Be the Change
It’s cliché, right? “Be the change you want to see.”
The trouble is that it’s true, which is what makes the statement so annoying in and of itself.
Changing ourselves is so much more difficult than focusing on what’s wrong out in the world.
But that doesn’t get us anywhere, and it really only adds to our misery and suffering. And who wants that?
When it comes to our pets, it’s not always easy to recognize where we can change that would lead to better results with them.
Here’s a few things to mull over…
How can you ask your dog to be calm if you are not in a calm space yourself?
How can you ask your horse to be balanced if you are not in balance in your body yourself?
How can you ask your cat to connect if everything in your energy is pushing away?
One of the fastest (and cheapest - no trainer required!) ways to get better results with your pet is to work on the things you wish were different for yourself first.
It’s that simple. Not easy, just simple.
The next time your dog is acting crazy and you wish they’d calm down - check yourself first. Are you breathing? Where is your energy? Is there unconscious tension in your body somewhere?
When your horse is unbalanced, and giving you a difficult ride - check in. Can you find your center? Put you awareness into your pelvis and seat, dropping into your core? Can you feel which way your horse is pushing you off balance? Can you resist that feeling and find your own center despite the waves of force of their body?
If your cat just won’t come snuggle with you - pause, and see what your energy is doing. Are you present in this moment? Are you feeling grounded and neutral in your body? Is there lingering energy from some other experience that is weighing on you (work stress, financial stress, relationship stress…) that you may not be fully acknowledging the impact of? Explore where your emotions and energy are, and see how that might impact your pet’s desire to be close to you.
Being able to be introspective when our pet’s behavior is less than desirable is a fast way to start making change with our pets, and to simply be a better human along the way. Our pets aren’t here with the sole purpose of teaching us, but there is so much that we can learn about being a better person if we’re willing to listen to what they are saying.
