Dogkittylutions for 2011

January 4, 2011 by libertatemamo 22 Comments

I’m not sure what it is, but the beginning of the year tends to bring about the sudden urge to make resolutions. I’ve always been so-so about this practice. I have “master” goals (and always have in my life) and every now and then I join the New Year crowd, but inevitably a lot of those pesky Jan 1st resolutions tend to be rather restrictive and end up being broken.

So, this year I thought I’d do something totally different which I’ve inventively named dogkittylutions. You see, being on the road has taught me a lot about enjoying the moment, and being with our animals has taught me even more. In fact, Polly and the cats have been so fantastically inspiring that I decided the best thing I  could do for myself in 2011 is learn from their lead. So, with life lessons learnt from my furry friends allow me to introduce my 8 dogkittylutions for 2011:

1. Live in the Moment – No matter what the past might have been, what the situation is now or how many bugs are sucking the life out of you, always enjoy the moment. This is dogkitty-gospel #1 and we can all learn from that one.

2. Never Pass up a Chance to Play – Playtime is sacred and should always be encouraged at any age.

3. If You Don’t Like the Stick You’ve Got, Get Another One – This may seem rather deep for a doggie-moment, and the profundity of the statement does take some time to sink in. Most people spend their lives not making change because they worry their next situation may be worse than the one they’ve got. Always have the courage to make the jump and be the person that goes and gets another stick.

4. Your Past Does Not Define You – Having volunteered for many years in dog rescue I’ve always been amazed at how pets, even from abuse, manage to turn around and live life to its fullest. Your past job, your past life and your old things will never define you unless you let them. So, don’t let ’em.

5. Express Joy to It’s Fullest – Never be afraid to bound with joy and shriek with happiness. After all, joy is part of what life is all about. Our pets and kids all know this, but most of us lose that lesson as we grow up. Go find it again.

6. Be An Eternal Optimist – In the end life is but a point of view, and that point of view is of your own making. Dogs are eternal optimists and so they’re eternally happy. You can be too if you work at it.

7. Happiness and Adventure are All Around You – Polly is always excited to be places whether it’s a hike in the mountains, or a just a walk around the gas station at a stop…it’s all an adventure to her. So, whether you wheel the road or walk the same street everyday, happiness and adventure can be found everywhere if you just open up your mind to it.

8. Bask In Your Own Beauty – Our cats are especially adept at basking in their own beauty, and it’s a good lesson to learn. No matter what others may say, know that you’re a god(ess) in your own way.

I’m pretty confident I can keep these dogkittylutions for the next year and even if I don’t, I’ll have a darned good time trying to. So, what’s your plan?