Republished from Niall Harbison on Substack
Niall Harbison is the founder and mastermind behind Happy Doggo, a charity which rescues, feeds, sterilizes, and re-homes street dogs, primarily in Southeast Asia. He is also the author of Tina: The Dog Who Changed the World.
I got a stark reminder of just how hard life is for so many people today when I offered to make some personal videos for those who were having a tough year.
Kind people send me the messages nominating their mums, best friends or work colleagues who follow me and the dogs. I always think I have it tough with dog issues and managing my mental health but a quick look through the messages reminds me just how brutally tough this time of year is for many.
Life or death. Addiction. Extreme worry for family and friends. Loneliness. It is a time of year where all out problems are accentuated and magnified.
Life Isn’t What You See On Instagram
Open your phone tomorrow and you’ll see footballers and celebs in mansions with their families dressed in matching pyjamas.
There will be an abundance of presents, new designer gear and big tables of food in your apps from people you know. All that stuff is lovely and it should be celebrated but I know the pressure that content puts on a lot of people.
This is a really hard time of year for so many but it’s worth remembering that nearly everybody out there is putting up their best facade. Life is so much harder than what we share online. This is true during the holidays but also throughout the year.
You might follow me and see a 60 second happy video of a dog with nice music but that is a snapshot of their life. I’ve presented them as well as I can and help them as much as possible but just like humans the struggle is real and it is a daily one.
Tilting The Scales Towards Kindness
It would be easy to look at the world and think everything is bad. The algorithms and news channels feed us sad and divisive content because they know it keeps people enraged and engaged.
In my own world of rescuing dogs I see constant cruelty and neglect towards animals. It would be easy to focus on the dogs I’ve seen shot, stabbed, starved and dumped this year but the only way to change the world is by focusing on kindness.
For every human who keeps a dog on a chain like Maximus there is another out there waiting to take a chance on a forgotten dog. To make him part of their family and show him love and be his hero.
It’s a great time of year to remember to help others. A 15 minute cup of coffee, a little text message or even a simple smile could make someone’s whole holidays. If you can tip a little more try to do so. Say hello to someone in the park. Swallow your pride on an issue. Presents will be quickly forgotten but kind actions could be remembered for a lifetime.
Life Comes With Ups And Downs
I have been at rock bottom myself at Christmas before. I’ve sat alone drinking bottles of vodka with my phone switched off in a dark room on the big day itself. 5 Years ago just before I got sober I tried to drink myself to death. I nearly succeeded.
What Is super important to remember is that you can always make comebacks no matter how bad things seem. Look at Prince and Bowie the huskies who we found last year abandoned by owners in the Thai heat. Bowie was pregnant and Prince had been so hungry his stomach was full of sand and rocks he had eaten. You couldn’t find 2 dogs at a lower ebb.
Fast forward 12 months and here they are looking utterly spectacular and loved in their forever homes in Germany and Wales respectively. I didn’t ask their families to send me photos, that’s just what their lives now look like!
I tell my own, Bowie and Wynter’s (Prince’s new name) stories to show people that comebacks are always possible in life for both dogs and humans. You might feel a bit rubbish, lonely, sad or down right now but there is always hope. If you only take one thing from this email please make it be that there is always hope.
The festive period is seriously hard for people. I look around today and I see huge groups of people drinking Champagne at lunchtime and sipping cocktails on the beach. Everybody seems to be laughing and having the time of their lives.
The easiest thing to do as an alcoholic would be to go and join then! The voice in the head is always there…”Oh you’ve done so well this year saving dogs Niall, a couple of beers is the least you deserve and nobody will never know”.
That’s why I’m out doing as many rescues as possible today. It’s why I’m writing a Substack at 10pm on Christmas Eve. It’s why I’ll spend Christmas morning making 200 personalized videos for people to wake up to. I am purposely keeping myself busy and away from areas of temptation.
But I also realize just how lucky I am. I have my purpose and my calling in life. I know precisely just how many people out there are sad right now. Those hiding behind pained smiles. People having a couple of pills to get through a family meet up. The people who know deep down they have addiction issues. The people worried sick about their health or that of a loved one. Those with crippling grief. The list of struggles is endless.
Please just remember you are not alone. Not only have I struggled in the past but right now there are millions of people just like you having a hard time. It is to every one of you that I wish you have some peace if at all possible. It doesn’t always have to be a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holidays. Sometimes you just need to get through it and thats fine too!
From me and the dogs, I send you all huge love from the bottom of my heart for supporting us this year.
Big Love,
Niall
P.S You can support the mission by just subscribing to this newsletter or donating to Happy Doggo here.
This post was republished from Niall Harbison on Substack
Read the original here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-182506335
