Dogs

Walking on Clouds a Mauna Kea Perspective

When one thinks of Hawaii, images of beaches come to mind first. The Big Island Hawaii is different and quite majestic in that it has several volcanoes, one being 14,000 feet tall.  It is called and celebrated in the name Mauna Kea.

We went to Mauna Kea to watch the sunset this week while a friend was visiting. The feeling of walking on clouds and gratitude was what came of it.

Mauna Kea and Walking on Clouds

The visit was one where unexpected connection came to mind. We traveled from our home to the top of the mountain, about an hour and a half trip by 4 wheel drive with our two dogs and our friend, who is originally from India. As I stood at the top I thought about what would bring these beings together and how we got here. We’d all come from very different places yet the grounding of the earth, at 14,000 feet and above the clouds was a shared experience.

There were moments where we all stood at the top and looked out in our own awe of the beauty and it felt as though we had each realized the vastness of our lives, the real beauty of the earth and the amazing feeling of actually being above the clouds. It was a time where we did not have to say it out loud but a feeling of gratitude for our mere existence was shared.

Nature and the Lesson from Dogs

I often times wish my dogs could tell me exactly what they are thinking. On this particular trip simply riding in the car with us one could tell was pure joy. I try to take those moments and apply them to the things I do. In this instance just simply to enjoy the ride with my life partner and our friend and the dogs.

Once on the mountain the connection to outdoors, breathing, running or moving is easy to see.  My Weimaraner is much like me in that she gets cold easily. She dealt with it by moving, checking out all that was around her and the connection to the earth. Movement is a natural course of action for a dog.

Why is it that we humans tend to become sedentary when the feeling of uncomfortable comes over us? Another lesson I have learned from the dogs.

  • Move
  • Breath
  • Warm your body by taking in all of the surroundings, especially when in nature. Even if it’s just a walk around the block to replace a sudden feeling of anxiety the movement works.

Perspective

Somewhere in the hour and a half drive to the top we encountered cloud cover. I’m one to love the sun. Clouds make me feel not so happy. The perspective I gained from this particular trip once we broke through the clouds as we started for the summit was a matter of perspective.

The sun is here. It is shining on us. It may be covered by the clouds but it is still above shining in all it’s glory. Though it may be covered by the clouds if we dare to get out in it, we will soak it up. It may look different under the clouds, it is a matter of perspective. It is a matter of how we choose to look at it.

Yet another lesson from the dogs. Given the chance they will go out and play, or run or simply smell the outdoors whether the sun is clearly shining or not and the benefit of the oxygen, the movement and the time outside bring good in, stale out!  The excuse of clouds is not one to stop a dog from enjoying and the belief that there is sun anyway is the beauty of a dog’s attitude towards it.

Go outside today. What is your perspective? What does the movement, the breath, a plant, the smells, the sounds add to your connection to the earth do for you?  Can you soak up the sun from any perspective?

 Jt Clough lives on the Big Island, Hawaii, and practices health, happiness and natural remedies, while working as a Habits Coach for people looking to live healthier and happier lives.  She is a dog whisperer for our best friends; and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication.  Her latest e-book is How to Swim through Your Fears and Come Out a Champion.

 

The Reflection of Dislike

Have you ever heard that the qualities that bother you the most in others are actually those that you don’t like about yourself? How about this one; your dog’s behavior reflects your own?

Both of those statements are kind of hard to take and usually get the brush off real quick, especially when the behavior isn’t that cool and you immediately feel a sense of dislike. In fact many times we find ourselves shaking our head and calling someone silently an idiot, sometimes we don’t hold the silence and say it out loud as an automatic reaction.

When it comes to the dog, anxiety or fear aggression of course have nothing to do with you. Nothing. At all.

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.” -Carl Jung

Yes, most of the time, behavior that really disturbs us is in fact a reflection of our own behavior. It is a reflection of the things we cannot stand about ourselves, or things that we have never even admitted out loud to ourselves.

