Almost 6 years ago I discovered first hand that animals mirror us. My 2 year-old chihuahua, Tater Tot was neurotic, anxious and wanted to control everything. It was a hard pill to swallow when I recognized myself in his behavior. After months of denial, I finally saw that this was a gift.
I took the opportunity to learn more about myself through Tater's behaviors. I watched what he needed to soothe those behaviors and gave myself some of the same. Together, we healed. A portal to self-awareness opened up to me and I got curious about how else Tater was mirroring me. I also got curious about how other people's pets were mirroring them. I let the pets that I was dog sitting for tell me how best to work with their parents. I gave my friends advice based on what I was witnessing with their fur babies. I also got curious about where else this mirroring was happening. That led me to take Nature-Based Coach Training where I spent time honing the skill of curiosity as well as researching this mirroring effect and how I could continue to use it to grow. Everywhere I turned there was a teaching moment. The hawk that I almost hit when he swooped down in front of my car taught me to pay attention. The mass quantity of feathers I found over the course of a year taught me that I was always being guided. The boss that didn't respect me taught me that I wasn't respecting myself. So, it was no surprise that writing a memoir has been like holding a mirror up to my face every time I sit and place my fingers on the keyboard. What has surprised me is the depth of what it has shown me. Yes, I have continued to work through limiting beliefs and self-doubts but: It has also shown me how I show up in the world (very timidly), it has shown me that I am a kinetic learner (helpful to know when building a business or learning any new skill), and that it's important for me to learn to take up space and time when telling a story. These are not just teachable moments that will increase my success as a writer. These are teachable moments that show me how to fully embody who I am. They show me how to practice the skill of self-mastery - knowing myself so well that no outside influence could ever make me doubt my worth, my abilities and my importance in this world. Writing a memoir has been perhaps the most important mirror I have ever held up to myself.
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AuthorMelinda Lee is a mom of two adolescent boys, a devout student of all things spiritual, a recovering perfectionist, and immensely fascinated with achieving the unachievable. Currently writing a memoir about hugging strangers. Archives
February 2023
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