My Dog is Shrinking
In January, our family welcomed Benji… an F1b Saint Berdoodle. (they’re awesome, look ’em up)
And since then, Benji has grown. And grown. And grown. He’s now approaching 5 months old and just passed the 40 pound mark.
He’s a fun, smart, laid back dog. He’s everything we wanted. But there’s one problem.
We also have a 13 year-old Pug named Winston. And until now, Winston’s stood about a foot tall and rolled along at a stout yet portly 24 pounds. But…since Benji arrived, he’s shrinking. Or at least it seems that way.
Benji is now much, much taller than Winston. Taller, wider, fuzzier. When we brought him home, he was about 12 pounds, but with the fuzz, he looked about the same size as Winston. Now? Now he looks like a small pony next to Winston.
And Winston?
Well now this meatball of a dog looks absolutely miniature.
I used to see him walking and think of a crock pot with legs. Now he’s starting to resemble a Yorkie.
I used to pick him up and think of a Butterball Turkey. Now he feels like a high school football. (these are my analogies, not yours)
You see, Benji has grown so quickly to dwarf Winston, that our perspective has changed. And it has changed FAST.
Isn’t that amazing? I bet you can already think of a similar situation you’ve experienced. Where your perspective instantly changed, based upon an experience you’ve had.
Ever shot hoops on a 7 foot basketball hoop, then raise it to 10 feet? It looks like the hoop is now 15 feet in the air.
Ever watch the news and see a story about a worn-torn country and a displaced family? Makes your life look a little better, doesn’t it?
Ever look in the mirror and feel a little less than attractive…then take a trip to Walmart? (these are my analogies, not yours)
OK, so what’s the damn point?
Point is…as cliche as it sounds… Change your perspective, and you can change your life.
It’s neuroplasticity my friends, something we’ve discussed before. It’s neuroplasticity, and it’s amazing…how fast our minds can be molded. And how much control we have over that.
It’s something I want my children to understand. It’s something I want my business partners to understand. It’s something I want to remind myself of, every day.
Our view of the world, our expectations, our reactions…they are all influenced by our perspective. And they can all be changed, by a conscious shift in that perspective.
Think you can’t? Find someone with fewer resources than you, who did.
Think you shouldn’t? Find a compelling reason and connect your ‘why’. See what happens.
Think this is a long blog post? Pick up a copy of the Norton Anthology of American Literature, like I had to do in high school…and then let me know if you now think these 622 words weren’t in fact a “light read”. (these are my analogies, not yours)
Point is…as cliche as it sounds… Change your perspective, and you can change your life.
No matter what you’re facing today, there’s a perspective shift to help you through it. To help you achieve it. To help you “find it”.
Winston isn’t shrinking, Benji has just grown rapidly and changed our perspective.
The basketball hoop isn’t taller than 10 feet, we just had our sights set lower.
The world isn’t so bad, we just need a reminder once in a while…of how blessed we really are.
And the people at Walmart aren’t… wait, never mind.
Seek out a broader perspective, my friends.
Give yourself a frame of reference that makes nothing impossible. That makes your life more rich. And that makes you more grateful, every single day.
