Tynley is the picture of happiness. I often think, if only I had her beautifully-innocent, constantly-content heart.
A day done right with Tynley by my side can often mean finding that perfect serene, breathtaking spot and taking a moment to absorb thoughts and the stillness. We enjoy finding ourselves sitting together with a gorgeous view spread across the land, water, and sky before us as if created only for our special outing. We all seek out the content feeling existing in this type of moment and wish for its presence in daily life. We want to realize happiness in newfound ways, happiness from familiar experiences, and happiness from pleasant truths, memories, and feelings we hold deeply in our hearts, but how can we without first stopping to understand ourselves personally and know for a fact what makes us tick?
Strength in numbers is a phrase many of us know, but you’ll find my version of this saying a bit altered today as I mention strength in one (which, in my life, comes with a plus one in canine form). Though this phrase typically is used to discuss ability to complete a task through shared effort, my reference is about having personal insight and being secure with oneself before all else. One self-knowing, capable-by-choice individual happy with who she is can be a powerhouse. She who is self-aware and confident in her own pursuits (and who has the admiration and approval of an intuitive canine) has the world at her fingertips.
Taking time to stop, think, and become aware through alone time with the soul can lead to a first-rate life experience. Alone is a state of being we most often fear, though. Not counting the much-desired time shared with sweet fur babies by our sides, how good are most of us at being without the presence of others to fill up our time and minds? Why can’t we be comfortable with just ourselves? Why must there be some mindless activity in front of us to pass the time or another person to fill us up? Why is it so hard to spend time only thinking and becoming more aware? We were placed on this planet together to be there for one another, which is without doubt a very good thing, but at what point are we relying too heavily on the actions of others to survive and form our “own” happiness? Perhaps we could all use a lesson in taking time for ourselves to stop and realize who we are, what we need, how we give to others, and what we want to do.
After becoming more aware, we can more fully understand how we connect to others positively and are fulfilled in life. We can then choose our actions in a manner that prepares us to take the right personal path. In getting to know ourselves, we can mold our present and future into what is right. This is not to say we should all lead lives of solitude and stop engaging with those around us, but if we know that our happiness starts on the inside and works its way outward, we can lead the lives we create in our dreams and wake up to that ecstatic furry friend each day with returned enthusiasm.
Finding contentment from within oneself before reaching out to others to complete the equation is an important part of well-being. Feeling happy without looking for that “fix” somewhere else is a challenging yet rewarding task. Why do we naturally have a tendency to hinge our happiness on interactions with others? When we look for someone else to create our happiness, we may find ourselves failing. The people we love will at some point become human and let us down (see: why dogs are awesome). Guess what? We all do this to others, not necessarily knowing so, at different points in time. This type of behavior is normal; we wouldn’t be human if this didn’t happen, but if all of our “happiness eggs” are placed in other baskets, then what? While human nature will kick in and our reactions and feelings will always be somewhat based on how we are co-existing with others around us, we should place an intentional focus on a core understanding of the self being the first part of our personal awareness. We then are strong and accepting individuals when interacting with others and can forge healthy bonds. Make no mistake: live full lives with those you care about and let them in fully. In addition, however, ensure that you are strong personally first and that you know what you want in life no matter the actions of others, for you cannot control what they will do, only what you will do. Create your own positivity before looking outward.
This discussion is obviously about interactions with humans. Tynley is always by my side. That’s just a given. If only we could take a page from the canine book and have an enduring smile and completely selfless heart and attitude without initial work. I absolutely want to surround myself with the love and friendship of others, but first, I have to put in the work to understand yours truly. How can we love others with all the respect deserved without a strong understanding of ourselves first? How can we love another in a romantic relationship without knowing what we need from the partnership and what we have to offer? How can we be good friends to others without knowing the ways we’re most capable of being supportive in good and bad times? How can we be family members to rely on without a true understanding of our best abilities and limitations? Once we learn and accept the basics of who we are, we can give to others and strive to attain what we need and want out of life. Once a person has spent some time “alone” with an end-goal of self-cognizance, she can begin the process of being all she was meant to be. I am more of an asset to others and myself when I’ve learned what allows me to be at my best first.
Knowing who we are before all else creates more productivity, happiness, and wellness as a whole. Once this awareness exists, we can enjoy enriched feelings like those of a smiling, bright-eyed, tail-wagging canine companion.