It’s almost summer. Birds are gathering twigs for their nests, the gypsy moth caterpillars are at it again, and the leaves on the trees are finally big enough to rustle in the wind. And—most importantly—it’s kitten season!
This is the time of year when the most kittens are born. Animal shelters and foster groups are at their busiest. Just a few days ago, my family and I adopted a kitten of our own. Her name is Daisy, and she’s completely adorable. Rolly-polly, fluffy, endlessly playful, snuggly—the works. She’s still getting used to our house, but she’s already a solid part of our family.
Daisy is still figuring out the world. I enjoy watching her learn about things in her own way. And in watching her, I’ve learned a lot too! Here are five lessons I took from Daisy that I can apply to bettering my own mental health. Maybe these tips can help you too!
Take life one step at a time.
Daisy’s approach: Daisy started out in one room of my house. On the first day, she hid under the couch. Over the next few days, she ventured out cautiously and returned to her safe space after every adventure. Daisy took things slowly—she didn’t just explore the whole house at once. When she left for her adventures, she went one step further each time. Eventually, her safe space became the whole house!
My take: I am often frustrated with myself and my own anxiety. How can I let my fear hold me back so much? But if I take Daisy’s approach, then I stop putting so much pressure on myself to do everything at once. Instead, I can just focus on one thing at a time—at putting one foot in front of the other. Suddenly, the world doesn’t seem so overwhelming!
Follow your instincts.
Daisy’s approach: Daisy is an animal. This means that she is ruled by her instincts. When she’s hungry, she eats. When she’s full of energy, she plays. Her world is simple: hunt, eat, sleep (and snuggle).
My take: Humans are much more complex than animals, but we can still benefit from following our instincts, which often take the form of emotions. If I follow Daisy’s example, then I can use my emotions instead of avoiding them. When I feel afraid, I can try to face my fears (one small step at a time!) or burn off excess energy by practising yoga or going for a run. When I feel sad, I can write or talk about my feelings. When I feel happy, I can celebrate and share this good feeling by playing with Daisy.
Fail, fail, and fail again!
Daisy’s approach: Daisy is extremely clumsy. She does accidental somersaults when her claws get caught in the carpet, she falls when she tries to walk on skinny ledges, and she often misses her jumps. But that doesn’t slow her down! Instead, she tries to jump again. She explores more. She does extra somersaults just because the accidental one was so much fun! She keeps on trying. And failing.
My take: In our society, we put so much emphasis on the calamity of failure. But is failure really so bad? Failure is a sign of trying and of putting in significant effort. Just because something doesn’t work out doesn’t mean you’re bad. It means that it didn’t work out that time. I wouldn’t be who I am today without my failures and the lessons I took from them. And Daisy wouldn’t have nearly as much fun if she let her failures stop her from trying again. Like her, I need to celebrate my failures and let go of my fear of them.
Lean on the people who love you.
Daisy’s approach: Within her first two days with her new family, Daisy learned that we love her unconditionally. Once she learned she could trust us, she started leaning on us for support. When she explores a new scary space, she relies on us for reassurance.
My take: The people in my life who love me want me to succeed. They are cheering for me, just like I’m cheering for them. I love helping Daisy when she asks for help, and I love helping the people in my life when they ask me for help—because I love them! I shouldn’t ever be afraid to ask them for that same help when I need it.
Speak up!
Daisy’s approach: Daisy is a very communicative cat. She meows when she wants food, when she wants to climb somewhere new, when she wants us to throw her toy for her again, when she wants petting, when she gets lost, and when she just feels like making noise.
My take: Daisy is tiny and has the tiniest, squeakiest “mew.” If she can speak up and ask for help when she needs it, then so can I. And so can you!