Tag: Learning

Fixing and ego

Posted on by philipdodson

We all have a unique path and journey, each one of us. Just because we had a similar experiences that doesn’t mean that our friend, partner, child, parent or stranger had exactly the same. Additionally it may have occurred at a different part of our growth in life, we are different so how we reacted would have been different too, so the whole experience would have changed.

Essentially, it is better to listen, understand and empathise with our friend, partner, child, parent or stranger, rather than make about ourselves and our story, which they often may not want to hear or care about.

Fixing and telling others is not understanding, it is ego. If they seek our view or advice, that is different, but simply using the time in which the other is speaking to prepare our answer about our story is simply all about us.

Get muddy like the dog

Posted on by philipdodson

A while back I splashed out and purchased some expensive walking/hiking boots, as I walk 3-4 miles a day with the dog in all weathers.

The boots are designed for hiking in mud hell with weather that creates natural disasters!

So really OTT for walking in light woodland in the UK.

However, when I first bought them, and for several weeks, I would say to myself ‘walk round that mud or puddle, don’t want to get the boots dirty or ruin them’!!! I found myself avoiding the kind of terrain they were designed for in case I spoilt them.

Then one day as I was about to avoid the mud swamp in the rain, I stopped myself and said ‘WTF’ then laughed out loud and jumped two-footed in with mud and water flying all over me and the dog. The dog was ecstatic, this her idea of heaven, laying in a muddy puddle and finally she thought ‘he gets it at last’.

Then it reminded me of how often in life we avoid getting ‘muddy’, letting go and just enjoying the moment based on fear. We hold back so much based on our mind and its never-ending repeating thought patterns.

Animals, especially our pets, can teach us so much about the joy of now and freedom that letting go can bring us.

Be in the moment and get muddy like the dog as often as you can.