Now that my young adult has left the nest for his own apartment, that means me and the feline creature are together all day. She’s a real sweetheart, but she’s also very time consuming, requiring a minimum of 1,000 rubs, pick me ups, or attentive “cat-versations ” per day. Sigh. Rel (my soul mate) keeps telling me I should have listened to him and gotten a poster (but then I would have missed all the comic relief).

Today, I decided to dedicate this post to her and a few lessons to be learned if I look hard enough. My “kick in the C.A.N.” idea for a post is thus credited to our resident feline, Ms. TK.

C… Is for creativity and commitment. In business, relationships, careers or life, re-invention of myself has been something I’ve had to constantly do. Going for the things that have been important for my growth has not ever been easy.Commitment in the face of odds appearing insurmountable is what has kept me moving forward. Perhaps you can relate to this as well.As I watch TK constantly change strategies on the fly, figure out new ways to demand the same things, or carefully analyze the distance between objects prior to jumping, I realize how close to us humans they really are.

A… Alert Activity. Can I even count the times my komakazi cat has patiently waited silently in the dark, stalking my wiggling toes? After play, many times I’ve forgotten we were even in a game… until I wander past TK half an hour later and have my legs attacked, because she was still actively alert waiting on the perfect opportunity. Selecting the right opportunities and best times to take immediate action can serve me well too. When I think of laser like focus, I have TK to thank for showing me what that really is. Can you other pet owners relate to this too?

N…Nine lives. Because cats have a strong sense of balance, if they fall from a high distance, its a piece of cake for them to assess their positions making any required adjustments while they are in the process of falling. Their bodies have the ability to cushion them a bit from the fall.Not so easy for me to do that. Many times I have to sit back for a minute and recover from the impact before figuring out what I want or need to do next. Having the ability to think and react on the spot , precisely move around obstacles and navigate their environments are incredible assets.

Like cats, I am extremely curious and love learning new things. My ten year old son is the same way. He asks so many questions that I don’t know the answers to, that now I just Google whatever it is and answer him because I got tired of him making me (a highly intelligent being) feel stupid.No matter what situations in life you’re navigating, try to approach them from a position of creativity, are there other ways to view them? Are there any new or untried actions that might affect the outcome of a particular situation or challenge? Are you being focused enough on the right thing or are you possibly missing opportunities that are there in front of you? Taking immediate action is sometimes better than wallowing in doubt and indecision. One of my favorite quotes is by Tony Robbins, “Never leave the scene of a decision without taking action.”

Hope you enjoyed the photos too.