Compassionate Self

Normalize failing or making mistakes as part of your journey rather than labeling yourself or someone else (dog included) as being bad.

Our culture is fixated on success and achievement and moving on to the next that we make every effort to avoid the opportunity of learning within lesson of not getting the thing right.

Whatever “the thing” you deemed as the goal or outcome is not the source of your happiness.

Discovering the peace that’s already inside of you when you live fully present in each moment is available to you.

It’s up to you to be brave and be curious to what each day’s lessons are trying to show you.

You can start by not shaming yourself or others (dog included) when something doesn’t go as planned or mistakes happen.

Learn to flow with what is!

The Mystery of Liminal Space

You’ve come to realize what you’re currently doing is no longer working.

You’re tired.

You don’t see any changes happening with your dog and you continue feeling frustrated.

Simultaneously, you know things can be different.

You are feeling the push to make some changes and also feeling the pull to go back to where you were even though it was no longer working.

The liminal space you’re in is uncomfortable and it leaves you feeling uneasy.

You want something different, but crave familiarity.

You want your dog to change, so you can feel more at peace.

You also realize that if you want your dog to do something different, you too have to show up and do different too.

You resist.

You deny that anything you do needs to be different.

You retreat to what you know.

When you do, you also feel uncomfortable there too.

This limbo is part of your growth and it is a marker for change.

It’s ok to feel overwhelmed and uncertain. Growing and learning something new is unpredictable.

It has to be. To do something new and looking to make a change means you will becoming an explorer in your life.

You are charting your next steps in a direction that is more aligned for you.

Be kind to yourself. Be easy on yourself as you move and show up differently.

At the very least, have a good sense of humor and don’t take yourself or your dog so seriously.

You can choose how you experience learning something new and when you can see the joy emanating from your dog in learning together, feel your heart burst open allow the light to shine in.

You deserve it!

The Edges of Your Heart

Learning anything new requires you to change.

You evolve into a new way of being.

Learning isn’t always about acquiring knowledge from books, but learning about yourself and seeing what changes you need inside of yourself to align to the real you.

When you’re willing to let go of living a life based on how others see you or how you “think” you should be, you will feel fear and uncertainty, but this is the doorway to your own growth.

You can make a choice of continuing to play small or you can be brave and take the next tiniest step to the person you know who are, but have been too afraid to embody.

When those moments or hours or days show up that suck the wind out of you, be with your dog.

Allow yourself to feel the love your companion has for you and allow yourself to surrender into that moment that you are ok.

You will learn you can learn to love yourself as much as you companion animal loves you.

Don’t let fear stop you. Let it be your guide to open your heart.