Lessons from the Pup
I believe that language has power. Our words and thoughts create our reality. Where we focus our attention, grows. Too much venting or negativity attracts more negativity.
As I reflected on 2025 at the end of the year, I noticed that during an overbooked December, my messaging with myself had gotten negative. I regularly told myself that I was tired and/or overwhelmed—basically asking the Universe for more of that.
However, I am the storyteller of my life, so I decided to tell a different story. I chose some new, big-vision language for 2026: “I am a joyful, energetic, successful coach; things are easy, playful, and authentic.” As I walked in the woods in the morning with my dog, I repeated this to myself and allowed myself to feel those positive feelings.
It worked for about ten days, until I found an abandoned dog at the dog park.
We got the pup to the vet, had him checked out, got him his shots, had him fixed, and brought him home to foster. The first night, he was groggy, scared, and shut down, but he let us pet him and he kept his distance from our dog.
On day two, he was more lively. He was everywhere at once and always underfoot—sweet, cute, mischievous, and still wary of our dog.
That afternoon, the dogs were in the backyard together and discovered their mutual love of wrestling. From then on, they wrestled at regular intervals throughout the day, mostly in the living room. We were all constantly on high alert; Pup was pure chaos. Even if I was in the room, he got into something: he chewed a wooden coaster, ripped up a rag rug, counter-surfed, got on the couch, and dribbled water all over the floor all day long.
As we tried to find him a new home, we still fell in love with him. When someone said they wanted Pup on day eight, I cried all evening. He spent twelve days in our home, turned our lives upside down and our hearts inside out, and went to his new home just before the snowstorm.
The house is quiet now. My exhausted dog is still resting up. When the snow melts, we look forward to reuniting our dog with Pup at the dog park for some wrestling.
So, what’s my takeaway? Life happens. It’s complicated and messy. What we think is a priority sometimes has to take a back seat to the reality in front of us. But I don’t have to let my circumstances write my story. I am still my life’s author, and I get to choose.
I’m back on track with my routines and my new, positive inner monologue. The Universe brought me a lesson in a furry package that my heart could hear. Now, when the old story about being tired or overwhelmed comes up, I just remind myself, “Honey, you were overwhelmed and tired when Pup was here; this is nothing. You got this!”
You got this, too. If you don’t like the stories you’re telling yourself, what do you need to do to write a new one? What positive things do you want more of in your life? When life happens (and it will!), how will you get back on track?
Write a great story!
p.s. Your comments are welcome on this post at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenfrankcoaching/