I've been grappling with this question: Are principles a luxury when things get tough? It's easy to stick to what you believe in when life is running smoothly, but when resources get tight, and the pressure is on, the real challenge hits.
At Harmony Barn, our principles guide everything we do, from caring for the horses to interacting with others. But staying true to those values isn’t always easy, especially when life throws obstacles in the way. There’s a cost to holding firm to what you believe, and sometimes, I wonder if I'm making things harder than they need to be.
There is a reason why I have to hold firm. You see, I was raised in a family where the common theme was that the ends, whatever they might be, could justify the means. As the youngest and most vulnerable, I paid a high price for this family legacy. A thin veneer of respectability barely covered the dark truths that lurked beneath. The scarcity of material and emotional needs meant you didn't wait to be invited. You took what you needed and justified it to yourself.
Once I woke up to the truth of my shameful inheritance, I knew I had to ensure that, in my family and in the way I lived, that destructive line ended with me. It has been a long journey to return to my true nature: honesty, accountability, and integrity, and so I know that I must protect what has been hard fought for.
The temptation to compromise is real. It’s easy to think, “Maybe just this once...” But I know deep down that compromising creates cracks—both in our foundation and in the trust we've built with ourselves and the herd.
In moments of doubt, I look to the Harmony Herd for inspiration. They live together with authenticity, setting healthy boundaries and communicating clearly. Watching them has taught me the importance of being congruent and staying aligned with what matters most, even when it’s hard.
It’s not always easy, and I often feel discomfort and question myself. But every time I’ve chosen to stick to my principles, even when it felt like the harder path, something better has come along—something more aligned with who we are at Harmony Barn.