I often tell people, try treating your emotions like a dog.

Yeah, they’re like “what the actual fuck is this guy on about” as well. But hear me out. This espresso has got my psychology juices flowing.

One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that shitty dogs almost always have shitty owners.

The dog’s level of discipline is reflected in the owner’s emotional maturity and self-discipline.

It’s very rare to see a dog that’s wrecking the house, eating all the toilet paper and shitting on the couch which has an owner who has their own shit together.

This is because our connections with dogs are purely emotional.

And if we suck at dealing with our own emotions, then we’ll suck at dealing with our dogs. It’s that simple.

If you don’t know how to limit yourself and tell yourself “no” when necessary, then, well, don’t get a dog.

And if you do get one, don’t fucking move into my estate (or neighbourhood for my American followers).

Our emotions are kind of like our dog that’s living inside our head.

We have this part of ourselves that just wants to eat, sleep, fuck and play, but has no conception of future consequences or risks.

That’s the part of ourselves we need to train.

Our emotions are important. But they’re also kind of dumb and designed to overreact to things.

They evolved to keep us alive when we were hunting water buffalo on the savannah and shit like that.

When we’re scared we want to run away or hide. When we’re angry we want to break stuff.

But thankfully, our brains also evolved logic and the ability to consider the past and the future, and all that great Gucci stuff.

That’s what makes us humans. And not dogs.

The problem is, our “dog brain” is actually what controls our behavior.

You can intellectually know that eating ice cream for breakfast is a bad idea, but if your dog brain wants fucking ice cream for breakfast, then that’s ultimately where your body is going to go.

It’s only by training your dog brain with your people brain, “No, bad Lee, ice cream for breakfast is bad, go do something else that feels good and is healthy like lifting some heavy shit off the ground,” that your dog brain gradually learns.

Do that enough and you have a well-behaved dog brain.

Now, after that rollercoaster of emotions can you see why I said train your emotions like a dog? Yeah? Good.

Welcome to growth you beautiful motherfucker.

Fuck, I nearly forgot. Drink your damn coffee and don’t be an asshole today, the world has plenty of them already.

Love,

Lee