We asked our dog, Chip to share his stress reduction techniques with everyone, because he never seems to let life’s ups and downs bother him. Chip is a Bassett Hound who practices relaxing everyday. He lives with two Great Danes and some humans, but he has figured out how to keep calm even when there is turmoil with mail and package deliveries, visitors invading his household space or a Great Dane puppy pulling his tail. Although he is short in stature, Chip has devised some helpful stress reduction techniques to rise above it all and enjoy a calm and relaxing life. Here is his advice:
Alter the situation if you can’t avoid the stress.
1. Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. That may include people who are bothering you as you try to sleep or it may be my brother, Brett, who is a Great Dane puppy who tries to steal my chew-toys. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build. A couple of good barking howls usually does the trick.
2. Be more assertive. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. Being a Bassett Hound means that I am low to the ground, and often I get overlooked with the 2 Great Danes stealing the attention. Also, sometimes the 2-legged folks miss the dinner feeding time, and I have to come and bark to remind them. Speaking up is important as long as you remain honest with your remarks.
Accept the things you can not change.
1. Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of others. This is especially true with Great Dane puppies. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. I just find a quiet place to get away from it all and take a nice long nap. Stress reduction techniques include knowing when to work with life the way it is, and not always trying to change behaviors or life situations that will never change. For example, I know that I am short in stature and that will never change, but why stress over this fact? People will have to love me the way I am.
2. Learn to forgive. This is one of the most important stress reduction techniques I use. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that others make mistakes. When my long floppy ear gets stepped on, I forgive. When people forget to fill my empty water bowl, I bark and then I forgive. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on. There is always time for a nap.
Make time for fun and relaxation.
1. Set aside relaxation time. Stress reduction techniques should always include relaxation. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule—two naps are a minimum. Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries. Life can be stressful, living with other less organized individuals sharing your space and trying to maintain a schedule for regular meal times. Separate your stressful situations with time for relaxing and rejuvenating rest.
2. Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it is exercising out of doors, playing with others or enjoying a nice bone. Life is too short to fill up your days with stress.
Ann Gatty is a certified teacher, author, organizational strategist and personal consultant. She has taught in classrooms, museums, boardrooms and employee seminars. She has mentored and coached. She is a mother of two young adult boys. Dr. Gatty has developed self growth curriculum for personal coaching and educational curriculum in organizational leadership, museum studies, and teacher development. She has enjoyed supervising student teachers and mentoring young professionals entering the workforce. From her work and personal experiences, she finds a continuous need among women, of all walks of life, to find answers to questions about their life balance, goals, and health. Ann Gatty earned a Ph.D. in Instruction and Learning from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Education. Previously she received a M.A. in Education and Museum Studies from the College of William and Mary (Williamsburg, VA) and a B.A. in history from Mary Baldwin College (Staunton, VA).