April showers bring May flowers
Hello and welcome!
‘April showers bring May flowers’
I’m sure you’ve heard that quip many times before. Of course it’s true that we need rain for the flowers to thrive, but for us dog walkers rain also means muddy paws, dirty boots, slippery paths, and extra time needed to clean up after each walk.
In this month of April showers, Caroline and I have decided to focus on water and its effects on us and on our dogs. For my first April piece, however, I’m going to use water as an example, one that allows me to explain an invaluable psychological trick, a technique that will mean - without anything changing at all in your circumstances - you’ll be able to enjoy a situation you would normally heartily dislike.
This technique arises from cognitive therapy, a method that looks at our self-talk, and in particular how we word that self-talk.
Psychological research has shown repeatedly that wellbeing is only vaguely related to what actually happens to an individual, what opportunities and limitations they face and what advantageous and disadvantageous events are dealt out to them. Instead, a person’s wellbeing is closely tied to their interpretation of what happens to them, rather than what actually happens. So for example, if a tree is felled in a storm, some people might feel sad because they thought it was a beautiful tree. But to others, for example the person living next door, it might be considered a relief because now their garden is no longer fully shaded by that tree. Same event; two very different reactions.
You can do the same thing. If you’ve disliked rain until now because you tell yourself it spoils your dog walk, I invite you to try an experiment. Next time it’s raining during your walk, do as you usually do and then give yourself a score out of 100 at the end of it, where 100 means you absolutely loved and totally enjoyed that outing, and 0 means it was the most unpleasant dog walk ever. Put the rating somewhere out of sight, and wait for the next rainy dog walk.
This time, during your walk I invite you to think about what this rain shower is doing to make the surroundings better and healthier. Notice the plants and how they thrive on the moisture. Notice how much stronger and richer scents become, enhancing your appreciation of the flora around you and giving your dog all sorts of enticing signals. And when you get home, instead of grumbling about the extra time cleaning up, use this opportunity to give your dog a big cuddle as you dry their coat, and notice how happy it makes them. Now rate how you felt about that walk.
Finally, get out your last rating and compare the two numbers. Hopefully you felt better on this occasion. Yet nothing was different, except that you chose to think about what was happening differently.
It’s a kind of magic.
Until next time, happy April showers!
Best,
Linda