I love pets especially dogs. However, I must admit, it is a good thing they are cute because they are a lot of work! I remember many times coming home and having the “joy” of cleaning up the mess Celah made. When she was young she went through a paper-shredding phase. When she was a bit older she enjoyed chewing anything with rubber on it. Good-bye running shoes! As an adult she would occasionally decide to take apart her blanket or chase a squirrel through my plants. You might think that having a pet leads to more stress not less. The fact is though, that having pets is proven to lower stress.
Multiple studies indicate that pets are powerful forms of stress relief, lowering not only blood pressure but also harmful stress hormones like cortisol, which is associated with depression and anxiety, and elevating beneficial ones like oxytocin, which is linked to happiness and relaxation [source: Grimshaw]. Some people experienced increased output of endorphins and dopamines after just five minutes with an animal.
So now you know what to do. Go spend some time with your beloved pet. If you don’t have a pet head to the nearest park and after asking of coarse, borrow a sweet dog to hug.
Have an amazing Monday! (and everyday.)
Leanna Fredrich, Leadership, Career and Stress Management Coach Adv.EFT, Adv. Psych-K
Leanna@amazingmondays.com