The leash you can do…
is be positive.
“Come on you damn dog!”
I can see my breath as I yell through gritted teeth.
The frigid outside temps fuel my impatience. My dog is sniffing every square nano-centimeter of our front yard like it’s not 24 degrees out. My fingers are literally numb to the tension of tugging on the taut leash.
“COME! ON!”
The cloud of my liquid breath drips with disdain and I swear the dog becomes even more defiant. Like he knows I would rather be anywhere else but outside in the cold waiting for him to find the most random spot to pee.
Never mind that inside my warm home, I only have a mere 4 pee spot choices (well, 4 acceptable, appropriate choices). But of course, for my fur baby, the world is his literal urinal.
I find zero success with yelling, griping and tugging. It’s time for the big guns … positivity.
I take in a deep breath. The crisp air renews my lungs and mind with encouraging energy and with an excited voice of possibility, I call out to my pup, “Come on Blu! What’s over here?!”
Blu picks up on my enthusiasm and is suddenly interested in whatever I have to say and wherever I want to go.
The leash slackens, the dog cooperates and now we’re a team moving in the same direction.
With the change in attitude, I notice a change in mood, his and mine.
And not just a change in mood, a change in the resistance from him, a change in my own outlook and a change in the excitement of traveling a path in tandem with him.
As the boy and I walk to scope out the ideal pee palace (for him), I realize there’s a powerful lesson here (not at the pee palace).
When someone asks you to join them for a walk, a task or a new opportunity, what would make you more willing to join them?
If they’re tugging at you with disdain and pleading through gritted teeth, how likely are you to want to join them?
If they project defiance in their body language and tone of voice, how likely is it that you’ll actually partake of their opportunity?
If you’re like me (and Blu apparently), the resistance that travels the length of the leash prevents inspiration, suppresses excitement and dulls interest.
Pulling out the big dogs of positivity loosen the reigns of resistance and open up a world of enthusiasm and mutual participation.
My pups have taught me a lot of valuable lessons that I walk from the front yard to the larger playing field of life.
When I approach anything with a sense of excitement and optimism, I have a better outlook on what lies ahead (and a better chance of encouraging a travel buddy to join me).
We can collar our perspective and see the walk in front of us as an adventure with lessons and opportunities.
We can face things knowing that something pawsitive lies in wait fur us.
We can work with others and bring out the best in each other.
It’s the leash we can do.