September 9th 2023

I went to pick up some new tack for the horsesWednesday evening. We worked with a local harness maker out in Hillsboro. When I came into his shop he politely peppered me with questions. What kind of farming do we do? Do I work year round or seasonally? Do I actually farm with horses? I answered all of his questions as we loaded down the back of my Volkswagen with harnesses and bridles and collars. I’m used to throwing people off. I don’t take it personally. There’s something very grounding about knowing the quality of your work and your own lived experiences. I don’t need to prove myself to an Amish harness maker in Hillsboro. I don’t need to scramble for answers or over explain or defend myself. Now, I don’t think that was his intent at all, but it has at times been my natural response. I would venture to say my work is perhaps one of the few areas in my life that I feel most secure. I am where I am supposed to be, doing work that matters, as best as I can every single day. I believe that to my core. I don’t need to know all of the answers or force people to listen to what I have to say. It might sound like self confidence, but I think comfort or familiarity is a better word. And that’s something you can’t fake. I am trying to replicate this same sense of calm in other aspects of my life. It isn’t always as natural. I don’t know where in your life you feel your insecurities flare up, and you find yourself needlessly fighting for things that you already hold in your grasp. Step back. Remember that you have the knowledge and the skills and the experience. You belong here. You deserve to be here. The things we don’t know, we’ll learn along the way. (The day I know everything is the day I need to quit.) People recognize authenticity so quickly, often without knowing exactly what they’re picking up on. You never have to prove that you’re genuine. That happens as easy as breathing.