We Did It!

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I am lucky to have two fantastic mentors at the moment. One specializes in cat behavior, while the other is a raptor-savvy trainer. They have both given me advice recently that, though different in context, was surprisingly similar. Essentially they said that you're never going to feel 100% ready for the next step; at some point, you just have to make the leap.

When I set a goal date of stepping out the mew door with Otto the Great Horned Owl on my glove in two weeks, it sounded impossible. But I figured if my raptor mentor had confidence in us, I should have a little confidence, too. 

I stepped into the mew on our goal date, forcing myself to act as if this session would be no big deal. I didn't want Otto to sense my nerves. I didn't feel quite ready to make a big move, but I knew I had to cross a mental threshold before we could get past the physical one. I could hear my mentors in my head saying, go for it! And we did! We walked out the door! 

I wish we had a better photo, but this is just moments before stepping out the door!

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