Hey, everyone! Guess what today is? It’s my birthday! Mom says she can’t believe I’m four years old, because I still look and act like a kitten.Continue Reading
Happy Labor Day 2014
We’re celebrating Labor Day in the United States today, and my two hard-working girls, Allegra and Ruby, are observing the holiday by taking a well-deserved break.Continue Reading
Sunday Purrs: Don’t Doubt Yourself
When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt. – Honore de Balzac
We’ve all had those days, when it feels like nothing we do is good enough. We question our abilities, feel like we’ll never be successful, and, to make matters worse, berate ourselves for feeling that way. Self-doubt is insidious – it’s that little or not so little voice that keeps telling you that “you’re just not good enough.” I don’t think cats experience self-doubt in quite the same way we humans do, but some cats are definitely less confident than others.
When it comes to helping cats who lack self-confidence, Continue Reading
Allegra’s World: It’s my 5th Birthday
I’m five years old today! Mom says she can’t believe it. She says it seems like only yesterday that I came to live with her as a rambunctious little kitten.Continue Reading
Ruby’s Reflections: Meditating with Mom
Hi, everyone! It’s Ruby! It’s been forever since Mom let me write something here. I’ve been hard at work helping her with product reviews, being Mom’s office assistant, and, my most important job of them all, keeping my sister Allegra in line. What’s that, Allegra? You keep me in line? <kitty snort>
Anyway, one of my jobs is to help Mom meditate every morning. Continue Reading
Sunday Purrs: Introverts and Extroverts
The terms introvert and extrovert are often misunderstood. Just because someone is bubbly and outgoing doesn’t necessarily mean they’re an extrovert, and just because someone is shy and quiet doesn’t automatically make them an introvert. The difference between introverts and extroverts has to do with how both types gain or loose energy. Introverts are drained by being around people for extended periods of time and need alone time to recharge. Extroverts thrive on interaction with others and tend to get drained if they have too much time to themselves. I believe that to some extent, these purrsonality types (I know. I just couldn’t resist!) apply to cats as well.Continue Reading
Sunday Purrs: Happiness and Butterflies
I’ve always liked the Thoreau quote “Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” But I love this version by an unknown author even more:
Happiness does not light softly on my shoulder like a butterfly.
She pounces on my lap, demanding that I scratch behind her ears.
There isn’t much in life that makes me as happy as Allegra or Ruby. Continue Reading
Sunday Purrs: How to Stop Worrying about Money
Last Sunday, I wrote about the waste of worry, and how to limit the time you spend worrying about things that may never happen. This week, I’m going to focus on something almost everyone I know indulges in: worrying about money. In this tough economy, worrying about money has become an accepted part of our culture, and it doesn’t seem to matter how much or how little money you have. Worrying about money has more to do with your mindset than your bank balance.
I’m not a financial expert, so if you’re looking for advice on what to do so you have more money coming in, this is not the right article for you. But I do have some suggestions for you Continue Reading
Sunday Purrs: The Waste of Worry
I admit it: I’m a recovering worrier. I have a long history of worrying, and I learned from the master. My dad had elevated worrying to an art form. It wasn’t until the final months of his life when he truly learned to live in the moment. During my last visit with him, when he was already very ill, he told me how he’d learned to “appreciate every flower, and every butterfly.” It sounds trite, but it resonated deeply with me, coming from a man who had spent so much of his life doing the exact opposite.
I was also fortunate that I had a feline master teacher who showed me Continue Reading
Sunday Purrs: The Value of Taking a Break
No one can get inner peace by pouncing on it. – Harry Emerson Fosdick
When you run your own business and work from home, the way I do, you don’t have a set work day or work week. It’s easy to forget to take breaks, especially when you’re doing what you love. Thankfully, I have Allegra and Ruby to remind me to take frequent breaks throughout the day, but sometimes, I feel like I need a whole day off – and that’s what I’m going to try to do today.
Taking a break can help you gain perspective, recharge and refocus. Continue Reading
Sunday Purrs: Just Say No to Drama
When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be,
you are creating drama. – Eckhart Tolle
I like a good drama as much as the next person. Intrigue, passion, mystery – what’s not to like? But when I say I like drama, I’m talking about fiction, not real life. When it comes to real life drama, I don’t want any part of it.
Drama is toxic. Even if you’re not a drama queen, you’ll still be affected by drama around you. Maybe you have a friend who always seems to be in one crisis or another. Maybe you’re the person everyone comes to with their problems. Or maybe you have a tendency to turn small problems into much larger ones.Continue Reading