5 things my dog taught me about life

I am AuDHD which means part of the time my brain wants routine and the other part thrives on chaos. This combination does not bode well for taking it easy. But if I can look over at my dog, I’m reminded of ways to stay grounded. Here’s what my pup has taught me about life.

1. Nothing is that serious. Griffin has some depth perception issues which means he bumps into things sometimes. Does it throw him off track? Absolutely not. He shakes his head and continues moving.
2. It’s okay to rest. Walkie time and play time are treasured, but so is nap time. Rest is not a reward for working hard. Rest is what your body needs, whenever it needs it. Rest is part of your routine.
3. Life doesn’t have to be a rush. I used to walk my dogs for the sole purpose of walking. We were getting exercise and we were moving. But dogs like to sniff. Dogs need to sniff. So walks with Griffin are stop and go. I try to apply that same principle to my daily routine. There’s no need to rush through everything.
4. Find joy in everything. There is joy to be had and you don’t have to look very hard. Zoomies in the yard? Joy! A random butterfly? Joy! Snuggles with Griffin? Joy!
5. Live in the moment and don’t dwell on the past. This lesson is from my Auggie dog who had bone cancer. The thing is, she didn’t know she had bone cancer so she continued to live life the best she could. She didn’t worry about how many days she had left because she didn’t know. None of us know. So do what you want and don’t worry about what’s behind you or ahead of you because all we really have is now.