Move the Molecules

When a dear friend's dog refused to walk toward the car, we tried every technique we could think of to get him to move forward.  We tried the best treats, we tried waiting him out, we tried cheerleading and acting silly - all to entice him to go to the car.  He didn't mind riding in the car once he go there. He was just in the habit of stopping dead in his tracks and not taking another step. 

On this particular day, as we were leaving TTouch training in the evening, we tried bringing him out a different door so he was approaching the car from a different direction.  He trotted happily along the parking lot until he got close enough to the car to know where he was going, and then - he stopped dead in his tracks. 

On a whim, I decided to try a new leading technique we had learned that day - moving the molecules.  To our amazement, after taking a moment to think about it, her dog walked all the way to the car.  Wow.  What a break through!  This had been an ongoing struggle for my friend and her dog for a long time.  What happened?  Why did this work?

Many times we get in a hurry and we just want the end result as soon as possible.  We all do it.  It's human nature.  When I focused on moving the molecules instead of the dog, the entire energy of the situation changed.  I was now focused on clearing the way to allow the dog to walk forward, instead of trying to make him walk forward.  I put respect back in the equation by giving him the option to respond or not.  I opened up in my mind and in our space the possibility that he would walk happily to the car.  And he did.

So often in my own life, I try so hard to make things happen the way I want them to happen.  Often they work out the way I hope they do, but sometimes I get frustrated when I just can't seem to get things to happen.  I need to remember the lesson I learned that day from a very special dog - clear the way to open up the possibility of something wonderful happening.

Move the Molecules!