6 Things That My Dog Taught Me About Life

I never thought I would be one to say this, but a dog has taught me more about life.

It all started when my sister told me she would have a baby. She asked if I wanted a puppy as well.

Who could refuse that offer? When the tiny creature came into our lives, we realized he had some unmatched qualities.

If you are looking for a new life lesson, then here are the Six things my dog taught me about life.

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1. Happiness is a choice

Every morning when I wake up, I look at the world around me and everything that my dog has done to make it so beautiful. He’s not just my pet — he’s one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and his unconditional love is the best feeling anyone can experience.

Guess what? You don’t get to say you aren’t happy because “life isn’t fair.” You don’t get to choose the things you are running away from when you are unhappy.

The truth is that the condition of life is not based on how much money or recognition you get but on the choices we make. We have a choice every second of every day — and we can choose how to respond to how things are.

Because life always has an escape route. If one person chooses to be happy, everyone around them can suddenly become just as happy as they are. Because happiness is contagious, and it spreads just like a disease.

For example, when my dog is happy, he’s always following me around and kissing me… whether it’s to wake me up or just for no reason at all.

Happiness is about being happy for the sake of being happy — not for a reason or because someone has forced you to be happy.

2. Change your mind with maturity

When I got my dog, I had no clue how to train him. When he peed on the carpet or chewed up my shoe, I was ready to send him back to the pound. My mom and sister quickly told me he was just a baby and needed time to adjust. They were right.

In life, you need to take time to adjust as well. We all make mistakes, but it doesn’t mean we are a failure. So if you didn’t get that promotion or your boyfriend broke up with you, change your mind and try again. Give it a second shot and see how it goes this time around.

3. Patience is sometimes more important than passion

I love my dog, but he is not the most obedient animal in the world. He doesn’t always want to listen to my commands and often does his own thing.

What I have learned is that it doesn’t matter if your dog is obedient or not. What matters is how much you love him. If you love your dog, you will be patient regardless of what he does and know that he understands more than you think he does. When it comes to your career or personal life, be patient with yourself and others if something doesn’t go according to plan.

4. Not everyone will like you

I always thought that my dog and I were best friends. After all, we snuggled, played fetch together, and even walked in the rain together. However, I soon learned that not everyone thinks the same. Other dogs often teased my dog; kids at my sister’s school would turn their back on him or even try to kick him out of their yard.

Just like my dog, life isn’t always going to be easy. Some people will not like you for whatever reason. They may laugh at you or think that you and your ideas are dumb. Don’t take it personally. You can’t make everyone happy in life, so don’t try to change yourself just because someone doesn’t like how you act or look.

5. You can still have fun when life is hard

When my dog was a puppy, he didn’t know how to walk on a leash. He would run around the yard and sometimes get his head stuck running through the fence. It was adorable but also pretty annoying. Not to mention that he would be in the way when I had friends over.

But just because life is hard doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. If you put your mind up to something, you can make it work even if things don’t go as planned at first.

6. Look for the good in everyone

At first, I thought my dog was crazy. He often didn’t listen to me or do things on his own, like jump in my sister’s bed or hide my sandwich under the couch. However, I soon realized that he was just him and I shouldn’t try to change him.

Think about it this way: if you are always looking for the bad in everyone, you will never be happy. You will always be trying to change people, whether your boyfriend, wife, kids, or even colleagues.

If you have a problem with someone, then talk with them about it and try to work things out. Instead of focusing on the bad in people, look for qualities that you like about them instead.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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