We have a rescue dog who gets aggressive with strangers, both dogs and people.
When we took him to a trainer, I expected the rewards to come when he followed commands. Instead, the trainer rewarded him every time he was calm. It wasn’t about getting the dog to respond in specific moments—it was about conditioning a state of calm that becomes his new baseline.
Mindfulness practice works in a similar way. I used to think it’s about using techniques when we’re stressed or triggered. But the real transformation comes when we practice in the quieter moments, conditioning ourselves to be more regulated overall.
Just as my dog is learning to be calm around strangers, one can train their mind to stay more centred. The more we reinforce ‘being grounded and present’ in daily life, the less we’ll be thrown off balance when challenges arise.
Author: JD
Image by John Danias
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