Life lessons from Lizzie.
It's been a little while since I've updated you on my precious feline child, Lizzie.
Nothing's new.
I mean, she's a cat. She doesn't get up to a whole heckuva lot.
However, with 6 years of parenting this weird, furry child, I have picked up on some pretty awesome life lessons from her. I think you could benefit from knowing these things, too.
1) If you don't work out, be a work out coach. Lizzie knows my dedication to exercise isn't as consistent as it could be. When I manage to start squatting and lunging and planking, she makes it a point to walk right underneath me while I'm attempting these moves. It provides me with some much needed company--a swat at my ankles lets me know I'm loved. It's also extremely helpful in keeping me on my toes. It forces me to perform some spectacularly acrobatic moves to avoid stepping on her while she steadfastly refuses to move!
Put it into practice: It's a take on the "if you can't do, teach" thing. If you know all the rules of form, but for some reason you just can't or won't exercise, then help a buddy out! Show up at the gym and offer to spot them on the bench press! When you fail to follow through with your offer (because, really, the best help comes in the form of doing nothing!), think of how much stronger they'll be after getting that bar off their neck and back on the rack on their own! Friend trying to diet? Test and strengthen their resolve by showing up with their favorite fast food! It'll take some tricky work for them to avoid caving, but in the end, they'll be better off for it, don't you think?
2) Meal time is a social occasion. Lizzie really hates to eat alone. Why, breakfast isn't until 7:00, but she wants to MAKE SURE we don't miss out on the first family meal of the day by ensuring that she starts letting us know about the upcoming meal, oh, around 5:30 in the morning! The family that eats together, stays together, right?
Put it into practice: Not sure how long it's been since you've had dinner with an old pal? Call them up! Tell them you'll be there in 2 hours and you really look forward to whatever they're cooking! They'll be totally cool with it, because, you know, they probably were just going to eat a nice meal with their family or something. But now you'll be there! Afraid your spouse doesn't realize that it's 6:30 at night and dinner hasn't started yet? Remind them! Let them know exactly what kind of food you'd like, and make sure to keep an eye on them while they make it, to critique their preparation of it. It'll bring you closer together. Definitely.
3) Leave your mark on others. Lizzie is so pretty, so soft and white and fuzzy. She knows how pretty she is, too. But she's not selfish with her beauty. To the contrary, she shares it with Patrick and me daily! A gentle rub against our dress slacks leaves behind a solid patch of white hair. A frisky, feline frolic across the bed ensures any clothes we lay out will be covered in fluffy, white fuzz. We can be just as pretty as her as we venture out for our day!
Put it into practice: Not sure you like your husband's face today? Go ahead--smear a little of your favorite pink lipstick on that pretty pout of his. He'll appreciate it. How about your friends? Do they need just a little something, the kind of pick-me-up that only you can provide? You don't even need to ask--just spray your favorite perfume on them. They most likely won't be allergic, and they'll smell as ravishing as yourself all day.
4) Sharing is caring. Every night, I get a glass of water to keep by the bed. And every night, Lizzie sticks her face in my glass to see if she can reach the water. It just means she loves me, right?
Put it into practice: Really like your sister's new shirt? Tell her so! Then take, er... borrow it. It's a huge compliment to her. Think your boyfriend's burger looks delish? Take a bite! You don't have to ask since you're just letting him know how comfortable you are eating after him. See a tasty looking sandwich in the fridge at work? It's okay to have just half! Your coworker (or whoever that sandwich belongs to) will love to have been given the opportunity to share without the hassle of making a conscious decision to have done so.
And last, but certainly not least:
5) Remember, take time to relax. We all know that life tends to get busy and stressful. Think about poor Lizzie: she has a really tight schedule of napping in the bedroom, napping in the recliner, eating, and then napping on the floor. It's a daily slog. She hardly gets a break! But, she sees that there's no sense in making things harder on herself than necessary. So when she eats, she makes sure to lie down, stretch out her little arm to reach inside the food bowl, knock some kibble on the floor, and eat it from her totally relaxed, takin'-it-easy position straight off the carpet. Standing or even sitting while eating would just stress her out.
Put it into practice: Like Lizzie, we all need to find ways to incorporate a little relaxation into our everyday routines. Too exhausted to cook so you go out to dinner? After you order, lie down in the booth and catch a quick catnap. Trying to get a big work report done? Eh... does the boss REALLY mean she needs it by 5:30 sharp? You can probably just finish it whenever you feel like, so just take your time. Trying to get the grocery shopping done but the kids are driving you bananas? Take a breath, sit cross-legged in the aisle, and take a 10 minute meditation (or medication) break to center yourself. Don't worry about your kids or the other shoppers; this is all about you.
Those are but a few of the very important life lessons I've learned from Lizzie. They require much selflessness from others, while demanding very little from yourself. So noble! Just like Lizzie.
