Learning Moments

What dogs, cheese games, and a single word in the forest reveal about pausing

My first dog, Bowie, was a little acrobat. A circus artist. She knew her commands perfectly — roll over, high five — and loved nothing more than playing hide-and-seek games. We’d hide tiny pieces of cheese, maybe ten at a time, and she’d sit perfectly still, observing, waiting. On the command search, she was off and found every single one. The only command she didn’t love? Come back.

My second dog, Filou, is a sweet young guy who looks puzzled when I try to play the cheese game. He has no interest in performing and doesn’t really care for commands. But the ones that truly matter, he handles without a fuss. I don’t need words with him — I press a finger to my nose, and he sits and waits. I pause, I call, he comes. Ask him to sit, though, and he lies down. That’s his own kind of circus.

Our veterinarian asked once which kind of schooling suited each: higher education for Bowie, something more practical for Filou. He smiled and agreed without hesitation: “Gymnasium, definitely, for smart Bowie.”

Recently, while walking with a friend in the forest, I overheard something that stopped me. Her dog was having one of those mornings — a little wild. Fully aware of what was being asked, but choosing otherwise. Instead of repeating the command louder, my friend said one word:

“Think!”

I couldn’t help but smile.
“Did you just say ‘think’ to your dog?”
“Yes. Instead of getting frustrated and repeating something Ivy had already heard, I use ‘think’.”

I turned that over in my head the whole walk home. Did she just turn dog training into philosophy?

Think! — an invitation to pause, to interrupt the momentum.

This serves us humans just as well. We often repeat ourselves louder or sharper when what we really need is to stop, take a breath, and notice what just happened — or didn’t.

I will remember this dog story — that sometimes the most powerful shift we can make is simply to interrupt the momentum, look at the moment we’re in, and then decide what comes next.

What might “Think” invite in your life right now?
Feel free to pause and share your thoughts in the comments.

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The bit at the end

Exciting events on the horizon to support your exploration:

• What if the most rebellious thing you could do right now is pause?
  Pause with us—find out more about Rebel with a Pause here and join us for a free monthly 30-minute pause.
• Curious to experience Street Wisdom for yourself — inspiring, surprising, and quietly powerful? Reach out, and let’s wander with wonder through the streets, alleys, and bridges of Alkmaar or Amsterdam. Learn more about Street Wisdom here.
• Join the next Unhurried Conversation—a space to slow down, listen, and connect. We meet on the 2nd Monday of every month. It’s free, and you’re warmly welcome. Sign up here.
• For more Learning Moments, subscribe to my newsletter and get timely updates straight to your inbox.

Reach out; I’m always open for a chat.
Creatively,
Nadia

P.S.The paintings featured on the blog are my own.