Learning to be flexible, adapt to change and embrace the new!

1 week ago I got a gorgeous little German Shorthaired Pointer puppy just 7 weeks of age. She is a total love bug and our new fur baby. All in all she is the perfect little girl and we couldn’t be happier with her. However, I will admit this past week was very challenging for me as I found myself needing to adjust to a different lifestyle with additional demands on my time. 

I am one of those people who give everything 100% and while that is an admirable trait, it can also be exhausting. When we brought Bailey home, I started giving her every ounce of energy I had and therefore other things that are important to me got neglected, including my work. I was overwhelmed because I felt myself being pulled in a thousand different directions: needing to raise this puppy right, needing to keep the house organized, needing to stay on top of my work, needing to be a loving wife to my husband and needing to maintain my self-care. A call from my supportive sister made me realize that it is ok not to have everything perfect all the time… that some things are out of our control and to balance it all out, giving things 80% instead is more realistic and sustainable. 

I needed to shake off my feelings of anxiety by remembering to breathe and doing some regular energy work. I am going with the daily flow and not putting expectations on my productivity or myself. My husband was incredibly supportive; giving me the space I needed to readjust to this new family member and by helping out with her as much as he could. I have learnt from past hardships that you can gain so much relief by just reaching out to your loved ones and communicating with them what you are experiencing so that they can be there for you to lighten your load and lift your spirits. 

I can only imagine how parents feel giving so much of themselves out of love for their little ones, that they end up feeling depleted due to lack of self-care. These days we juggle so much – kids, careers, pets, our health and other responsibilities. To everyone out there who cares for and provides for others, give yourself a big hug and know you are doing more than enough. You too deserve nurturing from yourself and others.