If you can't run with the big dogs, play on the porch. Well, I've considered myself at least a mid-size dog in certain activites. Unfortunately, when it comes to smarts, If you can't think like the smart dogs, just chase your tail has applied to me.

I'm one of those who can get stuck in circular thinking, especially when I am trying to push a conclusion in the face of something that can't yet be understood.

Circular thinking gets me racing in my own head like a dog chasing its tail. No way am I ever going to get anyplace but tired AND, it is very likely that some people are looking at me and laughing!

Something mysterious has happened recently, as I've had to process an overload of transition, decisions, choices, and feelings.

My processing spun off into a whole new place and found a place to rest. Something much bigger and wiser than anything in my own head seemed to say "you can't figure that out now, so relax."

AND I RELAXED! Just to test it, I tried to get myself all worked up, and instead of spinning pointlessly, my thoughts went full circle, so as not to deny reality, then shot back off into rest.

While I was resting, I was able to let go of a grudge, I was able to make a right choice when a wrong choice would have weighed on me forever, I was able to face some hard situations comfortably instead of avoiding them out of fear. I was able to take an honest inventory of how the economy has hit my business without even feeling stressed.

There is something almost mystical about breaking a cycle that had you chasing your tail for a while.

This dog used to run in circles until I collapsed or was distracted by something else. At some point in the past few days, though, I stopped and thought "Hmmmmmmmm, that's my tail and it ain't gettin any closer ever. I think I'll just find some other way to amuse myself."

Maybe, just maybe, I am getting close to running with the smart dogs!