Connecting people, pets, and nature, through mindfulness!
Have you ever had to housebreak a puppy?
Here’s the thing. Puppies gotta go. And, like babies, when they gotta go, they go. They don’t have the muscle control to NOT go, when they’re small.
So, every time you think about it, you take her outside, to her own special spot in your yard, and let her sniff around. The scent of her potty spot will start to reach through all those puppy distractions, and remind her body that THIS is THE spot.
When she catches on, you praise her. EXTRAVAGANT praise. EVERY TIME. Until her puppy body and her puppy brain can get it together, and she begins to let YOU know when she needs to go to her special spot in the yard.
It takes time and patience and, most of all, persistence.
Our brains are EXACTLY like that.
EVERY time you catch yourself thinking those unkind, unloving thoughts, take your brain out and remind it what it’s supposed to be doing. Where it’s supposed to be.
EVERY time.
Yes, it takes practice. For me, I’m breaking 55 years’ worth of habit. Hopefully, you’re starting sooner than I did! Either way, if we keep at it, keep taking our puppy out and reminding her gently where she’s supposed to be, and rewarding her when she does what we want her to do, she WILL get it.
Five times today, take a couple of minutes to remind your brain of where it’s supposed to be and what it should be doing.
Purge the unkind thoughts, the unloving ideas, and remind your puppy brain that it needs to be somewhere else. Somewhere different.
But most of all, be kind to yourself. Remember, it takes practice and time.
And, have a FABULOUS day today!
Photo by b398, courtesy of Pixabay
With Grace and Gratitude,
LeslieAnne
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