Hairball remedy

My cat Maggie has this affectation where she holds up her paw while she looks around. It stems from us trying to get her to take her hairball remedy--you know--the brown goo in a tube. She was the only of our three cats who didn't seem to like it, so I'd put a dab on her paw which would force her to lick it off. After a few times, though, she'd hop away with her paw held up close to her furry chest as if trying to keep it from me. Now she does that all the time, but especially when she's nervous or not sure of what's going on, it seems.

Looking at her today, I realize I do the same thing, on an emotional level. Faced with a difficult situation that I'd rather avoid, I feel cornered, and in my own way I'm Maggie with her paw held close, away from danger. I'm not sure how to change that, how to face it and 'take my medicine', but I suppose being aware is the first step. Then I can work on my reaction, and ultimately, on my fears.

The universe is still telling me to be gentle on myself. Sometimes, though, the message is jumbled up and overpowered by the other side of things; the negative side. It feels inconsistent, but perhaps I'm just not listening closely enough. Or maybe I'm just having a hard time trusting the message at times.