This week has been long, cold, and jampacked with activities. I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’ve barely had a moment to rest, recoup, or catch my breath. Indeed, it seems life continues to move one million miles per hour, and it’s very easy to feel like we’re just here, passively hanging on and along for the ride.
But this doesn’t have to be the case; there’s always an alternate way of being.
As I’ve shared before, these days I find myself getting quick, brilliantly magical inspiration from my dog, Fitz. In the five or so months since we’ve known each other, I’ve quickly learned Fitz is incredibly smart, deliriously cuddly, and impossibly wise in all things. He is full of energy, teeming with possibility, and curious enough to seek answers to the things he hasn’t quite figured out yet. Fitz is kind, Fitz is courageous, and – for better for worse, Fitz is pretty much fearless when it comes to any and all things. So, in the spirit of trying my best to get through a tough week with a lot of grace and touch of swagger, I’ve decided to share a few of my most recent life lessons learned from a wise dog name Fitz.
Lesson #1: Make sure to spend time with friends. Despite how crazy schedules get and how hectic the calendar becomes, it’s important to consistently make time for intentional connection. Even if we don’t always realize it, human beings (and dogs, too, for that matter!) crave camaraderie and belonging, and we actually need one another in order to show up as fully energized, purposeful, and whole. Fitz derives a lot of pleasure from regularly playing with his little Westie friend, Oliver, and seeing these boys interact reminds me that it’s always important to invest in our relationships, especially when we’re busy and don’t feel like we have the time to do so.
Lesson #2: Extra layers are always a good idea. Let’s face it: This winter has been brutally cold. And while it can be tempting to whip on some quick, easy layers and hit the road, Fitz has taught me that slowing down and actually (read: adequately) bundling up before leaving the house is not only crucial but incredibly lifegiving. Packaged another way, this little man reminds me that slowing down and investing more time on the front end of things (in this case, bundling up in what feels like a million layers before opening the front door) actually pays dividends in the long run. Hmm. What a concept.
Lesson #3: Don’t sweat the small stuff (and it’s all small stuff). Fitz is the master of reveling in the moment. Honestly, I don’t know how the man does it: He has some serious skill for consistently showing up cool, calm, collected, and present. Whether I’m juggling priorities or running between meetings Fitz reminds me to look up from what I’m doing and look out and see the bigger picture in the world around me. And while it sounds like such a seemingly simple thing to practice, it’s something I often find myself struggling with. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own mind space and to-do lists that we actually miss what we really need to see. With this in mind (and as I’ve learned from Fitz), sometimes the best thing we can do is reframe our view, check our perspective, and wag our tail at the good that inevitably surrounds us.
Lesson #4: When in doubt, take a nap. This one is pretty self-explanatory, and yet I often find myself fighting this basic human need tooth and nail. Why has it become so difficult for us to admit that we’re actually tired? Why are we so afraid of just stopping for a second and taking a break? Dogs ignore this stupid, self-imposed human rule and are very skilled nap takers. Fitz is up there with the best of them, and his penchant for sleeping any time, anywhere reminds me that sometimes the best thing I can do for myself is rest, recover, and just get some freaking sleep. Hungry, anxious, and unmotivated to take that next step? Chances are you probably just need a good, solid nap.
Lesson #5: Show up as yourself, always. Perhaps the thing I love most about Fitz is that he is always unequivocally and undeniably himself. Come rain, shine, or snow, Fitz promises to forever and always be himself. Indeed, in any space Fitz enters he is excited, curious, energetic, and hungry to figure things out. My favorite example of this is how he chooses to greet strangers on the street: Fitz stops, observes (for an impossibly long time), stares (to the point where everyone around grows visibly uncomfortable) and then wiggles his butt with uncontrollable excitement, just beside himself at the mere idea of getting to say hi to someone new. And I’ll be damned if he cares a lick what people think about this unconventional display: Fitz processes the world how he chooses to process the world, and, as far as he’s concerned, that’s just something people can freaking deal with. It’s actually pretty beautiful when you think about it, and this goofy puppy encourages me to be more fully “me” each and every day.
Well, there they are: Five new lessons I’ve learned from my incredible dog. They’re nothing earth shattering or particularly revelatory in nature, but I think it’s helpful to recalibrate and remind ourselves of the small things every now and then so we can ultimately better tackle the big things that matter most.
So, here’s to Fitz: May we all spend time with friends, layer up, avoid overthinking, get some sleep, and refuse to compromise our full identity. Do this, and I think you have the recipe to living a pretty happy, fulfilled life.
Pretty wise for a dog, right? What can I say? He’s one smart cookie[1]!
[1] Now, mom, can I please have that cookie…?!
Want more lessons learned from a dog? Check out part 1 here! If nothing else, you’ll see how fast this little boy is growing up!
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