Emotional Resilience

My emotional resilience has been tested this week.

On Wednesday, I took my dog, Tucker, to the vet. He was having a full-blown panic attack—test number one. After they placed him in his “house,” I had to sign paperwork. Check one: CPR if needed or do not resuscitate. Well… damn. That hit hard.

Of course I said yes—CPR if needed. After I signed, I put one hand on my heart and the other on my stomach and took several slow, steady breaths. The good news: he got dental X-rays and no surgery (or CPR) was required. Thank goodness.

Thursday morning we go out for our after breakfast walk - all is well! We come back in, and I get ready to go to the gym. As I was saying goodbye to Tucker, I notice blood on the floor. I investigated and see that he ripped a nail! Then I look around and see blood in several spots on the carpet as well as on the couch.

I grabbed the vinegar and started spot cleaning, while thinking, shoot - do I take him back to the vet? I knew he'd have another panic attack, is it worth it? Is it necessary? I decided pretty quickly that I wasn't going to the gym, I stayed home to monitor him and keep him comfortable. It is healing, but still causing him discomfort.

In addition to dog drama - my cat is also suffering from kidney failure. She is in pain, reluctant to eat, and extra needy - all of this is understandable. So extra love, care, and attention has been spent on keeping the cat as happy as possible, fed, and nurtured.

What is the significance of these stories?

My blood pressure was running high, I was anxious, and I had to make decisions in the moment.

But because I’ve been working on emotional regulation for years, I was able to respond differently than I might have in the past:

1. I was able to quickly identify I was dis-regulated

2. This triggered me to stop and breathe.

3. With that pause, I was able to see the situations from multiple perspectives (not just fight, flight or freeze).

4. From a calmer, more centered place, I made decisions I felt comfortable with and thought was in my pet's best interest.

This is your reminder: emotional resilience isn’t for the easy days. It’s for the days when life gets messy, fast, and out of control.

I’m deeply grateful for my daily practices - because weeks like this are when they become invaluable.

Breath work, grounding, movement, and slowing down have been my anchors.