Not My First Rodeo: Lessons in Resilience and Mental Health

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC

Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.

Posted: November 27, 2025

A First Rodeo to Celebrate

At the end of this month, we’ll be celebrating something very special: my granddaughter Mara’s first birthday. The theme her parents chose is “My First Rodeo.” It’s playful, adorable, and such a fun way to mark the milestone of her first year of life.

But as I’ve been planning for her celebration, I’ve been reflecting on that phrase we use so often in adulthood—“Not my first rodeo.” It’s a simple saying, but it carries deep meaning, especially when we think about resilience, mental health, and the way we navigate life’s many challenges.

Mara’s birthday reminds me that we all start with “firsts.” Our first steps, our first falls, our first big challenges. Over time, those firsts become experiences we carry with us. And eventually, we get to say: This isn’t my first rodeo. I know how to do hard things.

What “Not My First Rodeo” Really Means

When people say “Not my first rodeo,” they usually mean they’ve been through this kind of challenge before, and they know what to expect. It’s a declaration of experience, grit, and a quiet kind of confidence.

In terms of mental health, I think this phrase can be incredibly empowering. It reminds us that every time we’ve faced hardship—grief, loss, anxiety, burnout, trauma—we’ve built resilience that carries forward into the next challenge.

The next time life throws us something unexpected, we’re not coming at it empty-handed. We have tools, strategies, perspective, and an inner knowing that says: I’ve survived before. I will again.

My Rodeos: From Young Motherhood to Entrepreneurship

When I think back on my own life, I can see plenty of “first rodeos.”

Becoming a mother at 18 was my first. Then again at 19, and again at 21. I had three boys before many of my peers had even started their adult lives. My eldest is autistic and brilliant—reading anatomy encyclopedias at five years old. My middle boy has ADHD and endless energy, climbing rooftops when I turned my back. And my youngest, neurotypical, sometimes got lost in the chaos of it all. Parenting them was both beautiful and overwhelming, and I didn’t always have the skills I have now as a therapist. There were days of yelling, guilt, and exhaustion, but also laughter, learning, and deep love.

Later came the rodeos of balancing work and post-secondary education, pouring myself into learning while trying to provide for my kids. Add in the heartbreak and upheaval of separation and divorce, and those years were some of the most stressful of my life.

And then there was the rodeo of entrepreneurship. Transitioning from working at another clinic to opening Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. was both exciting and terrifying. I was not only a counsellor but suddenly a businesswoman—figuring out finances, designing a website, filing paperwork, managing staff—all while still being present for clients who trusted me with their deepest pain.

Each of those seasons stretched me, sometimes nearly to breaking. But each also strengthened me. Every rodeo left me with something—a skill, a perspective, a reminder of my own resilience—that prepared me for the next.

The Rodeos We Don’t Choose

Not every rodeo in life is one we sign up for. Trauma, loss, illness, broken relationships—these are challenges none of us would choose. But when they happen, they shape us.

The phrase “Not my first rodeo” doesn’t mean we’re unshaken or invincible. It means we’ve been tested before and carry that history of survival with us. It’s about trusting ourselves to keep standing, even when the ground feels unsteady.

For those struggling with mental health today—anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma—I want to remind you: your past struggles are not just scars. They are proof of your strength. Proof that you’ve already faced hard things and made it through. Proof that you can again.

A Lesson from Mara

Watching Mara grow this past year has been a gift. She approaches life with curiosity and joy, falling down and getting back up with determination and giggles. She doesn’t see her stumbles as failures—just part of the process of learning.

What if we approached our own challenges the same way? What if instead of shaming ourselves for “falling,” we saw it as part of our rodeo—a chance to practice resilience, gather strength, and get back on the horse?

Children remind us that resilience isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence, courage, and playfulness—even when life is hard.

Final Thoughts

As we celebrate Mara’s first rodeo, I’m reminded of all the rodeos I’ve already survived—and the ones still to come. Life doesn’t stop testing us, but it also doesn’t stop giving us chances to grow, heal, and rise again.

So the next time life feels overwhelming, pause and remind yourself: This isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve been here before. I know how to get through this. And I will again.

May we honour both the joy of the first rodeos and the wisdom of the ones that follow.

Sign-Off

Celebrating the rodeos of life—both the first and the familiar,

Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC

Founder & Clinical Director

Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.