This Pro tip is a reflection of my morning meditation-writing session I call a ‘blog’ @happinessnoir. My main warm up to a day of writing.

We love to give tips to our clients, viewers and readers. Today’s been inspired by a night full of cats, demanding attention.

As my career transitions …  a normal evolution of life across the lifespan, it also spends time realizing that each of us is on a journey that others may not understand.

So when I woke up after a night of cat interference, I felt this AhA moment of reckoning.

This one is so easy. Here are five tips to change how people treat us. Cat wisdom addition.

1. They are cats. They do what they want
2. Cats are nocturnal. You’re sleeping, but they are bored. They wake you up, like it or not.
3. Cats get hungry at night. They will wake you up.
4. Cats can’t tell time, they miss you. You will get a toe bean sandwich boop in the face at 2 am.
5. They say that spirits come to visit you in your sleep. I’d like to see a survey of everyone visited by spirit at 3 am to see how many of them have a cat. The spirit told the cat to sit on your chest so it feels too heavy. It’s usually the chonkiest of the cats.

Oh, and, IF you also have a very important day tomorrow, they will sleep all day while you are home working, but stay ready to party that night before the ‘big thing’ you have planned.

In other words, we can’t change cats, nor can we change people. 

Not unless they want to change. Or, unless they are intrinsically motivated to change. Or, they become consciously aware of themselves in such a way, that they need to change for their own sense of self healing.

• We can no more change how other people treat us, then we can change the sleeping pattern or behavior of a cat determined to be its authentic self.
• What we can do is change our environment.
• We can cultivate our authenticity that gives ourselves grace and gratitude for our own lives.
• The change happens within.

Social media is new to me. I’m delighted to know that even after fifty seven years, there will always be something new.

For all of us, in hopes that everyone levels up to Betty White status, there will always be something new for us. I hope that you are no exception.

There will always be other people who feel entitled to cross our boundaries.

Boundaries are the key. We don’t need five of them. Just one.

A cat free sleeping environment and a sense of self so clear, that others know what they can bring into our peace, and what they need to do to keep on scrolling. Metaphorically of course.

On TikTok @Ink1925 (named for my cat), I am taking on the bravest thing I can do. After two years in social isolation on a healing journey, I am putting myself out there.

New boundaries. Sharing authenticity, cat rescue stories and limiting beliefs that anyone else gets to decide who any of us are outside of ourselves.

Here’s to cat naps, and defining who you are, prior to others telling you who you are.

KH

@inkhoneypub

@happinessnoir

henryhealing.com