I’m Rachel Dickson: TEDx speaker, storyteller, and truth-teller exploring what it means to return to your truest self. This is a space for healing, authenticity, and the bold inner work of choosing yourself, unapologetically.
What pet sitting is teaching me about habits, awareness, and the way we human — Field Notes with Rachel Dickson
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06/18/26 Greetings Edge-Walkers, Soul-Listeners, Pattern-Breakers, and Light-Carriers. I’ve stumbled upon something while pet sitting recently that has really caught my attention and is changing my understanding of how we human. Pet sitters see into a world beyond worlds...because pet sitters see and experience what goes on behind closed doors. We are trusted to stay in others’ homes and take-care of their pets while they are away. And very quickly and at the start of this venture I realized part of my job is to dial into this client’s and this client’s pets routines and habits. Usually this happens within the first day of the visit. Because often, first thing in the morning I’m awoken by the pets telling me that I’m late for breakfast. Cats pointing in their mouths, dogs starring me awake at the bedside. And there’s no relief from these demands until the deed is done. You already know all this if you have a pet...but note here...that our pets pick up on...and fall in line with...our personal routines and habits. Naturally, we train them this way. They know when it’s time to sleep (unless you have cats haha), they know when it’s time to wake-up and eat, and when to go out and when to come in and when to nap and when to play and on an on. Our pets are a product of their environment. Which really got me thinking…we get into these habits and routines where we do the same exact steps day in and day out. Coffee at 6:30, feed the pets at 7:00, put pets out at 7:15, prepare to leave for work...etc etc. And what a rat race we sort of involuntarily create for ourselves. We all have aspirations and dreams...but how can we stand a chance of getting even one step closer if we continually do the exact same things day in and day out? But what might happen if we pause and take stock of our habits? Are there good ones and are there bad ones? Of course there are. What might happen if I choose to eliminate one bad habit from my daily life this week? After what I’ve seen inside other’s homes and working with their pets...I have a whole new understanding of just how important recognizing what we do in our lives matters versus just operating on auto-pilot like a robot each and every day. Our habits affect us in ways we probably haven’t even considered. Seriously...if we sat at the table of our very own “habit review board” what might we discover about ourselves? Ironically, the word of the day (June 18th) is acquiesce. (According to https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day) Yes, I had to look it up and to acquiesce to something means to accept it, agree with it, or allow it to happen by staying silent or by not arguing. Acquiesce simply means to comply quietly. I don’t want to comply quietly to my habits or routines that aren’t helping me get to where I want to go. When I look at my own daily routines and the habits that result from it...I most definitely know which have positive affects and which have negative affects. Here’s one small example. I like to have instrumental music playing in the background during the night. And because of this routine/habit review I learned that because I’m playing music that I’ve played for a couple of years now...every time I pick a specific album of Native American Flute it comes with memories of the past when I also played that same music. And then an energetic signature enters the room...as if the past is attached to that music. So two nights ago I said to myself...I need some new music. Music that doesn’t come with energetic memory strings attached to it. I am so grateful for all the nuances that pet sitting is revealing to me. Ah the study of how we human. And now this has lead into what our next in-person Wildhearted Gathering will be about on Sunday, June 28th. See below for the details! May we all continue to grow and learn and continue to better human. Namaste. 🌿 Wild-Heart Practice of the Week:Imagine you are pet sitting...your own life. Observe yourself the way you would observe someone else's home. What time do you wake up? What do you reach for first? Where does your attention naturally go? What habits seem to organize the rhythm of your day? Which ones leave you feeling more alive? Which ones quietly drain your energy? Simply observe. You may discover that the smallest routines are shaping far more of your life than you ever imagined. 🌿 Join us Sunday, June 28th (2–4pm) for our next Wildhearted Gathering. Attuning to Frequency: Living as an Energy Being is an invitation to explore how frequency and vibration influence the way we experience everyday life...and how greater awareness of those patterns can help us live with more intention, balance, and vitality. ✨ Live crystal bowl sound bath with Marci Sheer When: Sunday, June 28, 2026 | 2–4pm Come spend an afternoon attuning to the frequencies already shaping your life. [Learn More & Reserve Your Seat here] 🌈 Wildhearted Wear A new tee has arrived with a simple reminder we all need from time to time: your light is needed here. Wear it as encouragement—for yourself and for everyone who crosses your path. *Your support helps keep Rachel’s nature videos, Field Notes, and Wildhearted offerings alive. 💚 Shop Wildhearted Coffee Mugs Rachel’s original art, Bluebird on Alert! Grab your favorite before it’s gone. *Your support helps keep Rachel’s nature videos, Field Notes, and Wildhearted offerings alive. I’m honored you’re here walking this wildhearted path alongside me. If this Field Notes stirred something in you, I'd love to hear what you discovered. This week's reflection grew out of an unexpected teacher...pet sitting. It reminded me how quietly our habits and routines shape the rhythm of our days, often without us even realizing it. What habits have become second nature for you? Which ones leave you feeling more alive? Which ones might simply be asking for a little more awareness? Perhaps it's the way your morning begins... If this resonated, hit reply. I'd genuinely love to hear what you're noticing in your own life. Namaste, Rachel 🙏 If you feel called to support this work, you can leave a small tip or contribution here: → [Support the Work] |
Rachel Dickson
I’m Rachel Dickson: TEDx speaker, storyteller, and truth-teller exploring what it means to return to your truest self. This is a space for healing, authenticity, and the bold inner work of choosing yourself, unapologetically.
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