There in the water is Barley, our grand-dog whom we’ve been dog sitting for during the past week while our son and daughter-in-law were away at a wedding.
We adore Barley, who is very sweet and smart, and unbelievably persistent – possibly partly due to his being half Border Collie and half German Shepherd, both working dogs bred for their determination around completing tasks.
What you see above is a moment in time while Barley was in our favorite lake by our boat, swimming around and fetching the ball. What the shot doesn’t reveal is that he did this ALL DAY NONSTOP, even when we tried to coax him back into the boat. He was doing his thing, having a blast, enjoying the whole experience. Persistence generally works fine for him.
If you think of yourself as being persistent how would you know if it’s working for or against you? Persistence can be double edged – it can veer into obsessiveness, alienation and empty efforts creating undue frustration.
So, here are some signs to observe to help you determine how your persistence may be a positive or a negative around certain activities and attitudes:
1. Are you having fun in the process or is your blood pressure just getting elevated?
2. Have you issued some sort of disclaimer related to the time you need, or negotiated it with a partner, or are you isolating around your efforts in a way others may find rude or hurtful?
3. Are you experiencing some desired outcome for your efforts or would Barley think that you’re barking up the wrong tree?
4. Are you maintaining balance and attending to other things needing your attention or is your persistence canceling out other important things on your agenda?
5. Are you respectful of other’s time and energy or is the “bug in your bonnet” leading to excessive reminding, prompting or nagging to get others on board?
These are only a few signs which might be good indicators of how persistence is working for you. The main point is to be conscious and intentional about it.
It’s okay when you’re a dog to just “dive in” all day, but most of us don’t have that luxury!
Susan
PS. If you need some outside help with this or any other issue feel free to contact me to set up an appointment. I’d be glad to help!
I recently returned from a whirlwind vacation in Slovenia and Croatia, where my husband Thom and I not only had a terrific adventure, but also where the experience of living in connection was palpable.
In the above picture I was having one of our daily Cappuccino’s at a riverfront cafe in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia. Not only are their coffees terrific there, but most special was being immersed in a culture which seems to embrace connection. People there routinely sit outside together, young and old, regardless of the weather, enjoying coffees, wine, sweets, meals and good old conversation all day and night! We hardly saw anyone on their cellphones, ignoring the humans in their midst the way we routinely do in the USA. We were struck by how friendly and happy the people there seemed, and not just the tourists who were enjoying a vacation. We returned to the States convinced in a new way that the experience of daily human connection and personal happiness are intertwined.
So, when you’re not on vacation in a friendly spot what can you do in your daily life to promote connection?