For years I have scene the reflection of dogs and their owners and the behavior that is driving the owner crazy. The frustration comes when owners try to change the behavior of the dog without realizing that there is an underlying reason the behavior keeps appearing. It usually is about themselves. It’s usually about a habit.

The other side of that story is people get great success with new behavior in their dog when they realize that a habit needs attention and the that without doing the work, the habit is going to stay the same.

The Note Card Game Naming Idiot Behavior in People and/or Dogs

Recently I’ve started playing a game that has helped me realize so many things about myself. It has started a wonderful healing process and it has helped me react in a whole new way, a much less judgmental way.

I’ve been acutely aware of the reflection owners and dogs have had for years. It is why my job is so easy when it comes to training dogs. The realization that the reflections are really about connections to people, our pets, our things, the picture we hold of ourselves in our minds’ eye.  It has come clear through the work I have done with all of those dogs and their owners.

You may have read this so far and laughed a little to yourself but still are holding on to the fact that you are just simply not a reflection of your loud mouthed co-worker, or sister, or husband, wife, best friend, or ex BFF. The dog’s behavior has nothing to do with your personality, after all the dog is a rescue and came this way. (more on how we attract our friends and dogs in another story)….

Play this game for the next week and see what you learn.

1. Whenever you have a negative thought about someone, even your dog write it on a note card. You may need to put it as a note on your phone app since frequently this happens while out and about. List the person’s (dog’s) name and short description.

Spend some time every day when you have a chance to sit down and think about the incident and list all the things that make that person or dog seem like an idiot, or at least you don’t think is cool to be that way, or in fact is incredibly irritating.

2. Reflect all of the qualities you listed back onto yourself. It is amazing how many of the qualities you write about someone else you actually have yourself. I play the game and quite frankly it blows me away. Things I find awful in someone else I have either played out in my mind, in front of someone else or most certainly in front of my dog.

3. Forgive. Healing does start with forgiving. Once you start playing this game regularly it’s much easier to forgive the person or dog about the way they are. Take the energy you would have used being irritated and put it to work on your own reaction. Honestly how we react even in our own head is what kind of person we are.

*note this is also how we can begin new habits with the dog since their language is different than ours it becomes about pictures and what habits we form become the picture of what they should be doing, taking the attention away from what they shouldn’t be doing. ** another note, the same thing works astoundingly well with people.

The Note Card game is my own version. One of my new blogger friends Tim McAuley wrote his version of this game in one of his articles: Huge mahalo Tim for adding more thoughts to my ever increasing awareness. Tim has written an awesome book all about reflection call It’s All About Me I highly recommend as well. Check out Tim’s website and read his amazing insights.

It is a disturbing to think about when it comes right down to it. That person that really bothers you, you are in fact like. Really? Play the game and find out for yourself. I’ve come to a recent conclusion. We are all in fact connected.

I’m trying to use my connection to reflect as many good things, behaviors, reactions as possible in a day. How about you, where is your attention? Your connection? And are there a lot of “idiots” around you?

Jt Clough lives on the Big Island, Hawaii, and practices health, happiness and natural remedies, while working as a Habits Coach for people looking to live healthier and happier lives.  She is a dog whisperer for our best friends; and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication.  Her latest e-book is How to Swim through Your Fears and Come Out a Champion.

 

Fear of Failure, Joyfear & The Dog

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown own your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”—One can derive the life lessons that can only come from trying, failing, learning, and trying again. This is the epitome of having no fear of failure. ~Steve Jobs

The Fear of Failure

Unless you are living under a rock and have been for a long time you know about Apple products and the raging success they have made on our digital market, from music to computing. We have Steve Jobs to thank for that. Well, him and a bunch of people that worked with him. But he was one to stand up and talk about failure and how he chose to use it as a catalyst to success.

