My motto is “What You Notice Matters!” Experiential life lessons and intuitive wisdom are available to us at any given moment of the day or the night, if we only notice the opportunities presented to us.

Even a blind dog can teach you how to live wide-awake and in the moment.

I recently took over the care of an older dog who has very little eyesight left. When this dog had good eyesight he barked at everything: other dogs, traffic, lawn mowers, strange noises. It was nearly impossible to take him for a walk without constant growling and barking. It’s not that he was a mean dog (we’re talking sweet, loving dog here) he was just trying to assert his Alpha Dog! status.

Now, he barks only at what clearly sounds threatening. As you can imagine, this reduces his anxiety a ton! No longer looking for things to bark at or barking to show he is the top dog, he just follows his nose with 100% focus. He happily trots around the neighborhood and doesn’t even growl when other dogs pass by and give him a sniff. There are wise lessons in this example.

1. Focus on what’s really important to you without being distracted by others and what they are doing. Not only will you enjoy the process of daily life more, you’ll spend more time on the stuff you find most satisfying and fun.
2. Don’t waste energy or make a lot of noise trying to prove you’re the “top dog.” Just be your best human self: compassionate, loving, helpful. That will attract the right attention and the best results.
3. Take on new challenges with the heart of a blind dog. Don’t be deterred by new circumstances that make life more of a challenge. Be assured that there will be a silver lining in the new challenge that you can’t foresee until you move through your fears or anxiety.

We can all master new ways of being that spring from moments of just BEING. Intentional awareness is always a powerful way to start each day with curiosity and enthusiasm.