Confessions of a Type-A Personality
I’m a recovering workaholic with a competitive streak. Patience is not one of my virtues. Friends who know me from my previous life living in California would probably agree that I’m a Type A personality. But living in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the last three years has found me slipping towards Type B – focused less on accomplishment and more on enjoying the journey.
Though my pace of life is slower, I still pride myself on being productive. Writing books is my priority but I’ve added new ventures to my day solely for enjoyment. When people ask why I’m learning French, I answer truthfully, for no good reason. I’ve also taken up the piano and have spent hours cultivating a garden. What no longer weighs on me as it once did are the high stress levels I had considered part of my make-up.
I didn’t arrive at this place on my own. My rescue dog, Grace, has had her paws in my make-over. In her subtle canine ways, she has assisted my return to balance.
Five Ways Pets Can Help You Slow Down
1. The Art Cat Napping—Grace isn’t a feline, but she takes her job as my sleep guru seriously. After lunch, I like to read but with Grace snoring beside me, soon I’m snoozing too. A twenty-minute nap is my ticket to reset my body, restore my energy levels, melt away stress, and recharge my brain.
2. Walk & Chat—Every morning my dog and I take a long hike. On the trails, we’ve encountered coyotes, hawks, a tarantula, and even a cougar. Hiking is also where I’ve made new friends. The conversation often starts with a stranger saying, “I love your dog.” It usually ends with an exchange of phone numbers. The MayoClinic states friendships increase our sense of belonging and purpose and add to our happiness. I used to hike to get from point A to point B as fast as possible. Now, it’s about connecting with nature, and slowing down to meet fellow travelers.
3. Pet Your Pet—Wind down while strengthening your bond with your pet by including touch in your daily ritual. Petting a pet is shown to decrease high blood pressure and diminish anxiety. It also boosts our feel-good hormones, oxytocin and serotonin, while decreasing the stress hormone, cortisol. As long as your pet is a willing participant, petting benefits them too. My husband, Ken, gives Grace several mini-massages during the day. The smile across his face as he kneads her plush fur is priceless.
4. Live Long & Garden—I once had a brown thumb. But this year I planted a garden. Three tons of gravel for mulch, thirty homemade gopher baskets, and mountains of tumbleweeds later, I’ve turned our bare patch into the start of a lovely area for hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and the occasional rabbit. Gardening takes work, but watering our salvias, lavender bushes, and trumpet plants (with gray water), and watching them bloom and attract pollinators has been deeply satisfying. I don’t garden alone. Grace can usually be found dozing on a cushiony pile of purslane, often with a brilliant panoramic sunset behind her. These are the moments I realize what a beautiful world we live in if only we take time to enjoy it.
5. Stop & Smell the Roses—Gratitude is one of the easiest and most powerful practices I’ve ever adopted. Despite its simplicity, people resist gratitude practice, which is why I created a gratitude journal specifically designed for animal lovers. If you love your dog, cat, horse or other companion animal, then you will find many reasons to be grateful. From better relationships, to reducing toxic emotions, and improving self-esteem, the health and emotional benefits of expressing thanks are boundless.
Dog as My Doctor
I thought the slow lane would damper my productivity. Instead it’s done the opposite. I may not yet be a Type-B personality but even at an A minus, Ken and I connect more, my relationships with friends have deepened, and despite COVID-19’s challenges to life as we know it, I’ve been able to remain creative and on purpose.
Our pets can teach us so much about how to live a more extraordinary life. But sometimes the only way to garner their wisdom is by slowing down, becoming mindful of their subtle messages, and being willing to let go and follow their lead.
Stay Pawsitive,
Carlyn MDO
PS: Are you a recovering Type-A personality? What one thing has your pet taught you about slowing down? Let me know in the comments section below:)
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