Tazi's Corner #25 - Applaud Yourself

Dear Readers,

Lately I have been pondering why humans make New Year’s Resolutions to improve themselves. Being a cat, I see myself as perfect just the way I am; if there is room for improvement anywhere I certainly cannot see it! My humans walk into the house and the first thing they do is seek me out; guests enter and the first thing they as is “Where’s Tazi?” (Actually, they ask “Where’s Tazi-ookums the little snuggly baby-waby kitty?” Apparently, I am cuter than even I give myself credit for being!).

My point is that I see no need to change when the people in my life love me just the way I am! Oh, certainly I could stand to lose three pounds, but that extra weight serves a very important purpose – it makes me too heavy to be hauled off by an eagle or a hawk; both are raptors that regularly stalk my neighbor, Bentley the Chihuahua. Sometimes, being a little chubby can be good for your health!

Too chubsy is not a good thing, though!
 

As the New Year approaches, dear readers, I am going to ask you to try and see your life through the eyes of those who love you – specifically your pets. Dog owners, do you know why your pooch runs to the door and wags crazily every time you walk through it? It is because he loves you so much that he cannot contain all of that emotion inside! El Perro wants you to know that you are the most important person in the world to him and that he loves you just the way you are!

Your dog does not care if you drive a late model vehicle or an old clunker; he only cares about whether or not you take him with you when you drive away in it and that you drive safely enough to guarantee that you will return to him in a healthy condition. Your dog does not care if your clothes are the latest fashions; he does not care if you are overweight or underweight or somewhere in between; nor does he care about the balance of your savings account. What your dog does care about is how you feel about yourself. Pets can sense their owners stress levels, and when our humans are stressed we stress, too. Do you really want to stress your pet over the trivial things that, at the end of the year, will not amount to a hill of beans?

Please don't drive us to drink! 

Cat owners; your feline companions may act aloof and snobby, but that is because we just don’t give a litter-box dropping for most of what concerns you. My Mommie frequently stresses to me about what to make for dinner. I don’t think she realizes that she is talking to someone who eats the same thing at every meal! I just cannot relate, and neither can your cat! Rather than pace the floor with worry, play with us! Throw a catnip mouse around the room and watch us tumble over our own selves as we try to retrieve it – within minutes, your stress will melt away and your relationship with your feline will improve! The sound of your laughter is good for our souls, too!

This year, rather than resolve to change what you see as the negative aspects of your life resolve to concentrate on what makes you special. Let’s face it: that twenty pounds you resolved to lose last year is probably not going to come off this year, either, so rather than get down about your weight try to concentrate on the aspects of your looks that you like. Do you have pretty eyes? Beautiful hair? A long, luxuriant tail? Oh, sorry…I forgot that humans lack this particular appendage. Concentrate not on what you see as a negative, but on the positive. Your brighter outlook will change the way others see you, too!

Most important of all, resolve to applaud yourself every day. That’s right, I said applaud yourself! This is an idea I got years ago from the motivational speaker Loretta Laroche, and I have to say that it works! If, in this new year, you find that you are feeling down on yourself, think of a reason to applaud yourself! Emptied the dishwasher rather than pretend you didn’t realize the dishes were clean? Applaud yourself! Folded the laundry as soon as it was done instead of leaving it in the dryer all day? Applaud yourself! Having a good hair day? Applaud yourself! Throw your hands in the air and let out a great big “YAY ME!”; trust me, it will make you feel great and it doesn’t cost a single penny!

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.