******It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, I think...******

Written by Yvonne Dagger

Photo Credit: ©Yana Copek / yanafotos.com

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As we enter into one of the busiest months of the year, Dagger & I would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe and stressfree holiday season.

Concentrating on our message of Education & Community Service we continue to recognize that both are vital to this season of giving and receiving. Both are essential to our growth and well being. To give from our hearts and receive with gratitude makes for a happy and joyous life.

However, the holidays can be a time of added stress and overwhelmingness for humans as well as our pets. A person's stress level can travel right down the leash into the dog in an instant.
I know. I experienced this first hand when I was teaching Dagger to paint. Not feeling confident enough and feeling a sense that I was not doing the "right" thing traveled right into Dagger like a lightning rod!! He felt it and hesitated when I worked with him. Thanks to Dagger's CCI Professional Trainer, Lauren, I learned how to be at ease and more assertive while working with Dagger. She came to tudor us, but I quickly learned that it was me she was really tutoring. I laugh whenever I tell this story because when I called Lauren initially, I asked her to tudor Dagger…when in reality I was the one that needed the tudoring :-D I still need plenty of tutoring …We're really never done learning, exploring and creating…Which all can come with a level of stress. Add the holidays to that equation and you've entered into yet another level of stress. It's not easy to keep ourselves stress free during the holidays.

Below are a few tips that I feel have helped me get through the stress of the Holiday Season:

• Prioritize~ Make a list of the things that need to be done…then number them according to the importance of the task. Eliminate the ones that are really not as important. By eliminating the tasks that aren't as important we are cleaning out our "To Do" lists and keeping it simple & less stressful.
• Take time everyday to play fetch, take a walk and love your fur baby. It's not only a great stress reliever for you, but it's fun and your pet will feel less stressful too!! 
• Choose healthy food choices when you're going to holiday celebrations. This is the hardest tip for me!!!!
• Try to get some well deserved rest.
• Fill your mind with positivity.  If someone is pushing ahead of you on a long check-out line at the stores while you're doing your holiday shopping, let them go ahead of you and count that as one of your acts of kindness for the day.  That small act will make you feel good as well as the person you let ahead of you.
• Take time to be alone to refresh, rejuvenate and renew your spirit.  Just 2 minutes can do wonders!!
• Breathe~ Focus on the act of breathing.  Silently count to three and pause for the count of one and then exhale for another count of three.  Conscious breathing helps to relax and focus on how breath and energy are vital to life.
• Listen to some music or hum a tune, dance to the music…Dagger LOVES music and dancing…so do I:) It's a great stress reducer. 
• Last but certainly not least…Try to be as organized as possible.  I try very hard to be organized for Dagger's Workshops, up-coming Premiere's and the holidays. Being prepared takes the stress out and allows us the time to appreciate each other. Dagger knows when I feel stressed.  He comforts me and let's me know things are going to be just fine!! 

We can learn a lot from our pets!!
Our pets are conveying messages to us everyday like; how to listen, how to take time to sniff stuff…well, the flowers...and how to love unconditionally.  We just need to take notice and learn from them. When we enjoy the holiday sounds and sniffs … unconditional love will follow right behind…sometimes on four legs.:-) 
Then it truly will be THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!!  
​I know that for sure!!!  Have a good one!!!

Holiday blessings, Be well & Enjoy!!​!

Happy Tales to you,
​xoxo Yvonne