Pets are Talking

Stress Less- For your Pet's Sake

Oh, people. People, people, people! Get ahold of yourselves! Stop stressing your pets out!

Here's what I'm hearing a lot of these days:

- My dog is scared to go outside.

-My cat won't come out from under the bed.

-My dog is gaining A LOT of weight.

- My dog is hiding food around the house. 

-My dog snapped at his friend. He's NEVER done that before.

-My dog gets scared at the park, and won't come when I call him.

-Why is my dog's tail tucked all the time?

-My dog is losing his mind when he sees another dog. He NEVER used to do this before. 

-My horse seems real spooky all of a sudden.

Here's what I'm hearing from pets:

- Mom's scared we're going to lose the house.

- What is this "Bad Economy" and can it get me?

- Dad doesn't want to play anymore.

- I just can't shake this feeling that something bad is going to happen.

-I have to protect Mom.

- Mom says we won't be okay unless we get more money. Where can I get some money?

- Am I going back to the shelter? 

- If we lose the house, where will I live?

- If something happens to my family, what will happen to me?

Whether you are truly in a state of financial crisis, or you're just stressed from the constant onslaught of bad economic news, you need to stop stressing out yourself and your pet. 

Pets, especially dogs, are emotional sponges. They will take on our worries and concerns. They will even take on our disease. Often, when I'm talking with a pet, and I notice a pain, the owner will say, "Hey, my shoulder hurts too." 

Little Pitchers have big ears.  When you talk or think about...losing your job, losing your house, holding a cardboard sign by the onramp, your pets pick this up. They don't necessarily understand that you might just be venting. 

So, how do we stop this? How do we move forward, away from fear? How do we help our pets? 

First thing, tell your pet that it's going to be okay.  Tell them that they don't have to be an emotional sponge. 

2. don't vent in front of your pet. You can cry a little on their shoulder, but then tell them thank you and that It's going to be OK.

3. if you are in financial crisis, start planning now for how you're going to take care of your pet if you need to re-home him or her.  Don't avoid doing this. 

4. Shut off the news. There is just as much money and resources as there ever was. It's our mindset that's dragging us down. 

5.  Stop: drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, eating unhealthy snacks, obsessively playing solitaire. Stop your obsessions. Stop the things that take you out of the moment. Face the moment. It's not so bad. 

6.  Take hot baths with kosher salt. Do yoga. Pray. Be nice to you. 

7.  Tell yourself it's going to be okay. If you don't believe you, say, "Bridget says it's going to be okay."  If you don't believe me, ask a trusted friend to tell you that it's going to be okay. Then say to yourself "Bob says it's going to be okay." 

It's going to be okay. I promise. 

Monday Matters- Your First Chakra

It sounds like something from Fisher-Price: "My First Chakra".  This fundamental chakra is usually not given much attention. It's not as sexy as the second chakra, not as lovable as the fourth, and certainly not as cool as the sixth and seventh. 

The first chakra keeps us here, grounded, present. When your first chakra is aligned, things are just easier. Life doesn't feel so hard. 

We get stuck in a fear cycle that causes our 1st chakra to shut down. We fear pain, so we avoid presence, which makes us less grounded and makes life more difficult, which then increases our fear. We wind ourselves up like taffy, and feel further and further away from peace and joy.

My friend Jennifer, said to me, "Bridget, life is not about suffering."  Up until that moment, I thought it was. I thought we were here to suffer to learn compassion. Well, that's not true. We're here to feel what it's like to experience life on the physical plane. Life in all its states, from anguish to effervescent joy, from the annoyance of a mosquito to the sublimity of ice cream. 

To truly experience life and everything it has to offer, your 1st chakra needs to be in-balance. 

There are thousands of ways to balance that chakra. Here are two that I like. 

You have a Right to Exist!

First, acknowledge your right to exist. Can you say, "I have a right to exist." with conviction? Or does it come out all wussy? Say it out loud. See how it sounds. Do you feel good? Or do you feel like you're questioning? 

I did this exercise on Saturday morning. At first, I said, "I have a right to exist?" Then I shouted "I have a right to exist!"  Then I got so much work done on Saturday and Sunday, and it felt good. 

Whenever you feel little, say "I have a right to exist, and I have a reason to be here." Because you do. You have a right to exist and a reason to be here. You have a purpose. 

How does that feel when you say it? "I have a right to exist!" 

The Bridge Pose

This yoga asana draws energy from the earth. Lie on your back on the ground, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Then push down on your feet and lift your pelvis towards the sky. You'll feel your chest open up and your stomach engage. Breathe deeply. 

This asana grounds us. It engages us. It puts us right here, where we want to be.