To Resolve or Not to Resolve?…That's the Question

RESOLUTIONS:

by Yvonne Dagger

 Photo Credit: ©Yana Copek / yanafotos.com

I've often wondered about New Year's Resolutions.  
​Do they give us some sort of false hope? Or Do they give us positive hope in the right direction? 

​According to Tipsywriter.com "an average of about 45% of Americans consistently make a resolution for the New Year"… and "of those achieving their resolutions about 40% were successful on the first try. The rest took multiple attempts with as much as 17% taking over 6 tries…" Do you know the "number one reason for failed resolutions? Lack of a clear goal."

---

Goals to me have always been very important.  That is until Dagger came into my life.  As a Puppy Raiser for Dagger the goal was to get him to graduation and matched with someone who needed a highly trained assistance dog. That was the primary goal…plain and simple!  For us, the minute we held him in our arms at 8 weeks old until his turn in at 18 months old, we knew what that goal was.  We always thought a child would be best suited for Dagger because of his gentle, loving nature. He loves children!!! Well….he loves everybody :-) 

However, the day when we got "the call"…a call no Puppy Raiser wants to receive and dreads...my "goal" oriented idea changed. You see, while your pup is in Advanced Training the number you don't want to see on your phone's calling window is from Canine Companions for Independence. Unless, of course, you are told that your pup has made it to graduation. But, this call came just 4 months after he was turned in. (They ordinarily spend 6-9 months in Advanced Training for CCI.) My stomach dropped when I heard the words, "We're calling about your sweetheart, Dagger."  "OK", I thought, " we can handle this…Dagger wasn't going to make it. But, Why? What happened?" The Puppy Raiser Manager explained to me that Dagger had some fear and insecurity issues. They were as disappointed as we were to learn this. However, the goal and dream of him making it to graduation vanished in an instant.

After we adopted Dagger, I decided that I wasn't going to set a goal for him anymore. I felt and still feel that whatever is meant to be will be. I've lived by that "goal" since Dagger's release from CCI's Program. So, when people ask me what's next for Dagger? What's your goal ?? I think to myself of what a very brilliant journalist, Patricia Kitchen, once said about Dagger…"Dagger knows, but he's not telling me or anyone else."

Now…getting back to my initial question: "Do our New Year's resolutions give us false hope or positive hope?" I've always tried to look on the positive side of things. You see, whenever you make a positive resolution, whether it be to exercise more (that's one for me), read more, share your talents more, create more, inspire more, take more time for yourself; you're really conditioning your mind in an uplifting direction. If we spend one day, one week or one year achieving that resolution then, to me, it was successful. In my book, there's no failures only successes. Dagger's "failure" to become a highly trained assistance dog only opened the door for yet another journey of helping hundreds of people and other animals through his paintings and therapy work. 

So, make a "positive" resolution.  Embrace it and welcome it into your life.  Look to 2019 with an open "PAW" and an open mind…Whatever will be, will be...

Happy & Healthy New Year everyone!!

Happy Tales to you,
​xoxo Yvonne

Photo Credit:  ©Yana Copek / yanafotos.com