“The more you bounce, the more you will be bounced.”

I will never forget hearing those words as I was learning to ride a horse when I was younger. At the time, the lesson was simple. If I bounced around in the saddle, the horse would bounce me right back. The less steady I was, the rougher the ride became. And the more pain I experienced.

The instructor wasn’t trying to teach me a life lesson that day. She was simply trying to keep me from falling off. But years later, those words have become one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received. Because they’re true.

The more you bounce through life, the more life seems to bounce you right back. When it comes to who can bounce harder and cause more pain, life usually wins.

We’ve all had those moments. We react before we think. We fight against circumstances we can’t control. We resist change, argue with reality and spend our energy trying to force things to happen on our timeline. The more we tense up, the rougher the ride becomes.

I’ve learned that there is a difference between strength and resistance. Strength is staying steady when things get hard. Resistance is fighting every bump along the way. One helps you stay in the saddle. The other often sends you flying.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself returning to lessons I learned around horses. Maybe that’s why I’ve always loved them so much. There is something magical about them. Their power. Their beauty. Their confidence. The way they can command an entire space without making a sound. Their regalness. The uncertainty they carry. The love they are capable of giving while still maintaining a healthy distance.

In fact, recently I’ve felt this strong pull to stop by a friend’s farm. Not because I haven’t seen my friends or talked to them — we have. But because I wanted to say hello to the horses.

At first, it seemed a little strange. Why was I feeling so drawn to make the trip? The more I thought about it, the more I realized maybe it wasn’t really about saying hello at all. Maybe it was about reconnecting with something I needed to be reminded of.

Being around horses has always grounded me. They have a way of demanding that you be present. They don’t care about your to-do list, your deadlines, your worries or the stories you’re telling yourself. They simply ask you to show up as you are, pay attention and respect the relationship.

Maybe that’s exactly what I needed. A reminder to stop fighting every bump in the road. A reminder to stay steady. A reminder that life, much like a horse, responds best when we approach it with awareness, confidence, respect and a little humility.

You can love a horse deeply, but you should never become careless around one. Turn your back and you might get bitten. Stand in the wrong place and they may step on your foot. Get too comfortable and they may remind you who’s really in charge.

Life has a lot in common with horses. Life can be beautiful and rewarding. It can carry us to places we never imagined. It can give us freedom, joy, adventure and connection.

But life also demands respect. When we become complacent, it has a way of humbling us. When we stop paying attention, it reminds us. When we assume we have complete control, it often proves otherwise.

That doesn’t mean we should live in fear or constantly expect something bad to happen. Quite the opposite.

It means we should remain aware, present, respectful and grateful. The best riders aren’t the ones who overpower the horse. They’re the ones who learn to work with them.

The same is true in life.

The people I admire most aren’t necessarily the strongest, smartest or most successful. They’re the ones who have learned how to move with life’s challenges instead of fighting every single one. They know when to hold on, when to adjust and when to trust the process.

They stay in the saddle.

If I were to give anyone advice, besides simply being yourself, this would be near the top of the list.

Stay steady. Treat life with respect and kindness. Pay attention. Don’t bounce around reacting to every obstacle, criticism, disappointment or detour.

Because the more you bounce, the more you will be bounced.

And if you can learn to ride through the ups and downs with a little grace, a little awareness and a healthy dose of humility, you’ll discover something wonderful.

The ride becomes a whole lot smoother.

Mother, author, entrepreneur and founder of Dandelion-Inc, Lisa Resnick wants to hear your story. Share memories with her by emailing lisa@dandelion-inc.com.