There’s a pup that lives right across the street from me.  She’s super cool and really sweet.  We’ve never officially met, but somehow have become bark pals.

Every night around nine or so, we bark through the door about our day.  We bark about the weather and what we ate for dinner.  I give her tips on the best ways to sucker her Mom for a treat, and she gives me tips on the best hydrants to sniff on my walks.  If you’re wondering, it’s the hydrant at the end of the street next to the gate.

We’ve been bark pals for years.  However, after a few months of our bark pal-ship I noticed something. 

After our nightly barks, I felt completely exhausted.  I would almost always retreat to my little corner to lay in my bed.  Or, I’d need some extra attention from Mom and would crawl in her lap for a belly rub.

I used to think to myself, “What gives?  I was happy just a few minutes ago.”  Then it dawned on me, it was usually the result of my beloved bark pal.

Her complaints about whatever was happening in her life began to take a toll on my emotions.  It affected my mood and sometimes drained my energy.  I knew that I had to figure out a way to put a stop to it.

Yes.  You read that right.  My EMOTIONAL BUDGET.

We all have budgets.  Or, at least we should.  Especially, if we want to grow our wealth and build our portfolio.  No matter the currency, whether it’s pupcakes and pup-tales or dollars and cents, our budgets are essential.  Our financial budgets keep us grounded and realistic.  They also help us build our dreams and map out our futures.

However, our emotional budgets are much more valuable.

Our emotional budgets are how we manage our feelings in certain situations as well as with certain people (or pups).  However, it’s more than simply measuring how happy or sad we feel.  Developing an emotional budget is understanding what excites you and, more importantly, what drains your energy.  Emotional budgets are essentially how we manage our time to feel good.

For instance, your emotional budget might include spending more time with your best friend, and less time with that person who’s always bragging about how perfect their life is.  It might mean inserting some “pamper me” time into your weekly schedule.  Or, it might even mean scheduling time to work towards your dream.

Whatever it is, outlining a solid emotional budget is a great way to keep your positive energy intact and avoid those burnout blues.

Now, back to my bark pal.  In order to keep my emotional budget balanced, I began to either limit our barking time or change the topic to something more positive.  After that, our conversations flowed better, were more positive, and most importantly, I’d feel good after our nightly talks.  So…

These Cranberry Carob Chip Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes are dedicated to balancing our emotional budgets.

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’s one strategy you currently use to keep your emotional budget balanced?  Or, what’s the first step you can take to start an emotional budget?

Please share your pupcake story in the box below.  

And, after you’ve tried this recipe please share it with us @pupcakesugar on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or all three.  We’d love to see how they turned out for you.

Ingredients

Cranberry Carob Chip Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes

• ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ Cup Quaker Oats
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ⅓ Cup Plain Yogurt
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tablespoons Cranberries
• 2 Tablespoons Carob Chips

Instructions

Yields: 12 Mini Pupcakes

For Cranberry Carob Chip Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line 12 1.75-inch mini-muffin pan with paper bake cups and set aside.
2. In small bowl mix together flour, baking powder and dried Quaker oats. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl add olive oil, yogurt and egg. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients into the mixture and blend for approximately 2 minutes until well mixed.
5. Stir in cranberries and carob chips.
6. Fill each cupcake liner with 1 tablespoon of pupcake mix.
7. Bake pupcakes for 12 minutes. Pupcakes are done when you can stick a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Notes

• This recipe is for a fun treat ONLY. It should not replace your dog’s regular meals.  Please consult with your vet on the best plan for your dog’s diet.