Embrace Your Inner Chi: 15 Tips for Mental Wellness From a Good Kitty
This is Chi. He’s a good boy. He’s a happy boy. At least we like to think so, but you never know with a cat. In any case, he appears more spiritually fit than most humans I know.
We adopted Chi three years ago from a kitty rescue mission in the neighborhood. He was 10 weeks old. They’d found him wandering on the side of a road outside of town. He was following around a mama cat and her newborns, but it was clear he did not belong to them. He was actively seeking an adoptive family even before we found him!
We named him Chi after the popular children’s Japanese graphic novel. And then we realized how fitting his name was. Chi (pronounced chee) or “Qi” is an ancient concept from Chinese medicine which means “vital energy” or “life force.” It can be interpreted simply as “breath” or more abstractly as “spirit,” that which animates the body. And if any cat ever had spirit, it’s certainly this one. He is definitely the vital energy of our household. Everyone gravitates toward him. For a cat, he’s considerably personable and interactive. He’s got great eye contact, he fetches, he talks constantly, and he’s always up for a big, fluffy hug. He spends a lot of time chasing butterflies and lizards, and the rest of the time snuggling.
Over the years we’ve learned some simple but profound lessons from Chi. Some of these things are found in ancient teachings or widely published in the world of self-help, but Chi didn’t need any training to achieve his Zen-like status. So take a moment and think about your own life force. How does it compare to Chi’s top tips?
- Whenever possible, be in the present moment. Ruminating on the past creates depression, and anticipating the future makes us anxious.
2. Stay curious. Once you lose your sense of curiosity you stop learning. And when you stop learning, you stop growing.
3. Pursue your goals with great intensity, but know when to let go.
4. And when you do let go, relax fully! Let it all go! Stretch out and take up lots of room.
5. Groom yourself meticulously, but be comfortable getting a little dirty sometimes.
6. Every now and then, find an occasion to get dressed up!
7. Be generous with your snuggles.
8. Socialize….but be content spending time alone.
9. Surround yourself with trustworthy humans.
10. When you’ve been hurt or injured, take time to heal. Sometimes it takes longer than you think, and that’s okay.
11. Be gentle with creatures who are smaller and weaker than you.
12. Embrace and celebrate your quirks. Got big feet? Hairy ears? Be content with what makes you unique.
13. Practice good posture.
14. Fully accept that almost nothing is in your control.
15. But if and when you can make a change for the better, give it your best shot!
For more inspiration follow Chi on Instagram @captain_chi_blackbeard
