Testimonial

Katharina Giglberger
Change- und Projektmanagement

My yellow notebook - Horses have always been a symbol of strength, freedom and elegance for me - qualities that I deeply admire and at the same time feel somewhat intimidated by.

It was with this feeling that I entered the riding arena, ready to meet Caramelo. It was important to me to make a good impression, just as I often do with people. When he approached me, I suddenly felt this familiar urge: "What do I have to do to make him like me? What could bother him?"

I held my yellow notebook in my hand, ready to write down my thoughts. But my inner automatism kicked in: "That's bound to get in the way." So I ran straight off to put it down, without thinking and getting involved in the moment.

Martina gently stopped me and asked me a simple but profound question: "Why are you putting the notebook down? What's happening inside you right now?"

The reflection hit me right in the heart. I realized how quickly I had distanced myself from myself - once again in this anticipatory obedience to meet someone else's supposed needs.

And the absurd thing? I had placed the notebook on the "hoof beat" of all places, where it could have actually disturbed Caramelo's path if he had started running.

When I picked up the notebook after our reflection and took it in my hand, something wonderful happened: it was suddenly no longer a disturbing object, but a bridge builder. Caramelo was fascinated by this bright yellow book. It helped us to make real contact - not by conforming, but by being authentic.

Since that moment, I've carried this lesson with me: don't act immediately, don't immediately try to please others, don't immediately be insecure. Instead, pause and ask myself: "What do I actually want? What is really happening right now?"

My yellow notebook now stands for me as a symbol of this mechanism that often distances me from myself. But instead of putting it away, I invite it to stay present: "Hello, my yellow notebook! What would you like to show me today?"

Thank you, Martina, thank you, Caramelo - and thank you, yellow notebook, for this powerful insight.