Living a satisfying, full human life with the gracefulness of a cat

Have you ever known or admired a successful person who always seems to be doing several things at once—in several places at once—and yet manages to come across as gracious, happy, and relaxed most of the time?

You know—someone living a satisfying, full human life with the gracefulness of a cat?

For me, one of those people is Ingrid King. She’s an award-winning blogger and writer of all things cat. (She’s known to produce several high quality blog posts per week while also writing books, interacting on multiple social media platforms daily, and dealing with a constant volume of messages and requests from readers, press, and people seeking her help.)

I no longer have to wonder how Ingrid does all this and more. She has written a charming book of essays called Purrs of Wisdom: Conscious Living, Feline Style that answers the question.

Anyone can dish out lifestyle advice, but I find it most effective when it’s coming from someone who’s really been practicing it—someone who has been where I’ve been and yet found ways to get the results I want. For me, this is true even when it’s advice I’ve heard before. Deliver it in a true story, reveal the personal details, and I’ll be twice as likely to put it into action.

That kind of truth-telling is what I like best about Ingrid’s book. She describes herself as a recovering worrier and much of the book serves as a feline-infused meditation on how we can short-circuit the worry-and-fear cycle. Ingrid also tackles the topic of anxiety, which she calls “worry’s ugly cousin.”

I loved the story of the renewal she experienced by allowing herself to do nothing for an hour but bask in the light her favorite maple tree’s brilliant red leaves. “Doing nothing without feeling guilty is something all my cats have taught me over the years,” she writes.

Research is also telling us that doing nothing is key to cultivating creativity. I am working on embracing that. Ingrid’s story helps.

I also appreciated Ingrid’s essay about the power of choosing conscious routines. Conscious routines are practices that support us and help us relax without making our daily life stagnant. She cites both the Dalai Lama and cats on this topic.

My favorite way to read books like this is the “daily dose” way. I like to read a little at the end or beginning of the day to refresh my spirit with expansive thinking and positive ideas.

The new paperback version of Purrs of Wisdom: Conscious Living, Feline Style makes a sweet gift for cat lovers who are setting the intention of a less cluttered and more wholesome life in the New Year.

Consider wrapping it up with some herbal tea or catnip and giving someone (such as yourself) the gift of daily contemplations on intentional living, feline style.