We See You: Celebrating the Inner Beauty and Resilience of Pet Parents

We See You: Celebrating the Inner Beauty and Resilience of Pet Parents
By Michelle Nichols, MS, HonCAHP, CGRS | Animal Hospice Coach, Educator, Mentor, and Certified Grief Recovery Specialist,  AHELP Founder

At AHELP Project, we see you.

We see your inner beauty in the gentle patience it takes to help a senior dog stand, in the tenderness of your hand as you soothe an anxious cat, and in the quiet courage it takes to face illness, aging, and uncertainty with love.

We strive to see, hear, and understand pet parents like you—whether through our online Partners to the Bridge Animal Hospice Coaching, in our subreddit on Reddit (r/PetHospiceComfortCare), on Facebook, through professionals on LinkedIn, or out in the world at pet-related events here in the Pacific Northwest. However we meet, we recognize the same strength and compassion in every pet caregiver’s story.

Today, on National Inner Beauty Day, we celebrate the qualities that make each of us uniquely beautiful on the inside. October 7 reminds us to look inward—to see the beauty in self-compassion, to honor resilience, and to remember that the traits shaping our character are the same ones that help us care for others.

These moments reveal something lasting: our resilience through both the good days and the hard ones. They help pet caregivers find the strength to walk what we call the Path of Least Regrets—where compassion and preparation replace guilt and fear.

Photo caption: We honor and appreciate the Millennials and Gen Zers who value compassion, present-mindedness, and in general, just make time to ensure they have quality moments with their companion animals.

🌈 The Strengths That Sustain Pet Caregivers

Through Partners to the Bridge Animal Hospice Coaching, we help families identify and build on the personal qualities that support animal hospice, pet comfort care, and their own emotional well-being.

• Compassion – staying kind to yourself while caring for another
• Perseverance – showing up each day, even when it’s hard
• Perspective – finding meaning in both the joy and the sorrow
• Gratitude – noticing small moments of comfort and connection
• Humor – lightening heavy times when you can
• Hope – believing that love continues through change and loss
• Self-awareness – recognizing limits and asking for help
• Purpose – remembering why you chose this path of care

Every caregiver brings a unique mix of these strengths. Some find steadiness in humor; others rely on patience or quiet faith. Whatever your blend, these strengths are the roots of caregiver resilience.

Now It’s Your Turn: Take the Character Strengths Inventory!

Understanding your own strengths can deepen self-awareness and help you use those qualities more intentionally in caregiving—and in life.

A trusted tool for this is the VIA Character Strengths Inventory, developed through the research of Dr. Martin Seligman, founder of the field of Positive Psychology, and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center.

🧠 Take the Character Strengths Inventory:

• VIA Character Strengths Survey (VIA Institute on Character)
• VIA Survey – Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania

This free online self-assessment helps you discover which of the 24 character strengths most naturally guide how you care, cope, and connect—your personal “signature strengths.” Recognizing these traits won’t change who you are, but it can help you notice what already sustains you, making it easier to build resilience, balance, and confidence throughout your pet hospice journey.

✨ How (Else) to Celebrate World Inner Beauty Day

Here are a few gentle ways to honor your inner beauty today:

• Reflect on the qualities that help you care for your pet with love and patience.
• Share a story that reveals your inner strength or growth as a caregiver.
• Encourage another caregiver by naming a strength you see in them.
• Practice gratitude for your bond with your companion animal.
• Remind yourself: you are enough, doing your best each day.

Recognizing your inner beauty isn’t about perfection—it’s an act of self-care that fuels compassionate pet hospice care and helps you heal along the way. The more you understand your strengths, the steadier you become in offering comfort, presence, and peace.

Let’s honor the inner beauty that makes pet hospice and comfort care possible—one caregiver, one pet, one act of love at a time.

If you could use a Pet Hospice Partner to help you find your footing and strengthen your caregiver resilience, my virtual door is open for you.

🐾🌈👣💞
- Michelle

Fun facts about National Inner Beauty Day:

• When is it? Every October 7th
• What’s the hashtag? #NationalInnerBeautyDay
• When was it founded? 2017
• Who founded it and why? Roma Newton, inspired by the movement to end human trafficking

Source: Days of the Year

( Blog post banner: Photo of an older gentleman sitting on a bench with a Golden Retriever dog wearing fake glasses, a little humor can go a long way to change your perspective of the day. )