Unconditional love, loyal, playful, present, if you were to ask someone to mention a few words that come to mind when thinking of a dog, those words are not far-fetched. Why is it not as common for people to have all of those traits? What is keeping us from it, and how can we be more like a dog?

Have you ever noticed that when you accidentally step on a dogs paw, they don't equate the pain with any type of self pity or frustration? Maybe they squeal, but the next thing you know, they are wagging their tail, happy to see you. Dogs are where they are, and they don't let things from the past or future cloud their thoughts to the point of anxiety or anger.

We humans were given the gift to recall the past and dream of a brighter future, but unfortunately our ability to think about the past and future often becomes detrimental to many. Concerns and fears can easily strip the memories into worries and dreams into nightmares, taking us away from being present, playful, loyal, and that unconditional love.

What if we could have the best of both worlds? What if we could be like a dog, but still dream and focus to bring our desires to fruition? Well, you can! With what I like to call the three P's, presence, positivity, and persistence, we can catch our thoughts taking us in undesired directions, bring ourselves back in the moment, and then consciously take our thoughts to a better place.

By following the three P's, and consistently being present and conscious of our thoughts, we can re wire our brain, allowing us to naturally be more present and aligned with our natural state of well being. It takes about 30 days to rewire the brain, which can vary depending on how much energy you put into making the change, so persistence is key!

Would you positively practice presence and persistence if you knew it would make you more like a dog? I would! You can't wait for outside circumstances to magically make you have unconditional love, loyalty, be more playful and present. You have to create it yourself. “Effort, concentration, and mindfulness are the internal ways in which the mind restores itself from being out of balance and lost in confusion to a condition of ease, clarity, and wisdom NO external action needs to happen.” ―Sylvia Boorstein