Fear is the base for the probability of failure in our minds’. It is the biggest thief of our dreams, our passions and becoming our best selves. It is even the base of disappointment in our besties including dogs.

Fear is a safe place to hide out. It is the reason we don’t get what we want out of life and only talk about what we are going to do some day soon. Fear makes sure that everything stays the same. Fear sucks.

Is Fear Defining Who You Are?  How you React to the Situation of Life Everyday?

Do you listen to the drone of others telling you… “not a good idea”, “you shouldn’t do that”, “you can’t do what you want to do it’s just not the way it is”, “life is difficult”.

Is it that it’s said enough, “you should be afraid”, that we believe it?

And then we repeatedly say it to ourselves. Unconsciously. I am afraid to do something new. I am afraid to be who I am.

Something changes when adulthood shows up. When we were kids we believed we have the powers of SuperMan or Ms. Marvel.  For real.

We had plans to be an astronaut, a scientist, an artist, make the whole world a better place, the best teacher ever, a fireman. What is it that changes so drastically? What makes us afraid to be who we are, make our dreams reality, find our true passions?

What Fear Does

It steals who we are, what we do and how we act.

It changes the face of our own dogs, who by nature are very in the moment. In fact if you have a dog that suffers from fear aggression or separation anxiety it’s time to take a look at what is going on in your own life. Yes, of course seeking a professional dog trainer’s help this case is high recommended, but….

Consider the fear is projected from your words, your actions, all that you comes with you upon entering a room.

Joyfear*

original word creator: Leo Babauta at ZenHabits

Recognize fear in the moment and start rewriting your story right then. Write it down. What are the reasons you have fear around it? You’ll start seeing a pattern or big fat ugly excuses.

Begin the transformation to joy.  Take your fear and create joy.  Joyfear.  Really, like love and hate, it’s a fine line.

When it comes to the dog… well they can’t write their own fears down but if you should be dealing with this issue, look at all that is around when the fear happens and then come up with three things you could do to change the picture for your dog. *Note, an easier project when understanding how dogs think and learn.

You have the control panel to change the fear in your life. It’s starts with recognizing that it exists and every time it jumps up and rears it’s ugly face, think differently.

“What if I let myself enjoy this moment? How can I appreciate myself and take action in a new way today? What is good around me, and how can I contribute to it?”

“What steps can I take to feel calm? To write the book I’ve dreamed of? To move from the city to a quieter more serene life? To move to New York city? To become a (fill in the blank)?

Take This Fear and Shove It

My friend and colleague Tess Marshall has written and teaches a course called “Take This Fear and Shove It”. If any of this resonated with you check it out. It could just be the start of your dreams come true.

If you do have a dog with fear issues, it is worth having a clearer understanding of your own fear. The picture will be much brighter when it comes to communicating calm to your dog and ultimately when it comes to your own daily habits.

Jt Clough lives In Kailua Kona on the Big Island, Hawaii, and practices health, happiness and natural remedies, while working as a habits coach for people looking to live healthier and happier lives.  She is a dog whisperer for our best friends; and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication.

The Nasty Grip of Anxiety

Anxiety. If that word resonates with you I don’t even have to go into all the feelings that it brings on.

Unnecessary feelings, but never the less they are alive and real for many. Most the time dog owners rub it right off on to our own dogs as well.  After all, our own dogs do in fact reflect our behavior.

If the word anxiety doesn’t resonate with you. Good for you! Stoked for you.

Those who do feel anxiety on a regular basis this is the year to get rid of it once and for all.  It is like worry, which is a total waste of time.

As a dog trainer it is obvious when an owner comes to me and says their dog has separation anxiety or fear aggression. However, it is usually not apparent to the owner.  It is a realization to the owner that it can actually be about them.

You do emulate the 5 things you hang out with most.

You see, we spend much of our time covering it up, not addressing that it’s a real issue. We stay the same. In fear. In anxiety.  That ugly nasty grip stops us from doing so many things we hold as dreams and aspirations.

