8 Life Lessons You Can Learn From Your Dog

1) Always greet people with a smile - When dogs are happy their entire being wiggles with sheer delight. They wag their tails and bounce around….they look like they are smiling from ear to ear!

When you see your dog in this state, suddenly that happiness becomes contagious! We humans can't help but smile and join them in their happiness. When we express our happiness openly, it’s infectious to those around us. We can spread positivity to everyone around us, even to people we don’t know.  Smiles are contagious! Be a carrier!  :)

 2) Stop to smell the flowers - Dogs stop to smell just about everything in their path. They stay in the moment and explore their surroundings without thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Do you plan every second of your day? Does making time for yourself make you feel guilty?

Did you know too much stress in your life can lead down a path to several health problems? Look at your day to day life and find ways to de-stress, like enjoying your walks with your dog or children and use it as a time to practice mindfulness. Quiet your mind and smell the flowers along the way.

3) Don’t judge and don’t worry about what other people think of you - Dogs come in all breeds, shapes and sizes. When dogs meet other dogs they don’t worry about what color they are, who they love, if they are tall, short, fat, skinny, or what they do for a living. All they see is another dog and a potential friend. Dogs see humans pretty much in the same light. They don't love people any less when they are having a bad day or if they gained a few pounds or if they have mascara running down their faces. As long as we are there for them, they don’t care what “our issues are” our dog will love us no matter what. When we stop judging everyone around us, we can look at ourselves with less judgment too and when we stop caring what other people think of us we can start loving ourselves more.

4) Cultivate a Well-Balanced Life-For a dog to be happy,

they need to be offered: exercise, a well-balanced diet, discipline, play, and affection every day. We must do the same for ourselves. We humans are happier if our daily routines include physical activity, a well-balanced diet, a sense of structure, play time, and the chance to give and receive love on a daily basis.

5) Learn to Listen- I find myself talking to my dogs all the time. They just sit there and listen. They never interrupt. They watch me intently and absorb everything I am saying. Dogs are undoubtedly some of the best listeners on earth. Need to get something off your chest? Go tell your dog. They may not understand the details of what we're trying to say, and they can’t speak words, but when we need to vent, the dog listens. A huge key to successful relationships in communicating well is listening.

6) You are never too old to play- My 9 year old Great Dane was playful up until the day she passed away. Every day to her was an opportunity to find adventure and fun in everything. Even a tiny little lady bug was a chance to dance around the kitchen. Life is short, so have fun and stop taking everything so seriously.

7) Be Loyal and love unconditionally - If only we could all be the person our dogs think we are.When you think you've lost everything and have nothing or no one, take a good look around; I guarantee your dog will still be there, full of love, loyalty and appreciation. A dog can teach us unconditional love. If we can have that in our lives, things won't be so bad.   =)

8) Learn to rest – Dogs love to sleep! We as humans should never downplay our need for a good night’s sleep. ZzzzZZzzzzz....

Shhh....Let sleeping dogs lie.