UNLEASHED (at work & home) with Colleen Pelar

When something wonderful happens, who do you call? How do they respond? Does that person celebrate with you and increase your joyful experience? Or do they dampen your spirits and leave you wishing you hadn’t called? Research has shown that how people respond to each other’s good news is a better indicator of the quality of the relationship than how they respond to each other’s disappointments. Ev...

Each of us wants to be happy and healthy. Most people don’t see how closely the two are tied. Yes, you can be unhappy and healthy. And you can be happy and unhealthy. But did you know that improving one of these states almost always has a beneficial effect on the other? They’re closely interconnected. Lori Stevens is an expert in helping dogs age well, and I invited her to explore ideas of how pet...

Advocacy can be challenging, exhausting work. This week on UNLEASHED (at work & home), Allison Leslie, LCSW, talked with me about "consultation" and its many benefits: Less burnout More engagement Greater creativity Less sense of isolation Increased joy and ability to see meaning in your work More FUN That’s a win by any measure! Consultation can be one-on-one (like in coaching calls) or done as p...

Would you like an easy way to get more energy when you need it? How about a way to relax and unwind more quickly? Listen in to learn an incredibly simple strategy that will help you manage your energy and your emotions better.  

Burnout is normal—and fixable Have you had the “Sunday night feeling,” the stomach-sinking realization that your break is over and it’s time to go back to work? Have you become less patient and less interested in other people’s needs? Do other people’s choices leave you feeling irritable or cynical? Have you started making dumb mistakes? Letting things fall through the cracks that ordinarily you’d...

When you are exhausted or burned out, it may come as a surprise to learn that volunteering your time and energy can be one of the very best ways to get your mojo back. It's counter-intuitive, but true. Studies have shown that volunteering increases your empathy, builds social bonds, and leads to greater happiness. In fact, people who volunteer feel like they have more time than people who don't (e...

Jamie Holms, RVT, says her extraordinary organizational skills are a coping strategy that developed during a traumatic childhood. Quite simply, she learned to control as many factors as she could to help her deal with all of the chaos and stress she faced daily. Today those organizational skills make her a valued team member and help her accomplish her goals.  Coping strategies are interesting. We...

Exploration is something that most of us think is a good idea in theory, but we don’t do it. The estimates vary, but neuroscientists and psychologists agree that large chunks of human behavior are merely habits and patterns. The low estimates are 40%. Some estimates go as high as 80-90% of behavior is just on autopilot. That’s good because it makes us efficient, but it doesn’t necessarily make us...

Sheila Newenham, DVM, talked with Colleen Pelar about exploration. The whole world is waiting for you. Where do you want to go? What do you want to see? What can you learn from being open to new experiences? www.colleenpelar.com/55

The Worst-Case/Best-Case/Mostly Likely Framework is a way of facing and addressing worries. Your brain is wired to notice everything that could potentially go wrong. Often this can lead to crippling indecision, high anxiety, and catastrophic thinking. It leaves you feeling stuck. This tool helps you Recognize the extreme unlikelihood of your worst-case scenario fears by providing an equally extrem...

Is there something you’ve been longing to do? What would give you the courage to dive in? Karen Sinovich, an animal behavior practitioner, shared thoughts about reinvention. You have only one life, but that doesn’t mean you need to have only one passion. www.colleenpelar.com/56

"Grace" is a complicated word. It conjures images of elegance, finesse, and fluidity. It's endowed with goodwill, kindness, and generosity. Grace sounds effortless, but it's not! Grace is an active decision. Developing requires great self-awareness. Grace asks you to accept the reality of the moment just as it is, while also looking for the good in it now and the good that can come from it. Learni...

Understanding the elements of grit can help veterinarians, vet techs, dog trainers, shelter/rescue teams, and other pet professionals find the energy and drive to keep going AND get better results. This solocast is the companion to episode 52 of the UNLEASHED (at work & home) podcast in which Dr. Erik Hofmeister and I discussed grit. https://colleenpelar.com/grit-erik-hofmeister

Julie Fudge Smith, CPDT-KA, talked with Colleen Pelar about how grace begins with intention and humility. How much grace do you extend to others? How much do you give yourself? Explore some strategies for incorporating more grace into your life. www.colleenpelar.com/53

Erik Hofmeister, DVM, DACVAA, DECVAA, MA, MS, talked with Colleen Pelar about grit and how consistent effort helps pet professionals get better results than natural talent. Eager to develop your own grit? You’ll discover some simple strategies in this episode. www.colleenpelar.com/52

Kristin Buller, MA, LCSW, talked with Colleen Pelar about grief and ways pet pros navigate their own emotions and those of their colleagues and clients. www.colleenpelar.com/51

On the two-year anniversary of UNLEASHED (at work & home), the tables are turned on Colleen Pelar. Tina Spring, CPDT-KA, interviews Colleen to explore what really matters to her. https://colleenpelar.com/50

Veronica Sanchez, MEd, CABC, CPDT-KA, talked with Colleen Pelar about service and what happens when pet professionals are so busy serving others that they let their tanks run dry. www.colleenpelar.com/49

River Lee, CFMG, and Colleen Pelar discuss how pet professionals can take control of their finances for greater peace of mind and security—even on a limited income. www.colleenpelar.com/48

Grisha Stewart, MA, CPDT-KA, talked with Colleen Pelar about acceptance and the somewhat surprising truth that accepting yourself as you are is the best way to grow and change. www.colleenpelar.com/47

Becca Keiser talked with Colleen Pelar about the power of positivity—and why it should never be confused with fanciful Pollyanna thinking. www.colleenpelar.com/46

Zazie Todd, PhD, talked with Colleen Pelar about curiosity and how it primes the pump for greater intellectual and personal growth. www.colleenpelar.com/45

Tabitha Kucera, RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP, talked with Colleen Pelar about the yin and yang of self-care. It’s not all yoga and chocolate. www.colleenpelar.com/45

Victoria Schade, CPDT-KA, talked with Colleen Pelar about how actively engaging your creativity can make downtime AND work more pleasurable. www.colleenpelar.com/43

Marie Holowaychuk, DVM, talked with Colleen Pelar about how boundaries help pet professionals reclaim control of their lives. www.colleenpelar.com/42