When it comes to coaching people without dogs, sometimes it is actually harder to read. Again, dogs have no filter and tell all. So without the mirror of a dog’s behavior it becomes even easier to hide behind.

The Way To Anti Anxiety

Wouldn’t it be great if I could just lay it out here and have it resolved once and for all?

Anxiety is a complex problem but the truth of the matter is we must address it to do anything about it. We must first admit that it affects our lives. And for those who can already admit it, we need to move on to doing something about it.

Or…. guaranteed it will get worse over time. What you think about you become.

So here is a quick and fast answer to get your started to no more anxiety in 2012:

GO INTO ACTION.  It’s a natural anti anxiety remedy that works.

Let me give you an example.

This morning I was outrigger paddling in the Ocean with 9 other people on our crew. We had paddled out for about a half hour, came around a point off of the pier here in the magical, healing, yet very powerful waters that surround the Big Island and… WAHOO… big swell.

What that means for those who don’t paddle is the little tiny canoe in comparison to the great big Ocean starts rocking and rolling and becomes in great danger of going over.  It means the front end of the boat was completely covered with water and our job was to keep paddling to come out the other side and get back on top of the water.

I found myself beginning to freak. I had already started all the “what if’s” in my mind. I already had me and all of my crew flailing around in the water, trying to find our paddles, trying to grab an overturned canoe to flip it back over, trying to not get bashed by big waves or the boat while bailing the water out before we could get back in.

My comment out loud was, “Oh shit, I’m sorta scared.” One of my paddle crew sitting at the front along aside me who is strong just like I am when it comes to paddling, said in the midst of it all just after I made the comment, “Don’t think about it. Just paddle.”

Guess what? It worked! I just paddled. Smoothly, with rhythm.  I became calm in the powerful  water and used it to my advantage to keep moving forward.

The realization later is once again the lesson came about how to deal with anxiety, how to get rid of anxiety.

Do something. Go into action. Don’t waste the time spinning out about all the “what if’s” Move. Take action.

In my experience, it works for people and it works for dogs. It is a habit one has to practice though if you happen to be afflicted by the nasty grip of anxiety.

The Anxiety Busting Virtual Tour

Yes, a blatant promotion coming your way. And know I don’t promote anything I don’t truly believe in.

Anxiety is one of those things people tend to put on “wait”. Wait and see if it goes away. Wait to see if things suddenly change. Wait to see if the New Year will make it better. Wait to see if the love of my life comes along and makes it better. Wait to see if when I lose weight I will feel better. Wait to see if the anxiety gets better.

Wrong answer. Wait.

The only way to get rid of anxiety, to change it from entering your life and literally stealing your plans to live happily away is to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

The Anxiety Busting Virtual Tour starts Jan 23. Get on it. Check it out. And have yourself the best 2012 ever.

*Note to dog owners who are looking for help with what seems to be a dog anxiety problem:  This is for you!  If you understand anxiety you can help your dog.  If you don’t understand anxiety, considering the lack of communication methods we have with our dogs, it will be a difficult fix!

Thanks for reading.  My hope is to give you inspiration and thought provoking ideas to take your very next step in creating your own paradise from where you are now!  Please subscribe to Big Island Dog and follow me on Twitter.   Retweets are cool too.

As a 9 time Ironman finisher, change maker, author and creator of  5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs and K9 Cross Fitness Classes in Kailua Kona Hawaii I encourage you to make that change you want so badly today!

Mahalo 2011 and Aloha 2012

It has been a most fabulous year for me and Big Island Dog.

Look back and spend some time to be grateful for people, experiences and the things you love in your life. Make a love list about it.  It’s a much better way to put your New Year’s Intentions out there instead of thinking in terms of Resolutions!

I love that I took the action to live a dream and move to Hawaii.

