Self Help- A Dog's Perspective
—The broken oreo philosophy—
This morning I looked into the wise eyes of my dog, and was inspired by the words I saw there. I translated, to the best of my ability, what he was saying because it seemed pretty important.
Dallas’s words of wisdom:
We all know what it’s like to have those in our lives who are “toxic.” Having toxicity in your life can make you feel sad, uncomfortable, irritable, and depressed. Getting rid of the toxicity in your life is vital in our journey toward self-improvement. If you don’t, your progress could stall and your confidence may falter. Sometimes we need to do a little spring cleaning with those who are always supposed to have our back. Dallas wants you to know that it’s okay to put yourself first.
It’s okay to cut off those who no longer support you.
The good ones are those who are there to pick you up when you fall. You can lean on them when you’re tired and weak and they know you’d do the same for them. But if they don’t support you in your endeavors, then can you really keep making excuses for them? They don’t have to agree with all your, possibly ill-conceived, plans, but the good ones will tag along and make sure you don’t get hurt. They will help you overcome obstacles and carry you through the worst times. If they don’t, you may need to cut them off.
It’s okay to get rid of those who don’t bring you joy.
If you’re constantly dragging them around and they do nothing but complain…
If they make no effort to enjoy their time with you…
If they are bringing you down instead of helping you up…
If you want nothing more than to joyfully do a slow-mo, movie worthy, run through a field of beautiful flowers, for the sheer senseless, unadulterated joy it would bring you, and they hold you back…
Then they may not deserve to be present as you continue your path toward self improvement and happiness.
It’s okay to dump those who bring you pain.
Causing you pain, whether on purpose or not, is not EVER okay. Unintentionally causing you pain is sometimes even more hurtful than intentional pain because it shows their ambivalence towards your feelings. You need a relationship that builds positively, without fear of the ache of pain. If they bring you pain, you may need to dump their a**.
It’s okay to dispose of those who take more than they give.
If you feel like you are always the one working harder in your relationship, you very well may be right. If you’re constantly exhausted at the end of a long day with them and you feel physically and mentally drained because you’ve done all the work, it may be time to reevaluate your relationship. Dealing with those who take, take, take and never give anything in return can cause you to feel bitterness toward them and toward others. If they don’t see your relationship as a two way street, you may need to properly dispose of the “relationship.”
It’s okay to have phantom pains.
It’s okay if you still feel the ghost of them. It’s okay to remember when times were good, when you scratched their itches and they scratched yours. You don’t have to loathe them for their shortcomings or ignorance. Good times were had! Just remember that if you chose to cut them off, you did it for a reason.
It’s okay to never look back.
You don’t need to feel like you’ve done something bad. Some people may not agree with your choice, and that’s okay. You did what was right for you. Looking back with regret won’t make them magically appear; and even if it did, it wouldn’t mean they’d changed. Look ahead, toward the future and know you are better off with out them.
-Dallas the bipawd
(Translated by his foster mom)
Read all that again. It’s obvious Dallas was only talking about his two, good for nothing, ex-back legs, but we figured it’s sage advice for hoomans too.
Dallas is a Siberian Husky who was paralyzed at a very young age. After many difficulties with his two back legs and tail, they were amputated. He is now thriving and much, much happier because he ended that toxic relationship. :)