We all love our four-legged friends. We love their happiness when greeting us at the door and their seemingly eternal optimistic attitude. Over time, our dogs become more than just our pets; they become our family. The part they play within the family dynamic is an important one, and being in college, one of the things I enjoy most about going home is visiting my dog. However, aside from the importance dogs play in our lives, I think we can also learn a thing or two from our dog. The way they live their lives is simple, but it also brings with it some positive lessons. Below are only a few of the things I think dogs can teach us.
Don't Stress the Little Things- Do you ever notice how dogs seem to be eternally happy? My dog never seems to have a care in the world as he goes about his day. I think this stress free lifestyle is something we can all practice to an extent. I know in college it’s easy to become stressed with the packed academic schedule but that doesn’t mean sometimes we can’t help ourselves with this stress overload. Whether this de-stressing involves breaking up larger assignments into smaller, more manageable ones, or taking the night off to spend with friends, taking a page from a dog’s book by reducing stress can help improve your outlook on life.
Sometimes it's best to just take a nap-Whenever I go home, I’m continually amazed by my dog’s ability to take a nap anywhere, at any time. In fact, I’m convinced he spends most of his time sleeping. Despite what some may define as “lazy”, I think we can all take a page from a dogs’ book when it comes to taking a quick nap. There have been numerous times throughout college where I’ve found myself pulling late nights in order to study or finish homework. However, I’ve realized it’s usually more productive to just go to sleep. Being sleep deprived the next day isn’t going to help me to do better on my test; it might even make me fall asleep during it! Also, dogs seem to be the reigning champs on power naps taken throughout the day (or, at least, my dog is). At first, I doubted the effectiveness of these short fifteen to twenty-minute naps. However, in college, after I found myself getting sleepy the middle of the day after morning classes, I decided to try the mid-day nap. All I have to say is, I’m never going back. I feel more energized later and I feel like I can take on the day!
Holding grudges does not pay off- Have you ever noticed how a dog always seems to be happy? You might think it’s because they really don’t have a care in the world (which compared to humans, is a fair assumption). However, I also think it’s because the negative things they do have in their lives, such as being left at home alone during the day or having checkups at the vet, are forgotten as soon as you come home in the evening or after leaving the vet’s office. Dogs have amazing ability to not hold grudges and I think this is why they seemingly have such happy lives. I think we can all take a lesson from this. If we are able to take on a dog’s mentality of “forgive and forget” I think it will pay off in the long run. Not holding grudges will allow ourselves to be happy and continue forward in our lives.
Love is better than hate- It has always amazed me how much love dogs can give. They spend so much time loving others, in fact, that they don’t have time to spend it on hate. I think sometimes, we focus so much of our energy on how much we don’t like someone, that we forget to spend time appreciating those we do. Dogs don’t spend their time reflecting on those they don’t like (such as the mailman, the vet, etc.) but instead spend it on loving their families. As people, I think we should also spend less time disliking others and instead focus on those within our friend and family group whose company we do enjoy.
Food can solve many problems- My dog loves food more than most things (at times I’m convinced more than his family). He can eat anything, at any time, and in any place. I’m convinced that if we let him, he would never stop eating. Regardless, I think a dog’s love of food is something that many of us can relate to. Imagine what life would be like if we didn’t have amazing food to try out? Food can give comfort in times of need, such as during a breakup, but food is also perfect for celebrations with friends and family. Food is an essential part of life, a fact dogs remind us of on occasion.
So the next time you’re looking for guidance in your life, look no further than a dog. They might be man's best friend, but they can also teach us the best lessons.
