Last week Doc and I took a much needed vacation. She went to the beaches of Florida while I stayed with my favorite veterinarian. Please don’t think I got the raw end of the deal because not only was I thoroughly pampered, but I think it is actually good for us to be apart for awhile. What ended up being interesting about the time off is that both of us came back with a different perspective about our daily lives and as a result decided to make some changes.
Its hard to know that you are in a rut until you get out of it for awhile. While I was eating up the attention and accolades about being the most perfect and polite dog staying at the veterinarians, Doc was finding out that after she got away how exhausted she was. She said she slept, relaxed and didn’t pressure herself to do anything she did not want to . After all vacation means to vacate your current situation. And what did we find out while we were gone? That we both needed to make some changes to support self care. As a therapy team it is important to not only practice what we preach but to model it as well.
We realized we are both way overscheduled and decided it is time to let go of a few things that were weighing us down. Doc started by resigning from some committee she was on. I was glad because that meant I didn’t have to go to the meetings either. It was boring to this dog and I had to be extra quiet during the discussions, so I support her on that decision. Next it was time to evaluate some relationships in our lives that were emotionally exhausting. Doc calls those people vampires, because when you are around them you feel like they suck the life out of you. Doc let go of her vampire by setting some better boundaries and limiting the time spent on the relationship. For myself, it was the dog up the street that I have tried to befriend for years but he always growls at me like he is the superior canine. So rude! Doc said to me ” Grover as cute as you are not everyone is going to like or appreciate how sweet you are, so let that dog go.” She was right, so now I stay on the other side of the street and walk on by.
What is strange about making these changes is that you would have thought that it would have been harder than it was, but you know what, it was just the opposite. We both felt a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted. I do think wisdom comes with age and since both Doc and I are getting older, you come to a place that you need to decide how much more of your life you want to waste on situations or people that leave you feeling worn out or anxious. We all make some bad choices sometimes, but the good news is that we can also choose to learn from our mistakes and then move forward.
So here’s to letting go of toxic thoughts. people, grudges, or situations and embracing more peace and tranquility.