UNLEASHED (at work & home) with Colleen Pelar

Judgment requires comparison, but comparison does not require judgment. Learn to harness your brain's natural gift of comparison without letting it harm your self-image, productivity, or motivation. https://colleenpelar.com/91

This conversation about dogs, dinosaurs, and discovery is just what the doctor ordered. The inner demons of perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and overthinking tell you that you have to do everything “the right way.” But that’s not true. There’s tremendous value in doing something just for the sheer joy of the experience, without any attachment to whether you do it well. Laugh and learn with Sue St...

Joy seems like a simple, uncomplicated emotion, but it often sits side by side with more difficult emotions. Joy’s power comes from the yin and yang of life, the ups and downs. Joy gives us moments of elation, connection, and awe that are only powerful because we are also familiar with darkness. Joy points out what is good right now.

Here we are at the end of a long, hard year. It's been a year filled with change and uncertainty. You’ve probably been so busy this year with a variety of concerns that you haven’t taken time to acknowledge all the ways, big and small, that you’ve shown up for yourself. Get ready to feel more empowered, more confident, and more aware of your own impact. https://colleenpelar.com/88

Have you ever had a piggy bank? Do you remember putting coins into it and listening to them rattle around? Did yours have a plug in the bottom that you could open to remove money or did you have to break it open? Wasn't it amazing that the money that took so long to accumulate could disappear so quickly? A piggy bank (or a marble jar) is a great metaphor for trust. Trust is built slowly over time....

What should you do when you're worried? Worry is one of the most common human emotions. You come from a long line of worriers because worriers are survivors.  But most of the problems we face in modern society don't threaten your survival, so your brain's worry mode can actually work against you. In this episode, we'll explore why we worry and the skills you can develop to worry less and focus on...

Loving kindness meditations (also commonly known as LKM or metta) are the act of sending kindness, warmth, and goodwill toward others. The concept is simple, but the benefits are profound. Loving kindness is a great way get started with meditation without having to sit still or be calm. https://colleenpelar.com/85

Pain is a powerful teacher. No one enjoys pain. Physical pain. Emotional pain. By its very definition, it hurts. And yet, pain can also bring unexpected gifts. It can narrow and focus your attention to point out what you truly value. Pain offers you the opportunity to look at situations from a new perspective, to make different choices, and to be more grateful for all that you have. In this episod...

Behavior deteriorates under stress. That simple statement has been in most of my presentations, regardless of whether I’m talking about dogs or people. It’s a key idea that we need to keep in mind for reducing behavior we don’t like and creating better responses. Michael Shikashio is well known for his work with aggressive dogs. To shake things up a bit, I invited him to join me in a conversation...

IF I DON'T FOLLOW MY HEART, WILL I HAVE REGRETS? That's such a powerful question. None of us can be guaranteed an easy life or one without risk--no matter how much we may wish for safety and certainty. And, knowing that, we're faced with choices that require introspection: What would you like to have happen? And are you brave enough to go for it? Ann Waterbury, CPDT-KA, UW-AAB, CNWI, CDBC, talked...

Jenny Blake is the author of  Pivot: The Only Move That Matters is Your Next One . I invited her to come on UNLEASHED (at work & home) because we're all in state of flux these days. Every pet professional is being asked to change standard ways of doing business, and it's stressful. But it can also be exciting. Jenny likes to think of this as "radical reimagining." What possibilities do you see whe...

You are not alone; it just feels that way.   Have you ever received a complaint that undermined your confidence? Ever gotten a bad review that made you doubt your skill? It's a terrible experience, isn't it?    Complaints are a common occurrence these days. And in most cases, the complaint says more about the complainer than the complainee. But when you're the focus on the compliant, it's scary, u...

"You love dogs. I love dogs. Let's talk about that." There's incredible power in finding common ground and using that to build a foundation for growth. Laurie Williams, owner of Pup N' Iron Canine Enrichment Center, joined me to talk about the power of relationships for improving results. She shared her ideas of how pet professionals can improve their communication with clients--and also with othe...

THERE'S NO LIMIT ON COMPASSION ... This is the recording of a live interview recorded on May 21, 2020. It predates George Floyd's death and the dramatic events that have followed. And yet the theme and discussion are timely and resonate deeply in this moment. Laura Dorfman, CPDT-KA, PMCT, and Leslie McDevitt, MLA, CPDT-KA, CDBC, are both meditation leaders and I invited them to discuss the broad c...

Who better to give advice on beginnings than a beginner? Just a year ago, Ali Evanson started her dog training business, I Got This Sit. Many things have changed since then, and now, like the rest of us, Ali is working to adapt and begin anew. Beginnings ask you to imagine a new future and then commit to making it the best it can possibly be. Often it’s scary. Okay, usually it’s scary to begin som...

Lauren Heath, CPPS, talked with Colleen Pelar about how she's navigating the changes coronavirus has brought to her pet-sitting business. Without discounting the very real worries she has for her business, she also said she feels more free and has learned some valuable lessons about self-care that she'll carry with her into the future. She's finding clarity about what really matters to her. https:...

This is a rebroadcast of one of our first UNLEASHED (at work & home) episodes. Patricia McConnell, PhD, joined me to talk about the importance of emotions and, as always happens when talking with her, the conversation veered out into larger life lessons as well. https://colleenpelar.com/7

When every day feels the same, how do you find your footing? What helps you feel grounded and centered?  Pet professionals are caretakers. They're known for showing up in service of others, for working themselves to the point of exhaustion, and for giving until it hurts. This is your time to explore what really matters to you and what changes you'd like to make moving forward. https://colleenpelar...

Ryan Cartlidge, the founder of Animal Training Academy joined me to talk about celebrating approximations, those tiny forward movements that add up to significant change.

The top question pet pros have been asking me lately is, "How can I help other people feel more resilient?" This is not surprising. Pet pros are caretakers. They watch others carefully and do what they can to help. So here's my best advice for how you can help others. https://colleenpelar.com

The past few weeks have been like none other. You may be having trouble finding your sense of peace, calm, and equanimity. If that's true of you, good news, you're normal! Right now, your brain is hypervigilant, always scanning for the next bit of news, the next sign of danger. That's what your brain is designed to do. It's trying to keep you safe. But your brain can't comprehend a pandemic situat...

Your thoughts, feelings, and actions are likely completely different today than they were just a week ago. Life is changing at a rapid pace, and it can feel overwhelming. Your brain craves certainty, and currently nothing is certain. And the information that feels most certain is ominous. This is a recipe for anxiety and rumination. This episode shares four strategies designed to help you calm you...

Forty percent of the factors that affect your happiness are within your control. Forty percent! In this interview with Rachel Finney, CEO of Columbus Humane, you'll learn strategies for managing your thoughts, feelings, and actions to produce better results and greater peace of mind. https://colleenpelar.com

You don't have to feel resilient to be resilient. That quote from Leanne Lilly, DVM, DACVB, is worth embroidering on a pillow so you don't forget it. It’s true, but somehow it doesn’t sound right. Surely resilience is about being strong, purposeful, and able to leap tall building in a single bound. 🦸🏻‍♀️ But what if it’s not? What if being resilient is having the courage to keep showing up for y...

Love, according to Barbara Frederickson, PhD, a leading researcher of emotions, is "micro-moments of warmth and connection." She says love occurs anytime two or more people (even strangers) connect over a shared positive emotion (large or small). These moments create changes in your brain and body that broaden your perspective, help you become more attuned to others, and allow you greater creativi...