We thought the fireworks were over until the New Year but last night there was a small display of loud proportions.  It must have been somebodies birthday.

I love fireworks, I just don't get to see them much anymore because Poppy is so scared of them.  She had just got back in to the routine that it was safe to go out in to the garden or for a walk at night after 3 weeks.  

This has definitely set her back, her initial reaction was to bark and run to the door, standing slightly behind Daisy who was also barking but just for fun.  When the display had finished Poppy went back to her normal firework behaviour and sat on my lap shaking for 15 minutes.  

She eventually felt confident enough to get back on her own cushion, although an ear was pricked and an eye half open, waiting for danger.  This morning she looked really tired, in the same way a man does when they haven't had much sleep.

We, as humans often deal with fear in the same way.  Go out all guns blazing to suddenly hide in a corner shaking.  It's part of our fight, flight or freeze biology.

And unfortunately, fear has many forms for us as humans, not just a simple boom in the sky like Poppy.  Fear of not being good enough, fear of losing our job, fear of losing our partner, fear of being late etc.  They are all linked to the same physiological and psychological processes, your brain simply doesn't know the difference between a tiger attacking you and being stuck in traffic.

Your default response may be to come out fighting or find comfort in a glass of wine.  That can change, it's not easy but you can make changes to how you respond to actions in your life.  You don't need to always have a nice of cheesecake when you are upset (talking to myself there).

Make choices that promote long term results, we started slowly with Poppy and are starting to make a difference (she doesn't need to stay in our room overtime there's a firework now).  You just need to be aware of your default setting and tweak it.

Darren 'Tweaking' Checkley

P.S.  Movember Man Challenge - 50 press ups & 50 Squats.

P.P.S.  We've closed our doors for Achieve Bootcamp until 2015 but you can apply to join Team Achieve here - http://achievebootcamp.com/application/  so you are ready to go when we start again.