What is your energy saying?
Lately my family has really enjoyed watching The Dog Whisperer together. We don't own a dog, and yet surprisingly the show's central concept has relevance for us all and particular resonance for my work — that our energy powerfully impacts our environment and our loved ones, whether or not we're aware of it.
On the show, people who are struggling with a dog's extreme behavior call on dog psychology expert Cesar Millan to help. Inevitably he reveals that the dog's behavioral problems are being exacerbated if not outright caused by the human's mixed messages — what they think they are saying and doing is different from the message they are actually conveying with their energy. By bringing this to light, Cesar helps the people identify and clearly communicate their needs and demands, the dogs are relieved to have clarity, and unwanted behaviors diminish.
The process is not always simple, of course. Past traumas, conflicting lifestyle preferences, and inter- and intra-species dynamics make for some complex struggles. Still, when there's patience, compassion, consistency, and dedication, even the most dire-seeming situations can be resolved.
We would all do well to heed Cesar's insights. Our fears, expectations, and limiting beliefs are being broadcast in neon lights on an energetic level, and if we want to be understood by others, we have to be mindful of what we're communicating. Animals and babies are particularly energy-literate, and yet we are all reading and responding to each other and the world on that level, even if unconsciously.
Do you feel like you are frequently or perhaps even chronically misunderstood? Are you surprised or perplexed by how people respond to you? Your energy may be contradicting, obscuring, or overpowering your words and behaviors. Below I share a few strategies I wrote about for help achieving inner and outer coherence.