7 Things My Dog Teaches Me About Slowing Down
This week is Mindy’s “Gotcha Day”, the day we picked her up from her foster home 3 years ago and gave her an official forever home. I was in the middle of growing my freelance career, and I did not expect that bringing her home would teach me so much or bring so much joy. Today I’m sharing some of the lessons she’s taught me.
Mornings are joyful. I used to dread the mornings and really had a bad attitude for the first hour or so of the day. Waking up early and facing the day ahead, especially if you know it brings challenges, is never an easy feat. Enter Mindy. She wakes up (sometimes earlier than I’d like!) with a huge smile and a wagging tail every morning…even on the gloomiest of days.
Start your day with movement. Starting my day with a walk sets such a positive tone. Working from home makes it really difficult to stay motivated with exercise, but getting up and heading out on a brisk lap around the block is a great way to find energy for the day ahead.
Breaks are essential. That dreaded afternoon slump, we all know it too well. Mindy always reminds me around lunchtime that it’s time for a break. I’ve tried to ignore it, and she won’t let me. Over the years we’ve gotten her used to a mid-day walk routine, so much that if I try to skip it, she walks into my office to get me. Even if it’s quick lap, or some backyard time during a phone call, we both appreciate stretching our legs before the afternoon work block.
Put down your phone. During a walk, it’s hard to be on my phone, and it’s actually been a really useful lesson for me. Mindy requires all of my attention and both hands (as soon as I look away or try to text, she will for sure see a squirrel to dart after!), and it reminds me to be mindful and enjoy the time outside. Even on the coldest of days or the walks in a light rain shower, she reminds me to look around and enjoy what’s happening.
There’s always something to wag your tail about. I could be having the worst day, or maybe just an unremarkable one, and Mindy steps in with the reminder that even just a quick 5 minutes playing fetch, or a moment for a belly rub, is a good reason to smile and wag your tail. Time together is a reason to be happy, no matter what else is going on.
Don’t skip the zzz’s. Just like most dogs, Mindy spends a lot of time sleeping. Some days, she’s the reminder that I need to catch some extra rest.
Cherish each day. Anyone who’s had a dog can agree - we wish they lived forever. Knowing that Mindy’s life goes faster than ours is a daily reminder that every day together is truly special. Since we don’t know Mindy’s birthday, we joke that every day is her birthday, and we try to find a special moment or special reason each day that happens “because it’s her birthday”. Shouldn’t we all find special moments in each day to make it feel like our birthday? Embrace the extra long walks, the snuggles during a thunderstorm, the zoomies, all of it. There will come a day when you’d be willing to pay so much for just one more of those moments.
