Let’s get one thing out of the way:

Nerves are not a character flaw.

They don’t mean you’re weak. They don’t mean you’re unprepared. And they definitely don’t mean you’re broken.

What do they mean?

You care. You’re invested. You want to do well. That’s not a problem — that’s a feature.

Bu...

"I’m not nervous before my runs… so why am I so disappointed afterward?”

I hear this all the time. You don’t feel nervous. You’re not shaking or sweating. You're doing your breathing. You’re visualizing. And yet — the pressure’s still there. It just shows up differently.

Here’s what might re...

There’s something I learned while riding as a kid that’s stayed with me ever since: horses need time off. Not a day, not a weekend — I’m talking full weeks, sometimes a month, of rest. No riding. No training. Just time to be horses.

We understood it wasn’t a luxury — it was necessary. Their bodi...

Every Monday, handlers make a deal with themselves.

This weekend will be better, they say.

I’ll stay positive. I won’t let mistakes derail me. I’ll trust my dog more. I’ll keep my cool between runs.

And then?

Friday rolls around … and somehow, despite their best intentions, it all falls apart ag...

"Just have fun!”

It's the well-meaning advice we hear at the start line, from our friends, instructors, or even whispered to ourselves. But if you're trying to qualify - or chasing a title, a big goal, or just proving something to yourself - that phrase can feel more like pressure than encourage...

You miss a contact. Your dog breaks their start line. You NQ after weeks of preparation.

It stings. And if you’re like most handlers, the emotional aftershock of that mistake sticks around way longer than the mistake itself.

But here’s the truth: the mistake isn’t what’s holding you back.

I...

Have you ever caught yourself saying things like,

“I never do well under pressure,”

“I always mess up the first run.”

Or

“I’m just not good at [insert skill here]”?

Here’s the thing: Your brain is always listening. And it’s not just eavesdropping — it’s executing those thoughts like a comput...

You'd think that being a mindset coach would make me immune to nerves, self-doubt, or the occasional spiral of “I’m not ready for this!"

Spoiler alert: It doesn't.

The other morning, I was sipping coffee, scrolling through Instagram, and BAM — I saw a fellow competitor post about their stack...

Mindset is often talked about in the world of dog sports. But what does it really mean to have a strong mindset? Sure, we hear a lot about setting goals, managing nerves, and focusing on rituals, but those are only parts of a bigger picture. What I want to focus on today is how to build a well-round...

Every handler knows the feeling: your heart is racing, your mind is buzzing, and it feels like the entire world is closing in on you. Whether it's the excitement of a big trial, the pressure of competition, or just the constant distractions of life, it's easy to feel like you're losing focus in the ...

The message slid into my inbox like so many others — sweet, thoughtful, and full of that infectious post-trial glow. But as I read her words, I paused. Reread a few lines. And smiled.

Here’s what she said (paraphrased & anonymized):

"My friend and I weren't sure about entering a three-day ag...

With my national specialty just weeks away, I've added something extra to my daily mindset routine—something I don't always talk about but something I fully believe in.

Visualization.

Yep, we're going there.

Right now, I'm working up to 11 minutes a day of focused meditation and visualizati...