Life, Unleashed

There are two dogs living in my head. 

There’s the old one. The one who has quite the collection of scars and bruises which one can only get by living. The emotional beatings have forged a mindset some would choose to call wisdom, if they had the wisdom to do so. Such life lessons, though, often leave a myopic view of what is truly possible moving forward.

And then there’s the puppy, alive with curiosity and endless energy, obliviously moving forward, not yet jaded by life’s often cruel way of teaching the things it feels the need to teach. The puppy’s childlike mindset is one of fearless possibilities, of discovery and expansion.

These are the two dogs living in my head. 

At various times in my life I’ve been both of these animals. At times silently jaded and hopelessly resigned to what is. At times highly energized and fully alive, ready to chase any stick the Universe has thrown my way.

These days I find myself enjoying the best of both of my dog worlds, balancing what my old dog self has learned about life with the relentless energy of my inner puppy, simply moving forward, blending my trepidations with a healthy dose of intentional playfulness.

I’m not quite sure how I got here, honestly. Perhaps it’s an age thing, starting to accept that I’ve already lived more of my life than I’m going to live. From that vantage point you start to question how you spend your time, who you spend your time with, what you’ve done, what you’ve not yet done. And for the things not yet done, the important question was in asking what’s been holding me back from doing them?

Spoiler Alert: I have. 

The inner puppy of my youth eventually gave way to the old dog of adulthood, complete with the limitations and fears which often come along with growing up. We believe the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, and if we believe we are an old dog that’s exactly what life will look like. Wise from experience, certainly, but often to the point of vibrational stagnation and emotional immobility. The mindset become validated, and we will reinforce that mindset with our habitual and unconscious actions, or more accurately, our inactions.

I’ve not become suddenly fearless. I’ve learned to question the validity of the fearful and limiting stories I’ve habitually accepted as true. In questioning them, I’ve somehow disempowered them, and in their weakened state I’ve made space for the long-repressed inner puppy to co-exist with the old dog. 

One lesson life has eventually taught me is that we get to pick the stories we choose to tell ourselves about ourselves. My story? I am both a wise old dog and a highly-caffeinated puppy. The sweet spot is when I remember to leverage my story and allow myself to be both of them at the same time. 

Timeless wisdom and insights to guide me. Energized intentions to move myself forward.

Life, unleashed.