Have you ever wondered how other people see you? If you could look at yourself through someone else’s eyes, what would you notice? What would you say?
Would you be your own friend?
I’ve often wondered who I might be from my furbaby’s point of view. This post is written in honor of her, a West Highland White Terrier who lived 15 beautiful years, and in honor of the gentle way she saw the world.
A trip down memory lane
She was basically my daughter. If she didn’t approve of you, we probably weren’t going to be friends. But she almost always approved. People who met her would say, “Your dog loves me so much, I feel so loved!” And I’d explain, “She welcomes everyone, as long as you have good vibes.”
She was with me through thick and thin. In a way, she knew the real me better than anyone. She saw me ugly cry more times than I can count. She watched me break into random song and dance. She was there, listening, for the deep conversations I had with family, friends and sometimes just myself.
We had a little ritual: we’d stare at each other, wink a few times, then go on about our business. I like to believe that was our way of saying “I love you.”
She pressed the reset button every day
No matter what kind of day we’d had, she let it go by the next morning. No grudges, no keeping score. Every day was a fresh start.
How many of us can say we offer that to the people we love? And how many of us offer it to ourselves?
She was a constant reminder that everyone deserves a fresh start and to be loved, even if they ugly cry at 3 a.m. one night and burst into song and dance the next.
Try it on paper
Take a few quiet minutes to see yourself the way someone who loves you does:
- If my pet, or someone who adores me, could describe me, what would they say?
- What do they see in me that I forget to see in myself?
- What’s one thing from yesterday I’m ready to let go of?
- What would it look like to press the reset button on myself today?
Want a gentle place to begin again? Join the TEY TRIBE on our homepage and get the free digital Reset Journal.
Give them some love today
If you have a furbaby you appreciate, give them some extra cuddles and belly rubs today. And feel free to share a picture of yours in the comments below. ♡
TEY OUT LOUD shares tools and ideas for well-being, not a psychological or therapeutic service. This post is not clinical advice or mental health treatment. For support with anything specific, please reach out to a licensed professional or your healthcare provider ♡