Still, I’m a little amazed that it all happened. It all aligned and what I’m taking from it is to go ahead and amaze yourself. If you love it, when you amaze yourself, not someone else, it will take the expectation part out of the picture and put your best self on for everyone else for real… no pretending. That changes everything.

I love that the love of my life, my life partner did all it took to get our family to Hawaii.

We had a quest to live with less and spend our time creating experiences to share with others. In the last 8 months we have had people here for their own retreat and friends and family come stay with us. Wonderful times have come from all of it.

I love that our dogs are with us.

If only you could hear the conversations with Emmy the Lab it would be quite clear that we are experiencing pure joy. We have had lots of it this year.

Even through all the NEW, it brought us to practice reaction. I’m finding the reaction to come to the positive side of everything in the moment, to have a grateful view of all that is, has made fear and anxiety vanish more often.

I love that I started eating much much more healthy.

This one has changed the way I feel in a HUGE way. It took some sticking to it, and I’ve got a lot more foodie nutritional healing ways to go. But I love the challenge to eat mostly things that are not processed.  I love learning about it and sharing it with others.

I love that I started doing yoga on a regular basis.

It has brought balance to my very busy mind, and created flexibility in my body where there was pain before.

I love that I got rid of so much of my stuff.

It was one of those things I didn’t realize.  I was holding on to things and not using them out of fear of not having enough.  When I gave most of it away or sold it, I realized how abundant my life is and how less can actually create more of the most important things in life.

I love that I started outrigger paddling and met some wonderful people.

They help me in my observations to write many articles because of our experiences on the Ocean. My new Kona crew rocks it as far as working out goes with happy ready to go attitudes too. I love that.

I love my website and blog.

I got the chance to write my story. And I get to use my gift of teaching. I get to be an author and I get to have people read my stuff. I love that I published an e-book this year. It’s on Amazon and everything. It’s so cool.

Huge Mahalo Courtney Carver

You are so amazing and the contribution and professional awesome-ness you brought to putting the site together has your magic intention flowing at all times even here in Hawaii. It makes me think of you often.

*Courtney’s writing on How to Make a Love List was the inspiration for this article as well.

Be In The Moment while Looking Forward to the Aloha of 2012

I look forward to all that I can do in 2012 for myself, for my family and for others. I’ll leave my wonderful readers I appreciate so very much here to write your own Love List of Mahalos 2011 and Alohas 2012. I’ll be at the beach this year, celebrating all that is and all that is to come. I plan to write my 2012 Love List there. Stay tuned.

Aloha wags!

Thanks for reading.  My hope is to give you inspiration and thought provoking ideas to take your very next step in creating your own paradise from where you are now!  Please subscribe to Big Island Dog and follow me on Twitter.   Retweets are cool too.

As a 9 time Ironman finisher, change maker and author and creator of  5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs and K9 Cross Fitness Classes in Kailua Kona Hawaii I encourage you to make that change you want so badly today!

 

You Are Here for a Reason

Kindness keeps the world afloat.

When negativity surrounds… I know someday it will all turn around.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” ~Plato

Random acts of kindness. The Christmas holiday gets lost in all the shopping, spending and more, more, more. Doing something kind for those you love and those you don’t even know will in fact bring you more, more, more….

JOY

As Courtney says from Be More with Less, “You Can Stop Now.” Christmas will come even if you don’t buy one more thing.

Enjoy….

your home
you dog
your family
your friends
a beautiful sunset
a quiet moment with yourself
make a list of all you have to be grateful for
say it out loud
smile

Make plans to be the best version of you. 

Here is what I’m planning on participating in. It will be good for me and for everyone around me including my dogs!

Help people and dogs through the 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs

The Trainer Method – A mastermind to to bring out your super power and live the life of your dreams.

Make your plans and do more with less stuff from here on out!

If an act of kindness has the ability to shift someone’s bad day into a better one, then why not try to be that change?

Aloha wags!

