There are 89.7 million pet dogs in the US. There are 82 million pet cats in the US. As the pet ambassador for SilverDisobedience, and someone who has dedicated my entire career to the well-being of pets, I care about those 170+ million pets. But as this New Year approaches, I’ve been thinking about what I can do to help those pets and their owners. How can I use my experiences, failures, and successes to continue to make an impact in the pet world? Every approaching New Year, I write down my goals for myself. Not only do I write them on a piece of paper, but I also go to a place of worship to say them. I am in Paris, so I visited Église Saint-Sulpice – which I am so lucky to have across the street from my apartment – lit a candle and prayed with intention. Prayed about what I want to achieve in the New Year. I would love to share with you what is in my head as I think about 2023.

Give Me Strength + Health

Aging is an interesting thing. With age comes wisdom. With age comes experience. With age comes confidence. But with age also comes the extra effort to remain healthy and strong. Health is everything and I know I can’t continue to do what I was put on this earth to do (advocate for pets worldwide!) if I don’t feel well. Find what you need to be healthy and strong and commit to it in 2023. For me, meditation and yoga are a must. At one point in my career, when I was running a multi-million-dollar global company, I needed a therapist to help guide me and give me direction through difficult times. Find out what YOU need to do our best work and make it a priority this year.

The Journey Begins at Home

For as long as I can remember, I have been a sought-after expert in pet travel. I have had countless interviews and recorded many podcasts discussing the topic. While it is still important, this year, I also want to focus on the importance of pets at home. Those 170+ million dogs and cats will spend most of their time at home, rather than traveling, and it is crucial for pet owners to dedicate time to making sure they are well-behaved at home, so when they do travel, they will be very prepared. I recently dined with a friend for lunch and her dog ate scraps from the table. While she was very upfront with me that her pup has the worst manners, it made me think that this is a change that could be worked on at home. The journey begins at home.

Learn from Catastrophe

In 2022, we had many weather events from flooding to droughts to record-breaking heat indexes. These climate catastrophes were unexpected and made me think what we could learn from them. It comes down to preparedness. While things happen that we have no control of, we can try to be as prepared as possible. This year, evaluate your surroundings and what climate catastrophes you could likely encounter, and prepare. Everyone needs a natural disaster plan that includes their pets.

While I had more written down on my list, I will leave you with this:  Always work to be better in mind, body, and spirit – it is not just one thing; it is a whole package! When these three are in sync, good things will happen! I work on it every day and will continue to do so in the New Year!