Animals are great, aren’t they? Seeing a wild animal doing its thing (one that won’t harm you or doesn’t annoy you) can raise the level of dopamine in your brain. That’s the feel-good chemical that we want more of.

Having an animal as a pet reduces blood pressure and makes you feel better just by having them around. I think it’s because animals give unconditional love. No matter what we do or who we are, our dogs or cats give us love. I’m not sure if iguanas can love, but if they do, that’s good if you like them around. I like the furry cuddling ones to have as a pet, but everyone is different, so you do you.

When you come home, and they greet you at the door,  it feels good and puts you on a higher frequency. We want to spend time with our pets, sometimes more than we want to be around humans. It’s because we can let down our guard around our pets. There’s no judgment, only love.

When we have an animal as a pet, something good happens in our brains. We have to take care of them, which takes the focus off our internal dialog running ourselves down or worrying. Why do we worry so much? Oh my God, I want to lighten the worrying grip on me. I wish to have the type of mind where I let life unfold organically and stop trying to control every second.

Walking a dog or playing with a cat helps us to just be and live in the moment. I don’t know about you, but I want to mosey through life, taking in the scenery instead of life rushing by in a blur. Plus, it gives us an excuse to be more active. It’s a win-win.

That moment when you’re petting your dog or cat feels calming. You could be having the worst day, then sit down and absentmindedly stroke your pet’s fur while replaying the horrors of the day, and after a short time, the intensity of the anger or frustration diminishes. It just happens. It brings the level of anxiety down, and you feel relaxed. This is especially true when you watch your dog or cat sleeping. It just brings on a level of calm you can’t duplicate from a bottle.  It’s a natural high. Yes, our animals give us a natural high.

I am pet-less now, but I know I will have my Weimaraners, Hayden, and Thane, in the future.

My family had a Weimaraner, Misty. She was so beautiful – and my best friend. When I think about her now, after all this time, I still feel the loss. That’s the impact our pets can have on us. We lose our best friend, our confidant, our shadow. And that type of loss is significant. We are fortunate to be able to get another pet to fill the void, and it does, but you never forget the ones who moved on. At least, I don’t.

Did you ever notice that when you have a pet, you do everything necessary to ensure they are healthy and happy that you don’t mind doing for them? It’s just something you do, like caring for yourself or your family.  They are our family.

So, look at your dog or cat and say thank you. It doesn’t matter if they can’t say it back. They thank you a thousand times with tails wagging or purring like a lawnmower. That says all the words they need.

You can’t be sad with a silly kitten or puppy around.

You forgive and move on even if they make a mess or do something wrong. We have a hard time doing that with other people because there’s so much worry and anxiety that you’d get hurt again, whereas an animal can’t hurt you like that. We give animals much credit that we could share with other people to create happier and healthier relationships. Fear keeps us at arm’s length from people, but we don’t fear a fluffy, sweet furry friend. That’s because we put love before fear. We allow love to grow and deepen with our pets, even though we know cats and dogs live short lives. Yet, with people, we put so much weight on relationships, our baggage overflowing with anxiety and fears, that unconditional love seems to get shoved down to the bottom. Our pets release the weight from us, and we’re free to be ourselves. It’s also okay to be ourselves with people. The secret is not to let our thoughts take over our hearts.  Love is a very powerful emotion and can change a life for the better. Be open to it.

Animals are great. They let us tap into that sweet, innocent human being we are at our cores. We don’t have to be afraid to hide that, even if you’re an adult. Be good to yourself and others. It’s that simple.

Thank you for reading my thoughts. I am open to receiving all the good life offers and want to share what comes up in my thoughts and how to experience more of that.

To Animals,

Francesca