Thanks for reading.  My hope is to give you inspiration and thought provoking ideas to take your very next step in creating your own paradise from where you are now!  Please join us at 7 Ways Dogs Make Your Health Better and on Twitter.   Retweets are cool too.

Jt Clough is a 9 time Ironman finisher, change maker and author and creator of  5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs 

Your Content

Drink Like a Dog This Holiday

The holiday season finds many of us indulging in good cheer. And for many that means excess alcohol.

Why we do it is another question considering all the negatives that go with it, but how it makes us feel is undoubtedly something most would like to do without.

This holiday plan to drink like a dog, which means indulge yourself in a whole lot more consumption of water!

Our bodies are made up of 70% water. The body of an adult dog contains about 60% water. Water is the principal chemical component for both dogs and people. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

Drink Like a Dog

Granted, dogs don’t get much choice in the matter, but you’ll find that when they are thirsty, when they are excited, when they’ve just done something really fun, or they’ve just eaten their dinner, they run for the water bowl and gulp it down like it’s the best thing ever. It could be part of the reason they wake up every single morning ready to go, wagging tail, smile on the face and happy about the day ahead.

People on the other hand, especially during the holidays with parties and gatherings tend to wake with a hazy feeling. Actual headache upon waking. Grouchy. Don’t really want to go after anything with any vim and vigor attached to it. Feeling down and depressed. Read What Drinking Does To Your Body and it may really give you reason to choose an alternative at your next holiday party.

Women and men alike are bummed when the clothes are getting tighter and tighter to get in. We wonder why, never considering the amount of sugar and what we are doing to our metabolism when the amount of holiday drinks containing alcohol is on the upward scale of intake for the year.  Depending on your age, even with regular exercise alcohol intake can negate maintaining your body weight during the holidays.

Quite frankly the euphoria that alcohol brings is such a big huge game changer in the end. The let down and disenchanted feeling afterwards never pays off. We can end up being quite ugly to those closest to us and they should be the people we at our best charm for during these days of celebration.

Yet, we continue to pour another glass of wine at the company party, friends homes and out at restaurants.

Tips to Drinking Like a Dog

Ok, so I’m not saying never drink again. Or become a teetotaler through and through (though I contemplating it!), just seriously limit your drinking throughout the rest of the holidays.

For instance have one glass of wine or cocktail instead of two or three and drink mineral water or just plain water with a lemon or lime in it after that.

When out at a restaurant or catered party it’s easy to dress up the non alcoholic drink. It looks pretty in the glass with the bubbly water and a lime and ice cubes.

When you are at home, use one of your fancy glasses to create your own drink that looks like a cocktail or a glass of wine. Check out these mocktail recipes and try one that appeals to you. Take the ingredients to a party with you. Make your own drink and I bet you’ll get some takers to join you.

Easiest Drink Recipe – Using a Wine Glass or Cocktail Glass

Personally I try to pick something with as little sugar a possible. My favorite is super easy and appears to be a vodka soda with a lime!

  • Fancy glass
  • Perrier
  • A splash of cranberry juice
  • A lime slice

That’s it! You’ll feel great the next morning with the added hydration as a big bonus and the health benefits are well worth it.

Drink like a dog this holiday season! Ideas for your dog to up the healthy drinking habit too can be found at Hydration How Much Should Your Active Dog Drink

Do you feel like you drink more alcohol than you’d really like to or intend to? Do you feel like you keep gaining that extra couple of pounds each year? I’d love to hear your challenges.

Thanks for reading.  My hope is to give you inspiration and thought provoking ideas to take your very next step in creating your own paradise from where you are now!  Please subscribe to Big Island Dog and follow me on Twitter.   Retweets are cool too.

As a 9 time Ironman finisher, change maker and author and creator of  5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs and K9 Cross Fitness Classes in Kailua Kona Hawaii I encourage you to make that change you want so badly today!

1 4 5 6 7 8 9