20 Comments
User's avatar
Kathy Napoli's avatar

Missed you!

Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Missed you my friend 🧡

Dr Deborah Vinall's avatar

"I’d convinced myself I was being intentional. Really, I was just trying to prevent another “wasted” year."

So many ways we dress up and re-package control as something pretty, aren't there?

Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

SO MANY WAYS! I can be very good at dressing things up. It is the marketing exec in me. I need to be better at watching for that! 🧡

Nancy E. Holroyd, RN's avatar

We have a vocal cat that lets us know in no uncertain meows when he wants a lap. Cue the quiet time...

Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Ah, yes. They know when we need time to decompress. And it is up to us to listen! 🧡

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

I kid you not, just before reading this, my Tosha pushed her face between me and my phone screen. I then spent ten minutes tumbling and cuddling her before resettling to read.

Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Dogs are truly the best medicine. 🧡 Especially little Tosha. 🧡

Bridget Godwin's avatar

I am a new dog owner and I loved this. I've had her for two weeks and she's definitely helped me to slow down. She's fixing my brain more than any optimized regimen could ever do <3.

Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Oh, yes! Dogs are so incredible! Although, Helix and Poppy (my other pup) don't always keep me slow... haha! But they do keep me very presence and rooted to the right now. I'm so grateful for them! I love that they do that for you too. 🧡

Bridget Godwin's avatar

Haha as a heeler/border collie mix my dog is also always on the move! But being forced to move fast with her definitely slows down my brain. Hard to answer emails and work on my to do list when I’m trying to keep up with her!

Sculpting A Life's avatar

Yes. I can really relate to this and I’m glad Helix was there to help. I have my own ‘Helix’ who is showing me what’s really important today: relaxing on his faux sheepskin ‘yoga’ mat, snoozing.

Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Ah, yes, Susan. Snoozing definitely sounds like the right plan for today. I'm glad you have your own "helix" to help! 🧡

Debra Goring's avatar

"to build a system around sovereignty itself", lol, I totally get the need to control. Only thing I can think of here is we're not trusting life... to support our decisions on a looser, more moment by moment basis. 🤔 Brilliant writing!

Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Yes. Exactly that! Sometimes we just need to trust life, and not try to control every DANG thing! To just be present, and live in presence. Such a beautiful statement: "to support our decisions on a looser, more moment by moment basis." Thank you, Debra!

Debra Goring's avatar

"homelessness, job transitions, dances-with-semi-trucks, divorce" made me stop, have to take a minute 😞🩷

Dr Dorree Lynn's avatar

Really fine article. Wishing you well in your current and future journey. May you remember to breathe.

Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Thank you, Dr. Dorree! I appreciate you for stopping by. Breathing is so natural, and then... we just sometimes forget.

Virginia Curtis's avatar

This really resonated. Not just the big dog intervention, but the "thinking if I can control everthing, I can control the outcome."

The joy and the creativity is in the letting go. I learned that when I was (I still am) learning to paint with watercolors. The release is glorious, and the art is pretty damn cool. Thank you for this. Love, Virg

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Jan 24
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Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Yes, our animals know us so much better than us!

Oh, what a touching story. 🧡 We always just do our best. Cloud knew that too. And I bet you still took quite a few more breaks than you remembered 🧡