New Year Quest: Dog Approved!
Hey there,
If you read my blog post about the celebrating the holiday season, you know that it’s fair to say that Morty and I do things a bit differently. New Year’s included!
People put so much energy and effort into “New Year’s Resolutions,” then we experience commitment fizzle right around January 5th. Then we feel bad for quitting, and we list all the reasons under the sun why “resolutions suck.” Just like that, we fall out of love and kiss resolutions goodbye ... until we meet again next year. Sound familiar?
No matter how you feel about setting a goal to begin the year, there are a few things I think most dog people can agree on. So this year, I’ve pulled together a list of a few of those things that I think we can do once or more every single day, 7 days a week. Our pups will be proud of us ... because they inspired us. No longer do we have to embrace the suck.
1. Take more naps.
When did society decide that naps are only for kids? Naps have been shown to have an enormous variety of benefits, boosting your mood and memory and more! Dogs tend to spend as much as half of each day asleep, 30% awake but relaxing, and just 20% being active. No wonder dogs are so happy. Sleep more, worry less.
2. Get the zoomies out, regularly.
Of course, everyone has a favorite way to get out their zoomies. The point is to move, every day, in a way that makes you feel great. Check out our Holy Shift! Interval Exercise. It’s easier than you think!
3. Live in the moment.
Stressing about what’s happened in the past, or worrying about what is coming, can help us learn to avoid bad things, but doesn’t fix past mistakes. Our dogs show us not to live in that place of fear. They learn, like us, how to avoid negative consequences, but healthy dogs don’t skip naps because they’re spinning in worry. Again, sleep more, worry less!
4. Accept compliments and praise.
I know I’m not alone. Many people struggle to just say “thanks” when someone says nice things about us. However, being able to receive and accept the celebration of small wins has a big impact, including decreasing stress and helping us all accomplish more. So next time someone says something nice, consider what your dog would do and just smile.
5. Jump for joy when you want to.
I was taught as a kid not to brag. And I feel funny talking about my actual, hard-to-achieve accomplishments. It’s super awkward patting yourself (physically & mentally) on the back, right? Just like accepting compliments and praise can have a big impact on your life, so can celebrating or “owning” what you’re great at! Morty never hides her feelings. When she’s happy, her joy shines like a beacon. (And when she disapproves of what I’m doing, Medusa Morty will turn me into stone.) Her facial expressions are so undeniable, unmistakable, and adorable. She owns it.
6. Love unconditionally.
No, this doesn’t mean to love without reason. It does mean to love with your whole heart, elbows, toes, head, and every cell of your being. And we could all use a bit more of that, right?
7. Claim what’s yours.
This is my favorite. If I pee on it, it’s mine (and not just my pants and bed). Ok, we laugh. But really! Claiming what’s yours isn’t something that comes naturally to everyone, and sometimes society makes it necessary. What will you claim? More time? More fun? A shorter commute? Better health? We all have things we need to claim or risk losing. What will you claim for yourself this year and beyond?
8. Snore. Loudly.
Dogs don’t care that we can hear them snoring unprofessionally on our Zoom calls. How many times, when you poke your partner, does it turn out the loud nighttime snorer is your dog? Dogs just snore. Own your space and choose to just be comfortable with what you need to do. Dogs endure your shortcomings and still love you anyway, and other people will too.
9. Find the sunny spot. Need I say more?
10. Sniff everything.
Investigation, curiosity, and play bring so much to our lives. Break free of the boredom and stagnation and let your inner child come out to play. Start out 2022 on a quest to investigate everything, sniff out new adventures, and play to your heart’s content.
Final Ball Drop
I know it sounds cliché to say how much dogs can inspire us, and how they are here to help us in more ways than we can put into words. The fact is, they do. Dogs live in the moment, with no hidden agendas. What you see is what you get.
Maybe that’s why we are so fond of them. They put it all on the table and never settle for anything less than the best to please us and to be with us. Even when they don’t really know what we ask them to do, they still do their best with what they’ve got. I think secretly we often want to be just like them: to love fully without fear of judgment, to not settle for mediocrity, and to demand nothing in return but kindness. And doing all of it with ease and spunk.
So this year, let’s quest for a better, healthier, and happier lifestyle! It’s definitely much quirkier and oh, so much more scrumptious, with DOGS in it.
Happy New Year everyone!
PS. Check out Morty’s bonus infographics: 22 Ways to Have a Safer and Healthier 2022 with Your Dog! What’s number one on your doggy to-do list for 2022?
