Being the Rock

If you're reading this, you probably have a Doggie in your life.

You know the type. Big heart. Big feelings. Big reactions to slightly warm croissants.

They’re wonderful. They’re chaos. They are very loud about toast-based metaphors.

And you? You're the calm one. The one holding the tea. The one gently removing frosting from the blanket fort wall.

This guide is for you.

1. Validate Without Absorbing

When Doggie bursts into the room exclaiming,

“This muffin just unlocked my entire emotional history!”

...don’t argue. Don’t match the energy. Just nod.
Then say something like:

“That sounds important. Do you want to journal about it or just hold it gently?”

Support the storm without jumping in it. You’re a lighthouse, not a lightning rod.

2. Build Calm into the Environment

I keep soft lighting, warm beverages, and a designated Drama Cushion.
(This is where Doggie flops when emotionally overloaded. It's embroidered with the words “Breathe First, Snack Second.”)

Ambient calm helps regulate high-intensity feelings. So do snacks in non-crinkly wrappers.

3. Use the Buddy System, Not the Absorption Method

You’re not required to fix every emotion.
Sometimes just sitting next to someone while they hug a baguette and cry is enough.

Mini Blue excels at this. I once watched them listen silently to Doggie monologue about the emotional cost of blueberry scones. For twenty minutes.
Then they turned purple. Everyone felt better.

4. Schedule Recovery Time

Supporting big feelings can be exhausting.
After an especially intense croissant meltdown, I block out "quiet time"—usually with a cup of chamomile and a podcast called “Plush Mind, Soft Life.”

Your calm deserves care, too.

5. Celebrate the Drama (a Little)

Let’s be honest: life would be boring without your dramatic friend.
Doggie once burst into a room, flung himself onto a pillow, and declared, “I have too many thoughts to alphabetize!”

We laughed for a week.

Balance is everything. Calm doesn’t mean cold. You can care deeply and stay grounded. That’s your plushie superpower.

Steady as ever,
Pandy 🐼🍵

P.S. Doggie cried while reading this and said, “You truly see me.” Then he asked if I could edit his croissant comic captions. I did. With love.