overwhelmed, or carrying the weight of life into the saddle…
my horse feels that too.
That’s not fair to them.
And it’s certainly not the ride I want.
Everything we do off the horse is in service of the ride.
The breathwork. The gratitude. The mindset tools.
All of it helps us show up as the rider our horse deserves.
A mental tune-up for this week
So if you’ve been feeling out of rhythm lately… Start small. Take a breath.
Write down five things you’re grateful for.
Put on music that helps you feel like yourself again.
Remember: Your mindset isn’t broken. It might just be out of practice.
And practice works.
Start your mindset routine today
That’s exactly why I created 5 Days to Confident Competitor.
Five short audio trainings designed to help you calm your nerves, quiet the mental chatter, and show up with confidence in the saddle.
Because confidence isn’t something you wait to feel.
It’s something you practice.
Join 5 Days to Confident Competitor
Train Your Mind → Ride With Confidence
Now go take care of yourself—and then go ride your horse.
Nicole
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Nicole Burnett is a mental performance coach for western riders who want their mindset to match their skill, their horse, and their goals.
Through practical mindset coaching and nervous system training, Nicole helps riders stay steady, communicate more clearly, and ride more effectively — whether they’re rebuilding confidence at home, sharpening their show-pen mindset, or preparing to compete on the national stage.
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