There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. – William Shakespeare, Hamlet

One of the greatest sources of unhappiness is the inability to accept things as they are. Accepting what is, without wishing things were different, can trip up even the most serene among us. And yet, accepting what is is the key to living a positive, present life.

Accepting what is, like so many things, is about living in the moment. It’s about looking at the present moment without judgment. In order to live in the moment, you have to be willing to look at this present moment and say “this is what is real right now.”

Does this mean you shouldn’t want things to change? Not at all. But if you want things to change, Continue Reading

Guest post by Angie Bailey

I find I often make choices based on my schedule or to-do list instead of listening to my body’s wisdom. I’m pretty certain I’m not alone in this one. Sometimes choices based on schedules and lists are necessary – I’d certainly never blow off a job interview because I felt like I needed a nap; however, within the times of the day that really are flexible (despite what my planner pad says), I can certainly adjust my activities.

A cat is a master at listening to what his body needs and promptly taking care of those needs. When he’s hungry, he eats (if he’s freely fed, of course). When he’s tired, he has no qualms with curling up and snoozing until his body says it’s time to awaken. When he feels stiff or achy, he stretches. And when he feels playful, he plays! He isn’t ruled by some schedule that tells him he must wake up at a certain time and has to stop birdwatching to bat a jingle ball for a few minutes.

I, on the other hand, feel sometimes like I’m a slave to my schedule. Continue Reading

Life’s disappointments can knock the wind out of the best of us, and sometimes, it seems like we’ll never get over some of the bad things that happen. As humans, our tendency can be to continue to bring up our painful past, rather than working on healing the pain and moving on with our lives.

Cats don’t do this. They live in the moment. They don’t dwell in the past and constantly revisit it, nor do they use the past as an excuse for not being happy in the present. This is particularly evident with cats who were rescued from marginal or abusive circumstances. It is humbling to be loved unconditionally by an animal coming from a rough beginning. While some of these cats may initially be cautious around humans, most of them adjust quickly once they find their forever home and a person who is willing to be patient and allow the bond between cat and human to develop slowly so that it can turn into trust and eventually love. Cats do not allow their early life experiences to define them the way so many humans do.

So why is it so hard for humans to just “get over it?”Continue Reading

Guest post by Angie Bailey

Have you ever had that “stuck” feeling? Like you’re just not quite sure how to move forward and you’re a little afraid to move at all, for fear you’ll make the “wrong” choice? I know there have been times when I’ve found myself in that position and, honestly, at those times I felt paralyzed. Sometimes I moved ahead and sometimes — again, because of fear — I did not and I occasionally wonder what would have happened if I’d just taken a chance.

Part of the reason I felt paralyzed is because I didn’t feel like I had the resources to advance in my preferred direction. And by resources, I mean money, time, connections, equipment…all types of resources. What I’ve found is that the resources I picture in my head aren’t necessarily the resources I really have to have to move forward.

Cats completely get this. They have no sort of expectationContinue Reading

Hi everyone, it’s Allegra! It’s been a while since I got to write something here. I’ve been too busy keeping my sister Ruby in line, and making sure Mom takes breaks from work. Let me tell you, between the two of them – it can get exhausting.

If you’re wondering what’s harder – keeping an eye on Ruby, or making sure that Mom relaxes enough – well, I’d have to say it’s getting Mom to relax. I will never understand why humans have such a hard time with this concept of just hanging out, just being. I can sit for hours, either staring into space, or sleeping, and let me tell you, it feels really really wonderful!

Sometimes, I even resort to sitting in Mom’s lap to get her to relax. It seems to be the most effective wayContinue Reading