animal communication

You know how you get out of bed and at times you think: what activity makes me the happiest to go and do? We all have that. I have been trying several things aside of working in the interior design industry since 2003. What I have always been crazy about, without exception, are animals. Furry preferably but even chooks can be a true delight (and I don't mean to eat). As my father was allergic to animals we could only have fish at home. Fortunately at the end of the street the council had built a mini petting zoo with goats on this grass field. I've had a soft spot for goats ever since I was able to visit them before and after school and see the baby goats grow up.

(photo of some of our fuzz friends in the front field)
Over the years I have been reading books and trying out things in regards to understanding animals. This has been increasingly interesting! Last weekend I had a goat whispering session with an ex feral goat called Paddy. His human mum had had him in a small field because Paddy seemed to always want to be the boss and chase other smaller animals around (and even had bowled people over on occasion). His mum didn't like that very much. But Paddy got lonely and let me know that he would very much like to be close to the other animals and talk to them. He had gotten sad and demure, unlike his usual fun spirit. I told his mum of what I received and suggested Paddy'd be put with 3 donkeys in another field. She agreed and Paddy moved in and started to dance around the donkeys and proceeded to hug one with enthusiasm by scratching her neck. She let him.

(It's baby goat boom time! Cute fuzz balls everywhere!)

I feel people forget that our pets have emotions and wishes of their own. They are not "dumb". In many ways they are like children: they want things, they can even demand things, but it would be good if we chose to respect what they wish to say and listen to it. We can say no and explain why. I have two goat boys hanging out with a horse and a jersey cow at the moment. One is the buck and he can't be with the girls as they are giving birth to baby goats right now plus we don't want them impregnated until May. I have found it helpful to explain to the goat boys that they have to live somewhere else because the girls are busy and that they will be allowed back in a few months. At first they were a bit scared of the horse but it only took a day or so for them to walk close to her and now the tall mare doesn't worry them one little bit. Animals are very capable to socialize with other species, unlike humans. They always amaze me with this.

(miss Rosie she is a zesty friend)
I'm currently reading books by Amelia Kinkade, a lady who can speak with animals. I enjoy her stories and her wisdom. Her excercises are very helfpul to aid in further developing skills. Have you tried to figure out what your pet is saying? Behaviour is always telling as we are generally so inept to understand their language which mainly consists of feelings and images. If they are ignored they start barking, being naughty, soiling or chewing. If they are in pain they find a quiet spot, moan or look listless and stop eating. It's by caring that we can spot what the story is.

In general we can pick up many things as long as we pay attention. I have found that the trick is to not fill in the blanks which can be hard. So in order to shut up the chatter box that is our minds we can find it helpful to take a walk, go to the beach, meditate, sit somewhere quietly. It's astounding what we start to notice once we take our foot of the pre programmed accelarator. Have you tried this lately? Have you stopped talking in order to listen better? What was said?

Learning through Experience

Have you read the Secret and thought: presto, I’ll read the book, try and change the way I think and next I’ll:

• Be changed and all dandy: it's all attitude right?


• Win lotto!


• Find the perfect man/woman (you know they don’t exist right….. oh you still hope …ok )


• Retire and buy an exotic island and drink martinis


• Make millions with your own company


• Have the perfect figure and wear a bikini again


• Have a massive walk in wardrobe and lots of shoes. Finally.


• Learn many languages and travel and travel


• Live blissfully ever after.

But…. If you DO want to learn, how about listening to what the people around you think? (if they have the guts to tell you. They might and also say things which can surprise you.)

So here’s a fun exercise to learn how others view you: feedback
Select 3-5 people and ask them to send you a written reply and give them a promise you will not pummel them no matter what the outcome will be.

Questions to ask others who know you quite well:
1) If you look at my life up till now, what can I:
Be proud of? (Qualities, attributes, accomplishments)
Be happy or pleased about?
And why do you think that?

2) If you think about my future
What do you think would be good for me to experience in regards to:
Personal development,
Challenges to overcome and
Give time and attention to?
Why did you think that would be good for me?

3) Why do you think it could be hard for me to realize all the above?

So: do you really want to know what people think about you or rather not? Do you look in the mirror from time to time or does it freak you out? Do you want to know? Or happily not to? I think I'll try this exercise just for the sheer fun of it. There's always stuff to learn, whether it's about me or others as well. I don't know but I reckon it could be hilarious.

With many thanks to the Dutch magazine Flow and the website

www.debaak.nl If you need a coach (in Holland that is) go check them out.

Wellbeing

A girlfriend of mine has the tendency to point out when I gain a kilo or lose some. She does not intend for this to be mean but just states a fact. I do not keep tabs myself as I don’t have a scale at home, but I can tell when jeans are wearing well or worse. The literal bottom line (and I have a very nice one I’m often told) is that I have to be happy with my state of physique. When you care about how you feel and how many blobby bits you carry with you then your own view of your body is the only thing that matters. I’ve noticed that other people’s comments reflect on how they perceive their own body image, not necessarily my own.

I feel less fit with too many additional bits. I do like a bit of scrumptious flesh on me. It makes me feel healthy and “me”. I’m a woman, I’ve got ‘roundings’ and I’m not Twiggy. Fortunately mum and dad have done well in the genes department so I’m naturally lucky with my shape I guess.

So what we are talking about here is the:
Acceptance of the state of flesh
The following of your own cookbook
That exercising is good for the body but also for the brain.

Funny enough the self image lies in the brain not so much in the body. It’s how we VIEW ourselves and how we feel inside our skin that shapes our opinion. It’s as important to take care of the inside as well as the outside. At the moment my outside is looking quite stunning. My inside is a bit foggy but it’s starting to clear up again. Being too busy clogs the brain with twitter twatter. Yip they’re right, time for meditation again! More about the art of a ”tete-a-toi” another time.

