I’ve always been a ‘dog person’. Such simple creatures – the only thing you need to acquire a dog’s love is food, walks and pets. Could you imagine if life was that simple for you?
So, why isn’t it? When we think about what makes US happy, it is sometimes hard to define. It is much easier to identify what doesn’t make us happy!
Many people wait for a time when they will be happy – such as a holiday or time off work, or when you retire, or when you get that promotion. The problem with that is that you forget to live in the present. You forget to notice what makes you happy in the now.
Enjoy The Little Things
I believe gratitude is crucial. Each and every morning, it’s good to wake up with a positive thought in mind. Even if it’s something as simple as a sunny day, or a nice cup of tea that you are grateful for – a good start adds to an overall good day.
And thinking about the dog, when we compare a dog’s values to ours, they aren’t all that different deep down.
Dogs like affection, and will show affection back. In fact, they will show affection first even when you don’t. Humans, in comparison, may not always like being physically rubbed or patted on the head, but we do like affection. We like to know others care for us.
Like dogs, we are social beings, and we work better together. And just being around the right person (or people!) can boost your overall energy and mood.
Change Up Your Routine
Now, any dog owner would agree that dogs love routine, and they’re very efficient at it. Somehow, they always know when it’s their dinner time! But despite liking routine, dogs don’t tend to complain when their routine is broken.
‘Well Cheryl, dogs can’t talk’, you may be thinking. But it’s not like dogs don’t have other ways of showing us how they feel, from wagging tails to barks.
No, dogs don’t seem to worry at all when it comes to new things. And that’s how I think we should all aspire to be.
All New Things Come With Fear
If you haven’t done something before, it’s usually out of fear or discomfort, or maybe you have just never had (or made) the opportunity.
That’s particularly true when it comes to public speaking. Most people find regular speaking comes naturally, and they’re more than happy to start conversations with those they know.
But when it comes to speaking to new people, suddenly they feel a sense of danger – which usually stems from a fear of judgement. And the more people there are in the audience, the bigger the fear.
Here’s the thing. There are many ways to help reduce this fear from practicing to become more skilled at speaking, boosting confidence, gaining support or new skills. But at the end of the day, you have to still take the plunge to start the journey of public speaking, and that requires conquering part of your fear.
So, my advice is to be more dog. Embrace the ‘small stuff’, and find enjoyment in all the everyday activities. Try new things, whilst adopting an, ‘I don’t care what others think’ attitude. When you throw a new toy for a dog, it doesn’t think, ‘I’m not running after that weird thing, I might look stupid’ – the dog just goes for it. So – go for it.
Be More Dog!
Cheryl xx
PS – If you liked this blog and want to read more blogs surrounding female empowerment, you can find last week’s here: ‘8 Years Sober and Still Counting!‘
“I’m on a global mission to help 10 million disheartened souls, who are at a crossroads, to STOP asking why me? And START saying why not me!”