Nothing's new.
I mean, she's a cat. She doesn't get up to a whole heckuva lot.
However, with 6 years of parenting this weird, furry child, I have picked up on some pretty awesome life lessons from her. I think you could benefit from knowing these things, too.
How Life Should be Done, According to Lizzie
1) If you don't work out, be a work out coach. Lizzie knows my dedication to exercise isn't as consistent as it could be. When I manage to start squatting and lunging and planking, she makes it a point to walk right underneath me while I'm attempting these moves. It provides me with some much needed company--a swat at my ankles lets me know I'm loved. It's also extremely helpful in keeping me on my toes. It forces me to perform some spectacularly acrobatic moves to avoid stepping on her while she steadfastly refuses to move!
Put it into practice: It's a take on the "if you can't do, teach" thing. If you know all the rules of form, but for some reason you just can't or won't exercise, then help a buddy out! Show up at the gym and offer to spot them on the bench press! When you fail to follow through with your offer (because, really, the best help comes in the form of doing nothing!), think of how much stronger they'll be after getting that bar off their neck and back on the rack on their own! Friend trying to diet? Test and strengthen their resolve by showing up with their favorite fast food! It'll take some tricky work for them to avoid caving, but in the end, they'll be better off for it, don't you think?
2) Meal time is a social occasion. Lizzie really hates to eat alone. Why, breakfast isn't until 7:00, but she wants to MAKE SURE we don't miss out on the first family meal of the day by ensuring that she starts letting us know about the upcoming meal, oh, around 5:30 in the morning! The family that eats together, stays together, right?
Put it into practice: Not sure how long it's been since you've had dinner with an old pal? Call them up! Tell them you'll be there in 2 hours and you really look forward to whatever they're cooking! They'll be totally cool with it, because, you know, they probably were just going to eat a nice meal with their family or something. But now you'll be there! Afraid your spouse doesn't realize that it's 6:30 at night and dinner hasn't started yet? Remind them! Let them know exactly what kind of food you'd like, and make sure to keep an eye on them while they make it, to critique their preparation of it. It'll bring you closer together. Definitely.
3) Leave your mark on others. Lizzie is so pretty, so soft and white and fuzzy. She knows how pretty she is, too. But she's not selfish with her beauty. To the contrary, she shares it with Patrick and me daily! A gentle rub against our dress slacks leaves behind a solid patch of white hair. A frisky, feline frolic across the bed ensures any clothes we lay out will be covered in fluffy, white fuzz. We can be just as pretty as her as we venture out for our day!
Put it into practice: Not sure you like your husband's face today? Go ahead--smear a little of your favorite pink lipstick on that pretty pout of his. He'll appreciate it. How about your friends? Do they need just a little something, the kind of pick-me-up that only you can provide? You don't even need to ask--just spray your favorite perfume on them. They most likely won't be allergic, and they'll smell as ravishing as yourself all day.
4) Sharing is caring. Every night, I get a glass of water to keep by the bed. And every night, Lizzie sticks her face in my glass to see if she can reach the water. It just means she loves me, right?
Put it into practice: Really like your sister's new shirt? Tell her so! Then take, er... borrow it. It's a huge compliment to her. Think your boyfriend's burger looks delish? Take a bite! You don't have to ask since you're just letting him know how comfortable you are eating after him. See a tasty looking sandwich in the fridge at work? It's okay to have just half! Your coworker (or whoever that sandwich belongs to) will love to have been given the opportunity to share without the hassle of making a conscious decision to have done so.
And last, but certainly not least:
5) Remember, take time to relax. We all know that life tends to get busy and stressful. Think about poor Lizzie: she has a really tight schedule of napping in the bedroom, napping in the recliner, eating, and then napping on the floor. It's a daily slog. She hardly gets a break! But, she sees that there's no sense in making things harder on herself than necessary. So when she eats, she makes sure to lie down, stretch out her little arm to reach inside the food bowl, knock some kibble on the floor, and eat it from her totally relaxed, takin'-it-easy position straight off the carpet. Standing or even sitting while eating would just stress her out.
Put it into practice: Like Lizzie, we all need to find ways to incorporate a little relaxation into our everyday routines. Too exhausted to cook so you go out to dinner? After you order, lie down in the booth and catch a quick catnap. Trying to get a big work report done? Eh... does the boss REALLY mean she needs it by 5:30 sharp? You can probably just finish it whenever you feel like, so just take your time. Trying to get the grocery shopping done but the kids are driving you bananas? Take a breath, sit cross-legged in the aisle, and take a 10 minute meditation (or medication) break to center yourself. Don't worry about your kids or the other shoppers; this is all about you.
Those are but a few of the very important life lessons I've learned from Lizzie. They require much selflessness from others, while demanding very little from yourself. So noble! Just like Lizzie.
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