My Dog May Be My Greatest Teacher
Well… this is our first week back from Florida.
I wish I could tell you that I carried all of the space and calm back home with me… but, not so much.
From the minute I walked in the house, I could feel the whirlwind of emotion take over my body. To-do lists started forming in my head. Multitasking began. I felt stressed. I wanted to run around the house and scream quite honestly.
The day after we arrived home, I went and picked up our puppy from puppy training. We hired the best dog trainer. Our trainer, Tina, went above and beyond for us. All through the training she pointed out key things about our dog, Lilly. And here is what we learned. Lilly is just like most members of our family. She is busy and full of energy. She buzzes around the room and her biggest challenge is settling.
What??? We adopted a restless dog, just like me???
Suddenly, I understood Lilly better. And - it also became clear that Tina’s strategy to help Lilly is very similar to what I would tell a client. My mind was kind of blown here. Lilly has to practice doggy meditation for 90 minutes, twice per day. Essentially she arrives in this zen space and is completely relaxed and calm. Hmmmmm… perhaps the meditation space is something that I have been ignoring a bit too long.
In one month’s time, Lilly has transformed. She used to bark continuously to the point that we had to keep her in our pool house because otherwise, we couldn’t work. Never in a million years did I think she could come into the gym with me, sit nicely in meditation, and watch me workout. She is a more confident dog and knows what to expect. We know what to expect, too.
Putting this all together… the space that the dog is creating for herself is the same space that I need for myself. In Florida, I gave myself that space. At home, my neuroplasticity set in and I started zooming all over the place.
Often it is harder for us “restless” souls to meditate or be still or create space. Which is exactly why we need to do it.
While this post may seem fun and light, I want you to use it to evaluate if you feel a significant amount of restlessness in your day. If so, the time has come to implement some slow-down strategies. Whether it be meditation, or long walks in nature, etc., our minds can be even more brilliant if we give them the space to rest and recover.
Obstacles? Thoughts like, “I have so much to do.” “I can’t slow down.” “I will slow down when I retire.” “If I slow down, I won’t start back up.”
Remember, these are just thoughts. We can just as easily think, “I am committed to taking care of myself.” “A slower pace will allow me to process my emotions better.” Creating space for rest in each day is just as important as our nutrition and exercise.
This week, I want you to focus on creating space for yourself for 1 hour. Just 1 hour. No electronics. No expectations. Just you. See what comes up for you… and if you feel up to it, send us a note and let us know.
Ok. Back to dog training…