When Comfort Comes in the Form of a Dog Named Betty and the Television: A Story of Surviving the Hard Days

Hi, friends. Today, we’re going to talk about something that might sound familiar to more of us than we might think, and it goes like this: there are days when, truly, the most I can manage is sitting with my dog, Betty (full name Betty Beefcake), and turning on the television. That’s it. That’s the whole day. And here’s the kicker—it’s absolutely okay.

For so many of us, comfort can feel elusive, fleeting. Some days, even though we know what’s “good” for us, we can’t bring ourselves to go for that jog, make that to-do list, or check in with that friend. What we can do is this: we can sit on the couch, with Betty right there by our side, soft and warm and ever-loving, and we can let the world of television take over for a while. It may seem like a small, even insignificant thing, but it’s actually the little sliver of peace that allows us to keep going.

Now, it’s easy to get caught up in what society says about “productivity” and the need to constantly “be doing.” But it’s vital to give ourselves permission to define comfort on our terms, even if it doesn’t look like the picture-perfect wellness routines we’re often shown. On those tough days, leaning into the simple things—the presence of a dog who couldn’t care less about how productive you were today and the quiet hum of a show on TV—can be revolutionary. It’s about meeting yourself where you are, and sometimes, where you are is simply in need of rest.

So, if you find yourself in that familiar spot on the couch, with your dog curled up beside you, and all you can manage is pressing play on the remote—give yourself a little grace. You’re showing up for yourself in that moment, honoring the reality that being human isn’t always about “more.” Sometimes it’s about “enough.” And today, Betty and the television are more than enough.

-K


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