Set Your Standards Higher Than You Think You Can Go.

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” ~ Rumi

Set your standards higher than you think you can go. You must not stop. You can pause, but you have to find that “why”, that “soul purpose” to keep moving forward.

You must make it part of your routine. Living on purpose is a lifestyle and not a phase. Deliberate creation utilizes new energy in every moment and learning to work with this energy is key.

The laws of this earth are constant change. Look outside, today it’s sunny and yesterday it rained. We can fight change all we want, but “seasons of growth” are inevitable. And, it’s ok. But, you can’t fight it.

If you are experiencing the loss of your pet whether it was an unexpected sudden occurrence or a slower process of witnessing them as they age, you can prepare for these stages in advance.

First, write down on paper all things that you can control and all of those things that are beyond your control. I’ve spent most of my life re-living (in my mind) things that I just couldn’t control or change. When you place your energy on those things that you can actually change, change happens.

Letting go of “control” is key. This doesn’t mean you throw your hands in the air and give up, this means that you believe that what is happening is supposed to be. You lean into whatever is in front of you and you work with it. Life is not a blame game.

Grow to understand your causes of suffering on a deeper level. Does watching your pet age make you afraid of your own mortality? Do you get angry because you have to “lift” your pet in the car every time because they are weak and you can’t make them stronger than they used to be? Are you irritated because you feel hopeless and stuck and alone?

This is why understanding how to free ourselves from unhealed emotions is so vital in caring for your pets. They’ve got it down. They are definitely here for you. Coco and Skylar and all of my pets were and are my Angel Guides.

Love and life are about allowing. This IS the journey. And, it’s all about the journey.

Being clear and focused and knowing your purpose and being able to allow is power and strength. You and whatever circumstance you find yourself in, always make it through by working with your inner guidance.

You are here and you will get there! This is why I love pets! They are pure unconditional love! They don’t love you because you’re this or that, they love you because they “love”.

We all learn from our relationships with our pets. Remember what you’ve learned from your peers and mentors. Take what works for you and challenge yourself to surpass it.

I did everything with Coco and Skylar. For 17 years I did. And, before that, I always had pets since I can remember. So, what was I supposed to do without them?

You must let the beauty of what you love, BE what you do. And, you must find the standards that you are willing to make for yourself before, during, and after your physical time here with your pets.

Examine your daily journey. Are you going through the same routine each day expecting a “happy” ending, but going to sleep at night more discouraged and even more unhappy?

If this is you (and, by the way, this is all of us during many stages of our lives), then there are ways in which you can change this. And, to be happy and in harmony, you must take action to change your habits.

Here are a few ways to get started if you feel clueless about where to begin.

• Write down all the things you LOVE to do. On a different list, write down all the things you are GOOD at doing. Match the two lists and see which activities match. Write those down on a different list. This last list will give you an indication of your passions in life.

• Look for someone very authentic and successful in doing things you are passionate about follow them on social media, read their books, go to their events, etc. You’ll find yourself in rooms of like-minded people.

• The people you are observing are not coming from victim mode and they, one day, decided to quit the “blame game”.

• You must be proactive and know that to change your “personality”, you must change your “personal reality”.

Coco, Skylar, and I had to endure some uncomfortable moments to create lasting habits that we absolutely loved. You too must do the same. What are your standards? You decide!

The Illumination Process: A Shamanic Guide to Transforming Toxic Emotions into Wisdom, Power, and Grace by Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D. is an excellent book to get you on your way to finding that standard of living you were meant to live.