Find Your Bell

On Christmas Eve, our family received a new member. He’s now my 80 lb, furry German Shepherd son named Sully. He’s incredibly docile (unless you attempt to enter the yard or have the audacity to be in his line of sight while he’s inside his fence… then he appears to want you for lunch.) He’s soft and playful and loving.

He’s also very smart.

He rings a bell with his nose to indicate that he needs to go out. Most of the time, he rings the bell not because he needs to eliminate waste… he just needs relief.

He’ll ring it during the flurry of getting a meal to the table. He’ll ring it when he’s had enough “child-in-the-face” time. He’ll ring it when someone is crying and licking their face isn’t effective. He'll ring it when someone is being disciplined at high decibels. He’ll ring it if no one will play and he needs to run off some energy (he’s only 7 months, so that’s like a 3 ½ year old human kid.)

I need a bell. A bell I can ring when I need a moment.

I’m fairly certain I’d rather not sit on a snow-covered porch in -8 wind chill with my nose in the air, but a bell to ring and a place to retreat to would be divine.

I ask you, in 2009, will you make as space for yourself to go when you’re having a “bell moment?”

What place helps you refocus? What does it look like? Where is it located? How long would you stay? What permission do you need to let yourself be refreshed there if only for a moment? What’s scary about taking a moment for just you?

If you want to brainstorm your bell ideas and get solid accountability to make a new habit in service of your healthy spirit, contact me at Julie@julzoflife.com.

We’ll make it happen.