Mindfulness and Puppies

We brought home a new puppy last week. It seemed reasonable. We told ourselves: we are working from home, so why not?

This puppy is an 11-week old spitfire. Full of herself, she has taken over the house, our lives, our sleep, and stolen the hearts of everyone, except the 12-year-old dog that had had us all to herself and liked it that way.

Here’s what I had forgotten about having a puppy, they don’t care if you are on the phone. They don’t care if you have a meeting. They don’t care if you really want to sit down and read the newspaper. What they need is right now, always. Caring for this baby requires me to be attuned to her needs, all her needs, all the time. The puppy forces me to be mindful, present, intuitive. Wow!

Imagine if we went through life even a little more mindful, present, intuitive to our colleagues, clients, employees, and friends. What if we looked them in the eyes, and really listened? What else might we understand about their needs and vulnerabilities? What might we create together? Imagine the trust we could establish.

I’m getting used to this sweet girl and understanding her signals. And, she is getting used to us. She is an awesome reminder of the mindfulness I hope to bring to all my client relationships.