A Lesson In Perseverance From Our Little “Island” Dog

Someday, I'm going to catch that squirrel!

Our dog, Rudy, loves chasing squirrels. He bolts out the back door at full speed racing up the hill as if his life depended on it. Laser focused on his goal, his perseverance is admirable. Maybe he knows he’ll never actually catch a squirrel, but he doesn’t care. Even after attempting this feat for years, he never gives up.

One day, while shooting like a rocket at yet another retreating furry tail, he hurt his leg. While carefully limping around for a few days, he would STILL continue to propel himself out the door at the sight of another squirrel . . . on three legs.

That’s perseverance!

And the real beauty of all this? Rudy puts no pressure on himself to actually snag a squirrel. His happiness comes from just trying. With unshakable energy and gusto, he savors the thrill of the chase. He’s an amazing teacher.

In the true spirit of Alumanaya, Rudy reminds me how the various aspects of the island can also be an inspirational source of inner strength and perseverance:

Wind
While you can’t control the winds of life, with confidence and resilience, you can control how you react.

Sand
Even in the shifting sands, you have the power to arrange your inner beach in a beautiful and positive way.

Palm
People, like palm trees, sometimes need storms to reveal their inner courage, strength and perseverance.

Ocean
Knowing that the turbulent waves of life are only on the surface, you can dive deep to find a calm, steadfast belief in yourself.

Light
There is a mighty force, an inner light, glowing deep inside of you. It’s always available to radiate amazing joy and tranquility.

Now I’m not saying that a focus on achieving goals is a bad thing. It’s just that sometimes we spend so much time concentrating on the end result that we lose the pleasure and thrill of the doing and the being.

Here’s what perseverance IS about:

• Letting go of fear
• Doing things you love
• Never giving up on yourself
• Tapping into your internal power and strength
• Hurling yourself into life with complete abandon

Here’s what perseverance IS NOT about:

• Winning a prize
• Focusing solely on the outcome
• Accumulating accolades and “things”
• Forgetting why you do what you do
• Feeling pressured and overwhelmed

No matter what you’re facing or dealing with right now, your diligence and perseverance is all that matters. Try. Take chances. Make mistakes. Persist. Don’t be afraid of failure.

Perseverance is like a muscle. It must be developed and exercised to grow stronger. The process of perseverance builds character and self assurance. Be grateful wherever you are. Take a risk and then trust yourself to do your own thing at your own pace.

Take a lesson from our island dog, Rudy. Perseverance is about boldly putting one paw in front of the other. Then running as fast as you can with all the positive energy and pure joy you can muster.

Launch your heart into the wind and your body will follow.

What lessons have you learned from perseverance?
(and by the way . . . Rudy’s leg is fine now!)

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Coming soon! The complete guide . . . An Island Perspective – Finding the Path to Tropical Tranquility