Get an Athena for your Sanity!

Before I start, as a new pawrent, I have to take each and every opportunity to show off my fur child... can we just take a moment to admire the picture on this post and how ADORABLE my little one is?? :P LOL! Now, we may being our Wednesday post!

All jokes aside, I've been asked multiple times on how Athena has helped me emotionally and I want to answer that here today. If you're a first-time pawrent or are a pawrent to be, this post will be very hopeful and uplifting. It will reinforce what so many of us have heard about animals and how they rescue their hoomans as much, if not more, than we rescue them. It will also get you more excited and ready to bring your new little one home if you are on that journey. For all my veteraned pawrents and animal lovers reading this, I hope my story will take you back to when you met your fur baby (babies) for the first time and will allow you to experience that warm fuzzy feeling again through the eyes of a new dog mom.

I knew when I made the decision to not take "no" for an answer any longer and bring home a fur baby that my life was going to be changed forever. I did not know to what extent as I was going to experience pawrenthood for the first time, but I just had a gut feeling that life was about to become brighter and easier.

From day one when I held my little Athena in my arms for the two-hour car ride home and began bonding with her, I knew I was no longer the same person that went to pick her up. It was actually quite mind-blowing how quickly my mindset changed and how ready I was, without knowing, to care for this innocent little being. It was actually quite scary, now that I think back, how quickly my dog mom instincts kicked in and went into high gear! This change was a much needed and welcome one for me though. You see, with my chronic anxiety and overwhelming panic, I have spent too much time in an uncontrollable selfish state of mind. My mind and body have been on such high alert for so long that, at times, it can get VERY difficult to care for anything else happening around me. No matter how important the situation in front of me is or how loved the person (people) around me are, anxiety and panic have always found a way to surpass them... and that's been something that I've never been ok with. To this point, it has always annoyed me how strong these feelings can be and how they can warp my priorities in a mere matter of seconds without me being able to stop it.

Now, as I said, with Thena, I knew things were going to be different... and I was not wrong! Once Thena was in my arms, I knew that something was going to have to change, was changing, and had changed in me. I did not know if my anxiety and panic were EVER going to completely go away, but what I did know for sure was that I had to be vigilant on making sure SHE was ok. Careful to make sure that I did not risk HER life with my thoughtlessness. Thena was not going to be like my other family members who, if perhaps I was having an off day or off moment, would be able to take herself outside for a bathroom break or fill up her own food and water bowls. She would not be able to give herself walks or baths nor would she be able to play ball with herself. All of these daily tasks were in my hands now. I knew that if I was having a hard day, staying in bed ALL day or focusing solely on myself and tuning everyone and everything else out around me would no longer be an option.

With that said, you may be asking yourself where I stand today, approximately 6 months after bringing her home with me. I have had to learn that, bringing her home was not take away all my anxiety and panic like I had thought when I was searching for her. I am not going to lie, this has been a little difficult to come to terms with because, like anyone who has experienced these mental health issues can confirm, when you are in that situation you look for ANYTHING to help you completely overcome it. The beauty of this situation, however, is that Athena has shown me how much she has healed my life. As I said before, she may not be my "be all cure all", but she is without a doubt one of the most important beings that currently makeup my support system.

It is amazing and so beautiful to see how her love can work its magic in those dark moments when I least expect it (and most need it!) I can be shaky, have my mind going a million miles a minute, and be on the verge of tears and all of sudden... HERE'S THENA! She'll give an adorable yawn/stretch, she'll offer me a toy to play with her, she'll give an unexpected bark, she'll do something silly and adorable, or I simply look at her and all seems to disappear. For a few minutes I feel intensely happy. For a few much needed moments I feel my soul fall into a state of peace, calm, and quiet. She grounds me from my own mental chaos and reminds me to just be in the moment. She reminds me with her presence that, not only does she need me but I also very much need her. When mornings are difficult (I am unfortunately one where anxiety hits pretty much as soon as I wake) she motivates me to get out of bed and look forward to the beauty of what is to come. She reminds me that not all is bad and that everyday has at least one thing I can look forward to and enjoy.

The most important thing Thena has taught me is to be selfless. Slowly but surely she is teaching me that, even in the midst of the mental storms, others are present in my life. There are people around me that need me and depend on me and my wellbeing. Others that want me to smile and be happy and that need me to smile and be happy. People around me who need me to be strong as much as possible and be there for them as they have been there for me. Having Athena has brought so much of what I needed in life (i.e., strength, perseverance and love)... and then some! For that, I'll always be grateful! If you are a potential pawrent out there questioning whether or not to bring a fur baby home with you or if bringing a fur baby home is good for you all I have to say is... don't think twice about it! Get yourself an Athena ;) Its good for you!