Well, my family is a little bit in shock. You see, kind of unexpectedly, we adopted a mini-golden doodle from our local animal rescue shelter last night.
Sure, we’ve had intentions to get a dog…someday. But the boys have been asking (begging, pleading) all summer long. When the opportunity came to look at the very dog we’ve all wanted, well, we took the chance.
And now, I have a black, furry, sweetheart (no name yet) puppy at my feet.
We cancelled our plans for the day (and for the next few) so we can be home and help our new family member (and us) acclimate.
I have never potty-trained a dog before. Luckily my husband is around to help train us.. (What was I thinking…after nearly 10 years of raising kids my youngest is almost out of pull-ups! Deep breaths…I can do this.)
So that’s what I’m up to as we round out month two of summer.
As I moved through the day watching, observing (while a bit on edge) with this little fur ball, here’s one thing I’ve already learned – training a dog forces you to be in the present moment.
Being a dog owner (and a mom) is definitely full of lessons in mindfulness.
To be mindful is to listen, to pay close attention to and to expand our vision of what is happening now, while fully accepting it – the mess and all. It’s about paying attention, and making internal and external shifts as needed based on what’s going on.
The practice of being mindful brings us directly to the present moment and teaches us to learn how to accept it – even when it’s full of mess, chaos and disappointment.
Sometimes, in our attempt to be more present, we must let go of the “perfect” outcome that we so deeply desire. That’s hard. We have wants! And we want that stuff, those opportunities, the kids to sleep through the night, the dog to be trained, that ease, that amount of money in the bank, whatever…RIGHT NOW!
We want the dog, but we don’t want to deal with the poop, mess and slobber.
We want the kids, but we don’t want the noise, the tantrums, the emotional and physical drain.
We want life to be what we envision it to be in the future, without having to deal with the stuff – right here and now.
That’s tough, right? I so agree…
But even after a day and night of little sleep (it feels like a new baby is in the house), and learning what it means to bond and teach this furry little guy how to become a member of our family, I see that – the no sleep, the accidents, the hard times to be…a part of life.
Life is…messy.
Life is…imperfect.
Life is…noisy.
Life is…uncomfortable.
Life is…chaotic.
Life is also magical, joyous, peaceful, wondrous and a celebration.
Remember as you move through your messes, those messes aren’t YOU, and as Moana would say, they don’t define you either.
Whatever you may be going through in your life, where can you practice mindfulness?
Your Personal Reflection:
Can you start observing and paying more attention to the areas in your life that are calling to you? What’s working? What is more challenging? What are you avoiding? Can you go there? Can you listen? Can you pay more attention to what you need?
Where is your heart guiding you?
If you are feeling a bit confused about the direction of your life or feeling guided to find support with the changes you are in the midst of, check out my holistic life coaching and soul mentoring sessions.
I am currently offering 5 openings for sweet souls who are ready to face a fear, take a leap, make a change and embrace mindfulness, authenticity and dream-making in their lives.
For the remainder of summer, I’m offering “clarity sessions” – specifically for those who:
* are feeling an imbalance in family/work/personal life,
* are overwhelmed by the daily demand,
* are tired of struggling,
* are moms wanting to make their self and soul-care needs a priority,
* want to feel more creative and alive,
* are seeking meaning or a sense of belonging,
* are ready for some accountability as they make their dreams a reality.
If this sounds like you, hit reply to this email (or click here for more details) and let’s set up your FREE discovery call.
During that 20 minute (free) call, you’ll gain clarity, confidence and inspiration and we will determine if my intuitive, authentic and creative coaching style is the right fit for you!
Living a mindful, authentic and balanced life takes consistency, an open heart and a willingness to make mistakes.
Let’s walk through the messes, embrace imperfection and accept what is, so we can stop resisting and staying stuck in survival-mode, and instead, awaken our hearts and become who we are truly meant to be.
Let’s do it together. If this resonates with you, shoot me an email.
Be well, my friend. Wish me luck as I stumble and fumble as a puppy-mom!
Got any name ideas for this cutie?
