The Power of Positive Reinforcement
Hello, curious soul ~
Life has been a whirlwind of changes in the past few months, which is a common pattern in my life with the transition from Winter to Spring.
Even though I love change, it takes time to adapt and integrate the shifts. I catch my internal judge being extra judgey when I need to rest, go to a café rather than make tea at home, or slug out on the couch for a mindless binge fest.
If you’ve spied my Instagram feed or stories lately, you’ve seen one of these life changes: Wasabi, my new puppy.
While he is an adorable, hilarious new energy in our lives, he’s also a puppy who has a lot of needs and impulses.
I’m applying all my coaching skills to this relationship, which can be trying at times since he can’t yet sleep through the night and is just starting to learn to communicate needing to go outside.
I could easily run around yelling “No!” at my exhausted wits’ end… but I consciously don’t want to be that type of dog parent (been there, done that).
The value I’ve chosen is loving. I want to be loving, which does include having boundaries and providing clear guidance, but for me it means lots of positive reinforcement.
How do I remember to say “good boy” in the midst of chaos and frustration?
I don’t always remember… but rather than beating myself up, I keep evaluating, checking in, and trying different strategies.
Because “remembering” isn’t always the best strategy.
Separating the strategies from who I am as a person keeps me from taking all these issues personally.
I know that I am loving, and I can continue to come up with strategies to experiment with to be more loving when I’m challenged.
Having the situation externalized with a puppy is amazing awareness practice for my life.
Positive reinforcement and celebrations are a powerful way to create change in your life.
We have to be willing to acknowledge what is working and what feels good and say, “Yes! More of this, please!” even if it’s a passing compliment from a coworker, heartfelt eye contact with a barista, spontaneous dancing to a song on the radio, or a puppy asking to go outside rather than pee on the floor.
The size doesn’t matter. It’s the feeling that matters.
When we notice these little things and then say the equivalent of “good boy” to life out loud, we start noticing more things to celebrate. This is effectively speaking aloud your desires.
The more we connect with desire, the more clear we become of what we’re really wanting to experience in our lives.
I’d love to hear any of your celebrations, large or small, if you feel called to share your desires with another to add even more potency to them. Hit reply and share with me!
Stay curious,
Kat