A beloved teacher says that the people and circumstances in our lives offer us invitations into fear.
I received an invitation into fear yesterday, with an RSVP.
On my morning walk, I decided to go down a certain street. No sooner had I turned down that street than did I look to my right, only to see a pit bull charging me.
At first, it was unclear to me whether this was a happy dog wanting to play, or a hungry dog looking for my leg. It could have gone either way, and I had no clue as to which way it was going.
I figured it was best not to run, this creature could have surely outrun me. So I stood still.
I’m from New York, and I’m conditioned to be wary of dogs, well, let’s say that I could be downright terrified of dogs. The drooling, ravenous, teeth-baring dogs I’ve met on the streets of New York City have been anything but playful and friendly.
On the other hand, you know how I feel about Cesar Millan (the Dog Whisperer). If you don’t, read my article about him here. Cesar teaches dog owners how to have calm assertive energy when dealing with their dog, and always advises to be–and at all times remain–the ‘pack leader.’
Right away, my Dog Whisperer training kicked in. Now I’ve never seen Cesar other than on TV, and I’d be delighted to meet him one day, but the mark of a good teacher is that you don’t have to be with the teacher in person to learn. One can observe the teacher at work and learn well.
So, here I am,
on one hand, I have an invitation into fear, which would have been easy for me to accept, considering my experience…
And, on the other hand, I had my Dog Whisperer training.
I opted for my Dog Whisperer training after ascertaining that this dog was not after my leg after all (thank God), and was really playful and friendly. She was excited and tried to jump on me, but I did that “sh” thing Cesar does. I don’t know what that noise means, but all I know is, it worked. The dog understood it perfectly and immediately stood at attention, and looked at me altogether differently. (That “sh” sound must be some kind of canine talk.)
I chose to emanate calm assertive energy and said aloud
“I’m the pack leader here.”
The whole situation changed with my calm, assertive knowing of myself as the pack leader.
I looked around at the houses that were close by and decided to approach the closest one, since this dog had a leash and apparently had gotten untied. As I walked assertively to the house, the dog came right along. I never had to touch her or her leash (I knew better than to do that anyway). I knocked on the door, and here came a woman who immediately connected with the dog. I asked if the dog was hers, and she said it was her son’s and she had been tied, but had gotten loose (obviously). The woman then tried to get the dog calmed down and tied back up again. She had to yell, which clearly showed she was NOT the pack leader.
I left with a new understanding of the meaning of fear, and the power that comes with knowing what to do in a given situation. I also came to better understand the power of choice, versus acting unconsciously.
Yes, you will be offered invitations into fear by the people and circumstances of your life.
The question is, will you accept the invitation?
I sent back my RSVP: “Regrets. Thank you for the invitation. I decline.”
Here’s to fearless living,
VAL
