Purrs of Wisdom with Ingrid King

To cure jealousy is to see it for what it is: a dissatisfaction with self. – Joan Didion

Jealousy is a complex emotion that everyone experiences at one time or another. It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others. And yes, cats get jealous, too.

Jealousy can be toxic. It makes you feel small and petty. On the face of it, jealousy seems to be directed at the other person, but ultimately, the only one suffering is you. It’s not easy to admit to being jealous, because it means facing your own insecurities and fears. Jealousy feels awful, and allowing yourself to indulge in it will almost always damage your soul.Continue Reading

Sometimes, no matter how much you love your life, it’s good to get away from it all. And one of the best ways to really get away from everything is a personal retreat. When you work from home the way I do, it’s challenging to unplug completely. There’s always one more email to check, one more comment to moderate, and one more cute photo of Allegra and Ruby to share.

The idea of a personal retreat is to disconnect from the business and distractions of every day life, and to have a chance to regroup on a mental, emotional and spiritual level. Continue Reading

I try to embrace each season for its special gifts, but I’m a summer girl at heart. I thrive on warm weather and sun light. Come to think of it, I’m much like a cat in that respect! I don’t like cold weather, and I definitely don’t like snow. As a result, this time of year is challenging for me: the winter doldrums have definitely set in for me. Even though the days are already starting to get longer, spring still seems a long way off. And while I don’t have a true case of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I still struggle with the lack of light, especially on grey, gloomy days.

People who suffer from SAD may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods during this time. They may also feel Continue Reading

There is no doubt in my mind that cats have the power to change lives. I’ve experienced it in my own life more than once. Feebee, my first cat, was responsible for me leaving my soulless corporate job and embarking on a career in veterinary medicine. Buckley changed my life in more ways than I ever could have imagined. It took an entire book to tell her story! Amber, of course, inspired this website, and Allegra and Ruby are continuing the tradition of feline change catalysts in my life.

The word “catalyst” refers to a substance or force that accelerates change at a faster rate than is otherwise possible.  Catalysts help others achieve their goals in a more positive way. And how purrfect is it that the word “cat” is at the root of the word “catalyst!”Continue Reading

The beginning is always today. – Mary Shelley

Ah, the New Year. A clean slate, the promise of a fresh start. It’s like the ultimate Monday. Did you have a bad weekend? No worries, it’s a new week. Did you go through some challenging times last year? It’s January. You can start over.

Unfortunately, for many of us, this “fresh start effect” doesn’t last. The trouble with the concept of a fresh start is that it takes us away from living in the moment. It makes us look back over what was, and forward to what we want to be. This is not where life happens. Life happens in the present moment – and that’s where the real promise for lasting change lies.Continue Reading

When I asked Allegra and Ruby about their New Year’s Resolutions, they gave me a funny look. Allegra said New Year’s Resolutions are a silly human invention. She said cats live in the moment and don’t worry about what they should be doing next, so they don’t need resolutions. Ruby said she resolves to get more treats this year.

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions several years ago. Since I still like the idea of the “fresh start” a new year offers, I set New Year’s intentions instead. I think New Year’s resolutions are destined to fail, because there’s an inherent flaw in the term “resolution.” According to Merriam Webster, the definition of resolution is “the act of determining.” There’s nothing there that says we’re actually going to do something. This is why I prefer to set New Year’s intentions. The definition of intention is “a determination to act in a certain way.” The difference is subtle, but one (intention) implies that we are actually determined to do something differently, whereas the other (resolution) simply states that we’ve decided to change something.Continue Reading