Paws for the Good Stuff

A few days ago, I woke up feeling sluggish and unmotivated.

I Iazed in bed with my dog, Grace, idly counting the horizontal cracks in the wooden vigas across the ceiling over my bed. Was I depressed? Sick? Had an alien taken over my body? Not exactly. Then it dawned on me. I’d fallen off the wagon. I wasn’t hungover, but I was feeling unsettled, uninspired, and unmotivated. And I knew the culprit. My morning ritual had gone by the wayside.

Instead of grounding my mind in meditation, my fingertips busily played Wordle. Rather than read an inspirational quote or soul enhancing book first thing in the morning when our brain waves are the most receptive, I filled this prime real estate with news stories, each one worse than its predecessor. In lieu of feeling grateful for the good things in my life, I was lost in detailed lists of what I needed to accomplish.

Ken says this is the human cycle. We embark on positive habits for a while then slip back into ruts. In this state of mind it’s hard to feel motivated but losing my drive is incentive for me to get me back on track. So, I reached for my favorite tool, a book that is fun, inspiring, and because it’s made for animal lovers, it’s ideal. I opened Paws for the Good Stuff: A Dog Lover’s Journal for Creating a Happier & More Pawsitive Life and began my journaling adventure anew.

PFTGS is a gratitude journal I created when clients in my wellness practice bemoaned two things: how busy their lives were and how little time they had to spend with their beloved pets. I like to get from A to Z as fast as possible so I set out to create something that not only could help someone with little time connect in a deeper way to their animal friends but also create more happiness in their daily life. I studied the science behind brain waves, the overlooked benefits of journaling, and of course, having written Dog as My Doctor, Cat as My Nurse, I was aware of the powerful advantages that dogs and cats have on our health and wellbeing. I knew that if animal lovers followed the steps in the journal, over time they would feel less frustrated, negative, out of balance, and more inspired, motivated, and optimistic.

How Paws For the Good Stuff Works

The following steps are found on a typical journal page of Paws for the Good Stuff. I’ve added my comments so you can see how it works.

• Step One: Greet the morning with an uplifting quote. “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” – Abraham Lincoln. This was the quote I picked today and I whole-heartedly concur with Abe.

• Step Two: Choose a Power Word. I chose Peace. Just thinking about the word and the way it sounds, feels calming, doesn’t it?

• Step Three: This morning I woke up feeling______ and I’d prefer to feel _____. Easy one . I felt Blasé and prefer to feel Inspired!

• Step Four: I am grateful to my dog or cat because ______.  Another easy response….because Grace models unconditional love and inspires me to do the same.

• Step Five: “How can my BFF inspire me to have a more pawsitive day? My thought –  Despite the hardships she’s faced in the past, Grace wakes up each day with unbounded joy and reminds me to take a second and paws for the good stuff.

Do You Have Five Minutes?

It may not seem like much, but spending five minutes first thing in the morning when our brain waves are coming out of sleep, can jumpstart the rest of your day with a verve you might not have otherwise. My renewed enthusiasm during this morning ritual extends to other healthy habits: I drink more water, focus on healthier food choices, feel more energy to exercise, and remain mindful throughout the day rather than giving way to reactivity. When journaling gratitude becomes a consistent routine over months, the feeling of wellbeing and optimism grows exponentially. A pencil, a journal, your beloved dog or cat, and five minutes – a little bit of gratitude goes a long way.

Stay healthy and stay pawsitive,

Carlyn MDO 💜

PS: What’s the most pawsitive part of your day with your dog or cat? Share your comment in the box below. Animal lovers want to know!