In 1988, a little-known jazz singer released a song that should have failed.
The song featured no drums, no guitar, no keyboard, no instruments at all.
Just the singer’s voice.
His record label didn’t expect much. It sounded nothing like what was on the radio at the time.
But then something really weird happened.
The song soared all the way to #1 on the Billboard charts… and went on to win the Grammy for Song of the Year.
By now, you’ve probably guessed I’m talking about.
Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”
And if you’re like most people, you’re probably hearing it in your head right now.
It’s easy to dismiss “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” as a light, even silly song.
But if you listen closely, it’s actually about something much deeper.
The lyrics aren’t about a perfect life.
They’re about real problems — stress, uncertainty, things not going the way you hoped.
And the message is simple: Even when life feels uncertain, you still have a choice in how you respond.
I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. Because the truth is, we all worry.
Many of you write to me and say how grateful you are for the information I share. And I feel very fortunate to be able to do this work — to stay curious, to keep learning, and to discover things that truly help you and your dogs.
I am thrilled to see that what I’ve learned over the years has made a big difference for Pax, for my family, and for many of you and your four-legged friends.
But here’s something I don’t say often enough:
Even with all that knowledge, I still catch myself worrying.
I worry about Pax, my loved ones, and my own health..
The truth is, no matter how much we know, we’ll never know everything. There are all sorts of unknowns around the corner — both bad and good.
Some experts believe that if we can stay reasonably healthy for the next five to seven years, we may see major breakthroughs in medicine. Breakthroughs that could change how we approach conditions like cancer, arthritis, and even cognitive decline. There is a chance, we and our dogs will live much longer, which would be amazing!
Now, we don’t know exactly how that will unfold.
But I do find it exciting and hopeful living in a time of rapid discovery.
And instead of worrying and trying to solve everything all at once…
What if our goal was simply to take good care of ourselves and our dogs, day by day, and stay as healthy as we can for the next few years?
Because I believe that’s where the real power is.
Not in eliminating worry completely, but in choosing how we respond to it.
In fact, I believe that the best way to deal with fear and worry is to face it, explore it and understand it.
I have a little trick I teach dog lovers and would like to share.
When you catch yourself worrying, do not push the feeling away. Instead, feel the location of the sensation. Is it the heart, the solar plexus, the neck or belly?
When you locate the feeling, imagine it has a volume button and you turn the volume up. Feel it more, instead of less.
And you know what happens? The fear just disappears because it doesn’t like to be noticed in that way.
Try it!
Thank you for being here, and for caring so deeply about your dog’s health.
It truly means a lot to me.