The most important thing about self image for me is self acceptance. Rejoice in being you and everything falls into place. Wonderful stuff. Simple but apt and feel the change. (That and get all happy training for a triathlon, like me.)

I would also suggest for everyone to start a Whitebook. This is especially important for ladies. Write everyday what you have achieved and what went well. We tend to focus on what we haven’t done or haven’t achieved yet opposed to praising the skies about the pile of things we have done this week! I have the tendency to flog myself inside if I haven't done all I had to do. A Whitebook puts things in perspective which is healthy. And yeah! it’s Friday......

Vacation?

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you ought to set up a life you don’t need to escape from.”
(Seth Godin, in his latest book ‘Tribes, We need you to lead us.’)

People have the tendency to not make themselves responsible for their own lives. “No my boss made me work overtime and I hate what I do anyway so it all sucks” “My husband wants me to lose weight and that’s why I come to the pool every day to swim” “He never listens to me and I don’t feel happy in our relationship”. See what I mean?

Yes it’s human to have a good whine to someone else and say boohoo my life is so boring, tough, hard, difficult, lonely, unsuccessful, stressful, unsatisfying or un-fun (if you feel that way, that is). Problem is that IT DOESN”T MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER to say these things to other people. Have you realized that?

I was feeling tired last week and had a whinge to my poor mum on the phone. It was so annoying! Basically I wanted a cuddle and for someone to say all right you lovely get of your bottom and get on with it. This is enough and you don't want to act this way. It’s fine to realize I had landed in the old trap again of wanting to achieve too much but the side effects are that it gives me the frusty dusties. So I decided to snap out of it before I had a chance to get the fever of the poor-me-disease. It’s no fun for people around me and it doesn’t get us anywhere EVER.

Right, here’s the recipe for battling boohoo-ness:

a) Give yourself a hug or ask your partner to provide you with a cuddle. (Take it easy on yourself)
b) Find out why you are feeling down, depressed, tired, disappointed, angry etc. Talk about it or write it down. Don’t take it out on others, find a boxing ball instead.
c) Start a diary; write things down often to get it out. That or see a therapist/counselor regularly. (I write this blog and find that helpful, if it’s very personal I write it in my own diary)
d) Start exercising, it gets the stress beasties out of your body and it’s good for the brain. Eat well to compensate for energy loss until you build up more stamina.
e) Team up with a good friend to establish your goals and follow up every week on progress. Share.
f) Don’t desire to do too much (I do and by crikey I’m a hard learner…) and nip perfectionism in the bud. It’s a right killer.
g) Don’t do ANYTHING someone else wants you to unless you want to do it also. Motivation goes down the gurgler if you persist and it causes resentment.
h) Practice your sense of humor. Remember to LAUGH. (Once we were funny, hang on how did it go again?)
i) Take up a weekly hobby or sport that makes you very happy. I absolutely LOVE dancing.
j) See friends and hang out. Enjoy dinners and playing with their kids.
k) Allow yourself to be lazy at times (this I find very hard, sleep in? Like WHEN?)
l) Stick to your new plan! Yeehaaaaaaa. = victory.

The truth is this:
Being grateful creates happiness. Appreciate what IS there, let go of how you think it SHOULD be. And: be patient, things will fall into place. Hang the frust dusty jacket or give it to charity.

New beginnings

Naturally a lot of people make new years resolutions as it's a new year with a clean slate. We love those don't we? I've made some too eventhough several big resolutions have taken off since November last year. I'm just happily continuing them on. Have you made any? I've asked around and found that all the women had made them and that the men hadn't. That was interesting. What does that tell you? Do we women feel we have to keep improving ourselves all the time and men just toodle on? No idea. I guess the male species do not believe in new years resolutions, it's the same casual approach for them regarding Valentines day and they barely remember our birthday or anniversary. That sort of thing.

The biggest surprise so far is that I agreed to participate in a Triathlon in February. A sport event.... (I know) with me taking part.... (I know!) Trust me I was the most baffled of all when I agreed I'd go. The good thing is that when one decides to try something one normally wouldn't, or in my case run like mad every morning with a sheepsdog in tow, the world changes. I've been told that a new habit takes 3 weeks to become a regular event and as the Triathlon is on the 22nd of Feb there's hope. My husband was the second most astounded person. I like exercising, which is born out of necessity as we have a farm, but I have no huge desire to sweat for recreation unless it's throwing a ball around with friends. As long as I enjoy it I'm quite happy to go for a long time but otherwise I can't be bothered. My student years saw me trying several types of sports but it never sparked enormous amounts of excitement. (I don't come from a sporty family as they're more the intellectual cultural kind.) Once I moved to New Zealand I did get hooked. Climbing mountains for a flat country chick was an enjoyment and physically a right killer (crikey that was tough as) so applepicking turned out to be practically a walk in the park after that. I thoroughly enjoyed push biking to work in Auckland, and it was also handy as I didn't have to go to a gym biking an hour a day.

The 3 new years resolutions I did make don't have a lot to do with the Triathlon funny enough. They're to do with keeping my sense of humor up and watching my boundaries. 2008 made me serious and all that seriousness got the best of me I thought. Stop. Reality check. Move on. I'm engrained with laughs and I'd like to keep singing, dancing and having fun. Yes I will still have to work hard but heck I did that already anyway, what's new? With work the same applies as sporting: as long as I enjoy it I can go on for ever. It will be exciting to see new ideas and projects take off. The launch of the new fabric I designed will be one off them.

So, watch this space and your own as well. What would you like seeing happening this year?