4 lessons on self-trust, taking risks, the power of belief, and healing I learned from my cat Princess
The push to create a more fulfilling life that aligns with who you truly are doesn’t have to be born out of painful, life-altering events like losing an important relationship, a sudden downturn in your health, or a financial disaster.
It’s possible to learn how to create your own version of the good life by observing a wise teacher who can reveal the deeper truths in your soul.
One of my teachers on a life well lived was my cat, Princess. Looking back over the years we spent together, I realize she taught me some key lessons on self-trust, taking risks, the power of belief, and the process of healing.
Here are four of those life lessons.
1. Always trust your gut.
Princess, like all cats, relied on her instincts to direct her actions. She was friendly, outgoing, quite talkative, very affectionate, and open to everyone—except the day she wasn’t.
On this day, my neighbor Sandy, wanted to adopt one of Princess’ new kittens and I agreed. When Sandy showed up with her mother to select a new kitten, Princess became very aggressive, hostile, and hell-bent on attacking Sandy’s mom.
She became so unruly I decided to lock her in the bathroom while Sandy and her mom picked out a new kitten to take home.
It never dawned on me to consider whether Sandy’s mom was a trustworthy person, even though Princess was acting completely out of character while in her presence.
I assumed she was just being overly protective because her new kittens were so young—not because something was truly wrong, but it was. I just didn’t know it at the time.
Years later, I was watching the news and saw Sandy’s mom and dad being arrested for child endangerment because they had been locking their daughter Sandy in a dog kennel for hours at a time.
2. Be bold, playful, and take risks: trust you will find a way to land on your feet.
Princess loved to play and push the boundaries of what was possible.
I believe she secretly took pleasure in scaring me half-to-death when she engaged in bold, and sometimes risky behavior.
Like the time when she ran out onto my 3rd floor balcony, leaped onto the thin black-iron railings, and began strutting around like she was a New York model at fashion week.
My attempts to sweet-talk her off the runway were met with playful, defiant stares.
When I lunged towards her and attempted to snatch her off the black rails, Princess quickly hopped onto the roof.
She stood on the ledge and glanced down at me, her eyes sparkling with delight at having pulling off such a daring feat.
Then, she wandered away from the ledge of the brown shingled roof and vanished to explore the unknown territory.
Hours later, my neighbor appeared at my door with Princess in tow, explaining how she had discovered her lounging on her balcony.
I thanked her for bringing her back to me and closed the door.
Princess began parading around the living room like she had just won a gold medal, rubbing her tiny gray body against my legs while purring with excitement and glee.
She seemed quite pleased with her adventures on the roof that day.
She showed me the value of engaging with the world from a place of self-trust.
It keeps you light on your feet and delighted to jump into new experiences because you know you will always find a safe place to land.
3. Own your power by deciding what you believe is true, rather than allowing others to define what is possible for you.
Princess showed me the importance of following your own heart even if it challenged the culturally-accepted norms.
Although she was born a cat, it didn’t stop her from easily shifting into new identities as long as they pleased her.
Some days my darling tabby morphed into a tiny terrier and played fetch with me for hours.
Other days, she shape-shifted into a goldfish, desperately seeking water and jumped into the shower with me; she twirled around, delighted and curious about the water pouring down on her body.
And there were times when she changed into a little human, capable of understanding what I wanted from her and giving it to me.
Most often, it was my request for a kiss, which she willingly gave by licking my nose with her sandpaper-tongue.
My little kitty expanded beyond her role of what was considered “normal behavior” for a cat because it pleased her. She didn’t question her right to do what brought her joy.
We all have the power to define who we want to be. Let go of the expectations of others and your former roles if they no longer feel true for you.
4. You can’t heal until you feel all of your feelings and tell the truth about what happened to you.
Princess was originally my brother’s cat, but that changed one fateful evening. She was up to her usual mischievous tactics of making a mess in my brother’s house and he decided he’d had enough. He threw her out of the house, literally.
When I arrived on the scene, the fiery of my brother’s anger was evident in the little trails of diarrhea I spotted on the carpet that led into a small closet.
His anger had clearly sparked a deep fear in Princess I had never seen before. I felt a deep sadness and pain in my heart when I thought about the level of terror she must’ve felt that caused her to lose control of her own bodily functions.
I headed outside and began to pace the neighborhood, frantically calling her name for what seemed like hours. I just wanted to find her and protect her.
I discovered her hiding under a car in a dark alley. She had finally responded with a reluctant meow when I called her name. I scooped her up and brought her home to live with me.
Sometime had gone by before my brother would see Princess again, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
He came through the front patio door of my house and sat down on the maroon leather sofa.
Princess saw him and immediately jumped onto his lap. He put his hand out to caress her head, and she ran her sharp claws down the center of his face, leaving behind a trail of bright red dots of blood.
She leaped off of his lap and sprinted out of the living room. My brother was furious, and I was laughing to myself at the unexpected attack Princess had staged. She clearly had not forgotten about that night at his house.
The next time Princess saw my brother, she was her usual talkative, affectionate self. All she needed was the space to express her true emotions about what had happened to her that night and then she was happy to forgive and move on.
We remain stuck in the pain of the past if we try to deny our anger and pretend that everything is fine. Real healing and forgiveness can only begin once you create the space to be in all of your truth and feel all of your feelings.
Final Thoughts
Deep down, we all know who we are and what we really need to live our best lives. Sometimes it takes connecting with an unexpected teacher to show us how to trust ourselves, take leaps of faith that delight our souls, and how to heal from the betrayals in our past.
My teacher was Princess.
Who was yours?
P.S. Want more tips to face your fears, increase your confidence, and take more creative risks?
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