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When I was struggling and deep in the trenches of my trauma, my therapist Dr. Kevin Skinner told me a story about the buffalo. This story has changed the way that I look at life and inspires me to be more like the buffalo every day.
This is a story about cows and buffaloes. Cows and buffaloes are cousins. They have many similarities. In nature, they can both sense when a storm is coming. The difference between them is how they react to the storm. When the cows sense a storm is coming, they panic, turn away from the storm, and run. Cows are big and slow, so as you can imagine, they don't get very far. Inevitably, the storm catches up to them. By now the cows are tired and frustrated, but continue to try and outrun the storm. Which prolongs their pain and suffering. When the buffaloes sense the storm, they calmly turn and face it. Because they are running through the storm and not right along with it like the cows, while it is still painful for them, their suffering is not as long. The cows and buffaloes weather the same storm but the cows end up exhausted while the buffaloes still have strength in the end.
Hardships in life are unavoidable. As humans, our instinct is to be more like cows and run away from our problems. For example; Often married couples refuse to have hard conversations that may lead to a better connection, understanding, and marriage. Instead of turning toward each other, they turn away. This puts more heartache and strain on the marriage. Another example is; People who are in financial trouble will often turn to credit cards and loans. This puts them into more debt. This behavior leads to more financial suffering and strife, instead of financial stability.
In our house, we use the term “Buffalo up” or “be the Buffalo” which means, face your storm. You don’t have to face it alone, you just have to face it. It is so easy to be like the cow and turn the other way. To go through the motions of your day-to-day and be numb to your feelings of sadness. It takes strength and courage to be the Buffalo and face what you are going through. That doesn't mean numbing the emotions. You need to let yourself feel the anger, the sadness, the resentment, or any other emotion that may come up for you. You may have been conditioned to believe that those are negative emotions. But feeling them without judgment, guilt or shame is what helps you move through them and is what will put you forward.
In my business logo, that is why I have the Buffalo.
You have to trust the journey and face what you are going through. Time will not heal your wounds. You have to put in the work to truly recover. This process is a journey that is filled with many ups and downs. The progress may feel slow, but keep choosing to be the buffalo, embrace the power deep within, and you will get through it. Some days you will want to be the cow and avoid what you are going through. That is okay! Just don’t stay there for long. Don’t be hard on yourself for being the cow either. Just choose to Buffalo up the next day or within the next hour.
You got this!
I believe in you!
Trust your Journey.
Trust yourself.
You are worth it!
I Love You!
Love,
Tiffany