Sugar Begins No Bark Hour & Enjoys These Banana Blueberry Pupcakes

You ever feel like you have 75 million things coming at you all at the same time?

One deadline after the other.  There’s always some project to tackle, errand to run, class to get to or pupcake to bake.  On top of all that, there’s at least one pup asking you a question, waiting on your feedback to a decision, or who just wants a piece of your attention.

To be honest, I feel like that more times than not.  So much so, that I’ve learned to embrace what I like to call the “juggle.”  However, embracing that juggle didn’t make me feel anymore Zen or like I was relieved that I had everything under control.  There were even points where I felt like I was living my life in one complete blur.

As a pup business owner, there are always deadlines to meet, schedules to make and goals to achieve.  A pup-creative mind is always working, even when we sleep.  I was at the point where I felt the stress of it all.

So, I decided it was time to figure out a way to take back control in my life.  As Michael Altshuler stated…

Taking a vacation wasn’t an option at the moment.  A day at the pup-spa would’ve been great, but I needed something that was going to last longer than a day or two.  I needed a way to quiet the noise and give me a little time to myself to actually “hear myself think.”

I decided that the No Bark Hour was the solution.  I’d set my alarm an extra hour early and get up when the house (and the rest of the world) was quiet.  During that hour, I’d write in my journal, meditate or I’d just plain sit and be alone with my thoughts. 

This No Bark Hour was my time to get in tune with myself before I start my day.  And, I have to admit it was so hard at first.

The first couple of days I’d hit the snooze button on my alarm ten times before I got up.  Or, I’d just sit and stare at my phone questioning every decision I’d made to actually get up this early. 

So, the No Bark Hour was more like the No Bark Ten Minutes.  And, let’s not talk about how losing that hour of sleep resulted in me yearning for a nap during the middle of the day.  I would be dog tired by the time I got home.  Pun intended.

However, after my little pup body got used to the change, this No Bark Hour became a saving grace.  The quiet time helps me focus on my day a lot better.  I find that my pup-creativity flows better, and I even feel more confident about attacking my goals throughout the day. 

This No Bark Hour gives me the freedom to claim a quiet space for me.  A chance to not focus on the life of a pup business owner, but focus on the wants, needs and desires of Sugar, the pup.  It has become my chance to just breathe.

These Banana Blueberry Mini Bundt Cake Pupcakes are dedicated to finding the time and the space to just be with yourself.

And of course, we believe that every pupcake has a love story.  So, while your favorite pup is PUPPY LOVIN’ on these pupcakes, we’d love to hear from you.

What do you do to create some time or space for yourself?

Please share your pupcake story in the box below.