I often recommend my clients adopt a pet. Here's why.
Pets have this amazing way of making us realize that some behaviors are not centered around us, or a reaction to us. They just ARE. My cat doesn’t put her paw on my face in the middle of the night to prevent me from sleeping before a 12-hour shift. She doesn’t know any better. She is simply expressing her love. Forcing me to think about this always helps me reflect on the times when I have centered myself in reaction with other human beings…and it isn’t always correct. Someone once told me, “if we treated all of our loved ones the way we treat our pets, the world would sure be a more forgiving place.” And he was right.
“If we treated all of our loved ones the way we treat our pets, the world would sure be a more forgiving place.”
They also force us to slow down sometimes. I love the meme that says, “I’m so sorry I was late, my cat was sleeping on my lap.” The funny part is…unless it’s a wedding or work or
a timed event of some sort, there’s no one on the planet who wouldn’t understand. There’s an automatic forgiveness there. And it’s beautiful. We need to harness those moments even for ourselves.
Also – having pets around can serve as a comedic relief – sometimes all day long. I absolutely love watching my furry little ones chase small insects/animals, play with their toys, show me new and unbelievable ways of contorting their bodies while still being able to get sleep – filled with snores. Those smiles that they bring to my face are undeniable in their forcing happiness.
On top of those, there are some very practical ways pets can help us destress. They can sometimes help signal when something is wrong (such as service dogs trained to do this for certain illnesses or disabilities), they can force us to be social (by walking and insisting on meeting the dog across the street), and they can help us stay on track with our daily routines (with feeding, walking, brushing, etc.).
Pets teach us so many things. Look at this:
Don’t forget to play
Relax – preferably surrounded by the things you love
Be persistent to get what you want
Be present
Never stop being curious
Give everything you have
But forgive yourself, too
Don’t be afraid to speak up
Make friends when you can
There are a lot of studies out there that highlight the mental health advantages to adopting a pet. If you have been considering it and you have the time/capacity/money to do so – I highly recommend it.
And as always...sunscreen and toe beans...
Yorumlar