Paradoxically, we all have a propensity to hobble ourselves again and again, to shackle ourselves, be it to bank loans that oblige us to work ever harder, to futile objects that seem so precious in our eyes, to habits that have turned into obligations we no longer even see, or to toxic people we force ourselves to make time for. Perhaps the moment has come to free yourself of these shackles.
Why not try to retain only that which you love, to preserve those relationships which please you, to perform only those activities you enjoy, and to work solely at jobs that fulfil you? Heed only your own counsel, and pursue your true desires.
A lovely fantasy, you might think. Not for cats, who have chosen to be free, to have what they like, be what they like, and live how they like every moment of their lives. Freedom is a constant for cats; it’s much more than second nature. Being free is the very heart of their lives. The rest matters little to them in the end, whereas we often relegate this ideal to booking some time off work when our schedule allows.
You want to live like your cat? Be free as the air and do only what you have chosen to do.
‘God created the cat so that humans could experience the pleasure of caressing a tiger’
JOSEPH MÉRY
Cats don’t need to meow, leap about all over the place or kick up a song and dance in order to stand out from the crowd. You can feel a cat’s presence as soon as they enter the room. No fuss is required. The cat’s natural charisma ensures that everyone will notice them.
A cat’s discretion and personality oblige us to look in their direction every time they pad into the lounge. Classy, very classy. Who hasn’t dreamed of possessing such magnetism?
What does your cat do to give off such positive vibrations and become the focus of so much admiration?
Nothing. YOUR CAT SIMPLY IS.
And that’s the cat’s biggest lesson: if you wish to acquire a little more animality and charisma, simply be.
Don’t hide, don’t lie to yourself, don’t play a role, don’t whirl your arms about in an attempt to mesmerise the present company. Do nothing, that’s all.
Radiate your personality as if you were a transmitter, a light source. Don’t waffle on during a discussion; don’t hog the floor just to blow your own trumpet, you’ll only bore your audience. For they will sense, subconsciously, that it’s really yourself you’re trying to convince or reassure through those long monologues. That’s not having charisma, it’s merely being omnipresent, invasive and, ultimately, oppressive.
Haven’t you ever noticed that the most charismatic people – such as those actors who are said to have ‘great presence’ – never overdo it? Their words are as understated as their dress.
The most charismatic people are not the most extravagant. They are present, yet always show a certain restraint.
Charisma develops the more you are honest with yourself and with other people, when you accept yourself for what you are, without resorting to artifices that don’t fit your deeper personality.
An attractive personality has many forms, and each of us can develop one as long as we are simply ourselves in all circumstances, just like the cat.
Radiate the space around you with your presence and charisma by being sincere, discreet, plain and true.
Follow your cat step by step as they proceed with their daily routine: you’ll feel better for it.
7.30: THE ALARM RINGS
For many people, waking up in the morning is not always easy. So clear the grogginess away by following what your cat does.
Your cat doesn’t leap out of its basket like a jack-in-the-box: that’s bad for both body and mood.
Cats stretch, relax, slowly open their eyes and take the time they need to wake up.
Stretch, yawn. There’s no point in jolting yourself. Your cat stretches while it’s still lying down, then stands, arches its back, stretches again and yawns to fully expose its canines, then sits, blinking.
I tried this. I began to imitate Ziggy. And it really is much pleasanter than leaping out of bed like a pancake being flipped before dragging yourself to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.
This phenomenon – practised by most animals – is called ‘pandiculation’, a reflex action that we humans too often tend to overlook. But it is so vital to a proper wake-up and to get the day off to a good start.
Your Cat Is Calm (Most of the Time)
‘The idea of calm is a sitting cat’
JULES RENARD
Stress is the bane of our modern societies. How can we fight it? How can we channel it?
There have been many relaxation practices and techniques developed over the last few decades. It’s not a very good sign, since it means that we are increasingly stressed, and that more of us are getting stressed.
Always hard at it, always on edge; anxiety builds, insomnia too, leading to physiological effects, such as high blood pressure, then burnout.
Do we really have to live so badly? How can we change things?
Observe your cat: is it ever stressed? Rarely. Your cat oozes calm and tranquillity. Your cat sits quietly, muscles relaxed, presenting no physical signs of agitation, its gaze devoid of tension.
What we sometimes call ‘stress’ in a cat is in fact a heightened vigilance, an alertness to potential danger, to an event that might have disturbed the calm, restful continuum of its everyday existence. A cat pricks up its ears, focuses its gaze, observes and waits. But once the cause of concern has been identified, the cat becomes calm again and lays its head back down after a few seconds.
Your cat does not cultivate stress once a situation, or danger, has passed, been avoided or dealt with. Your cat seems to let go of whatever was bothering it – disposing of any residual intellectual traces – as if the event had never occurred. That is perhaps your cat’s greatest strength, and one of the keys to its majestic calm.
Your cat’s life is a structured and contemplative one – with an emphasis on comfort and wellbeing – which nothing must disturb. Cats dislike major changes to their daily routine.
The only (rare) moments of stress to enter a cat’s life derive from a change to this state. If an interloper enters your cat’s territory, they must be swiftly chased off. If your cat’s kibble is switched for a different, cheaper, less flavoursome variety, then a firm demonstration of displeasure must be made. Likewise, cats will let you know in no uncertain terms that any long and repeated absences on your part do not meet their need for love and attention.
To maintain your inner