Let dog take you for a walk

I have a dog. Well, it is not quite my dog, it’s a ‘cheering everyone up’ little pugalier,which belongs to my friend living in the neighbourhood. Esmeralda, or Essie, is my dog on weekend mornings. Practically every Saturday and Sunday Essie takes me for a walk!  It started, I even don’t remember how… Was my friend sick and couldn’t walk her dog ? Or did she just suggest that I m very welcome to walk Essie if I wanted? It doesn’t matter, the thing is I have a new habit of an hour-long activity in the morning which I absolutely love! So Essie and I walk together regardless of the weather every Saturday and Sunday. I pick Essie up and we head to my favourite destination – the coffee shop. I remember our first walk together. I was a bit anxious about Essie’s reaction, and about any unexpected events, but she looked totally content, it was sunny, and I felt very excited. A dog is a dog – take him outside and he is happy like crazy. I was observing her behaviour, her running, and I tried to keep up with her pace. I realised that I’m very focused on everything surrounding us. My attention was a consequence of my responsibility for this dog, but also the joy from this completely new experience for me. There are always other dogs with their owners (or people like me – on behalf/in place of) and most of people stop for a quick chat, dogs are sniffing each other and sometimes playing around – “Do I like you or don’t I?” . I had really great fun. All of sudden my walk for coffee had a double purpose, it was very satisfying – walking in nature, accompanied by the cutie on four legs, socialising with others and observing how this little animal makes people smile. I realised that I was smiling all the time too. What I want to say is that simple experience gives me joy and evokes positive emotions. My walks with Essie definitely put me in a good mood.

At Coaching for Change, we share with you practises and techniques that can help you to understand your emotions and navigate them to feel better. We give you tips on how to manage your emotions and how to use their power for your good. Walking Essie is one of my personal practises and there are no limits to finding your way to uplift your feelings on a daily basis. You don’t need to have a dog, turn around and look carefully - there are people with pets, who sometimes struggle and need support to look aftert heir favourites, because having a pet is a huge responsibility. I found an easy way to have a dog but not having him at the same time 

I love animals - dogs, cats,hamsters… but I’m allergic to them too, and apart from hamsters, with whom it is rather difficult to establish and build a deeper relationship, I can’t have a pet at home. The greater is my satisfaction that I discovered walks with Essie as a perfect compromise. Don’t look too far, don’t make excuses, there is always something that you can do to feel happy.

Go for a walk with your Essie.

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Gosia

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