Interpreted by Walter Tint & Scribed by Shari King
“We’d like to introduce to our speaker, Mark Boundries, a certified life coach.”
The applause woke the dog napping on the couch. Walter peeked out one eye at the TV left on for him while his parents worked.
“Mr. Boundries has brought with him today a list of ten resolutions with which we can all aspire to improve our lives.”
Walter stretched and yawned and scratched his left ear.
“So you explain in your book that it was your dog that made you want to help people be happier?”
Walters’s ear perked up.
”Yes, this is true. My dog, Max, is always happy, and I started to look at ways to help others to be happier.”
Walter dug his claws in the corner of the coach and sat back down.
“Let’s take a deep look at these top ten resolutions.”
1. Focus on improving your health: You have to determine exactly what success looks like in order to set the right goals. Be specific, as little milestones along the way will help you stay on track.
I is going to bring my lead to my hooman every day! We going to go for lots of walkies! That will be good for both of us! And for just me? Okay, maybe eating the things I find outside in the dirt might not be so good for me, so maybe I will try to limit my el fresco snacking. Instead of eating my treasures right away, I will bring it to the hooman. She makes the funniest faces when I find the greatest stuff! But sometimes they smells really good, me just can’t help it. I will try better to eat nutritious dogfood cause my hooman wants me to eat it every day.
2. Look after your finances: One of the biggest lessons in life is in uncertainty. We never know what tomorrow holds, so take time to take stock of your assets and have a plan for the unexpected.
My treats are high up on the shelf. I can’t see them, but me knows there is plenty because they rattle when my hooman puts her paw in there. And I know that Mr. Sock, Foxy, and Baby Kitten are under the covers. I don’t know what happened to Turtle. I’m going to try real hard this year to not leave Mr. Sniggles outside in the rain. I’m going to take a good hard look at all me babies to be sure they are all in the basket and maybe I can just play with one a day and not forget where I left it.
3. Pursue an inspiration: Is there one thing in your life that you’ve always wanted to do that you never seemed to have time for? Is there some grand ambition that has been at the back of your mind? Pick a goal that really excites you and find small ways to set it in motion.
This is an easy one, I’m going to get that squirrel! Or maybe I can learn a new language so I can snuggle with the pretty little shitz-a-poo across the street. She makes me so happy, I has to run around in circles! But do I learn French or Japanese? Or maybe, I can finally start my doggie blog: “All the best scents and where to find them.”
4. Invest in your relationships: We’ve all come to appreciate, even more now than ever, the simple joy of being with the ones we love. Pledge to keep investing time in these important connections. Make it vital to connect with those you love frequently. Even just a phone call can make a huge difference to an older family member.
I pledge to follow my hooman into every room so I don’t miss a second of time to gaze at my favorite person. I will really try to not to get so anxious when the hooman has to go somewhere with no dogs allowed, cause I can tell it makes her sad.
5. Look after your mental health: It is vital to keep some time to yourself. Find ways to do what you like to do alone. Walks out in nature can lift sagging spirits better than any medication. Mindful breathing and meditation also helps lower stress levels and improves an overall sense of wellbeing.
Even though I get so much joy in being with my hooman, I will have to try to carve out some me time. I will slow down when me is sniffing all the edges of the bush. I already know a good roll in the grass, or a stimulating dig is important to me doggie brain.
6. Live more sustainably: What small lifestyle tweaks can you make that help limit the environmental impact we humans have on our planet? Can you invest in a reusable water container and switch to filtered tap water rather than buying plastic? Can you combine errands to limit trips in the car? Perhaps have one meatless meal a week?
No meat? What? This be a tricky one for doggies, but I always use the same bowl for my water. Oh, I know! I can lick all the containers real good before the hooman puts them in that tall blue plastic thing that she puts in the driveway. And I can snuggle real close so my hooman, so she doesn’t have to turn up the heat on the cold nights.
7. Disconnect from electronics: Make it your mission to reconnect with reality every day and focus more on living in the present. Make phone calls instead of sending texts or email, especially during a conflict or emotional events. Limit the time you spend on social media. Have an official No Facebook Day. You won’t miss anything. Skip the news on Sundays, it will all still be there on Monday.
Dogs don’t read, but I admit I has to watch Scooby Do when my hooman leaves. But I can try not to on the weekends when she is home. And I can be real goofy and run around so my hooman can’t hold onto her phone that she looks at when we go for walkies.
8. Read more books: There is a pure healthy escapism to be found only during reading. Borrowing books from the library has never been simpler, too.
You can browse online catalogs and put books and audio recordings on hold. Reading lowers stress levels, improves memory and concentration, and can also benefit your writing skills.
Writing? But doggies don’t have thumbs! Did you ever try to type with mittens on? I could get cozy on the couch with my hooman while she reads, but it makes me so tired. My hooman could get talking stories, and I could get real comfy on the couch. I will try not to snooze through Marley and Me except during the sad part.
9. Get out of your comfort zone: Reflect on the past year and your routines to see if they measure up to what you wanted your life to be. And have those routines benefited you or hindered you? What small steps can you make to bring more fulfillment to your life?
Okay, so maybe the UPS isn’t such a bad guy. My hooman always seems happy to see that he came and left her another brown box with a prize inside. I wonder how he knows what things she likes?
10. Plan that once in a lifetime trip: But be realistic about where and when you can go, and how you are going to get there. What plans can you make today to prepare for that dream destination?
I’m going to pull on my lead hard to get my hooman to let me run fast to the water. I want to chase the funny birds that stand still till I get close then they waddle away with the weird orange feet!
I’ll run and chase them, and they’ll flap their wings and run into the water. Oh, what joy! That would be better than me getting belly rubs!
