I’ve had my dog, Milo, for almost 3 years now, and he’s been one of the best parts of my life.
With all of his antics, like jumping on furniture, stealing food from the table, or biting my pants when I’m wearing them and spread out on the ground for some reason, one would never guess that Milo is a very insightful creature.
From my dog, I learned five lessons about happiness:
…
1. Remember to smile
Somehow, I’ve never been able to remember or figure out exactly what my dog wants from me most of the time.
However, it is apparent that regardless of what he wants from me, Milo loves the cheerful expression that I will create on his face.
The smile he provides helps me feel better about myself, even if I’m not too sure about why or how he can detect what makes me happy, and being able to offer something back to him in return with a smile has brought us closer together as a pet and owner.
And as a side note, seeing Milo’s face is one of the many reasons why I never have any bad days.
…
2. Appreciate nature
A lot of people in the city don’t even think about taking a walk outside alone or with their pets as they grow older and get more caught up in what they do daily.
For us, being able to go for a walk has been our daily ritual, and I’ve discovered that we are not the only ones who enjoy it.
There are a lot of people who come out and take the same path, and we end up sharing those special moments.
Just like my morning coffee, I’ll never look down on taking a walk with my dog again, and neither should you. It’s just one of the greatest joys in life.
…
3. Take note of your health
Taking care of your health can be a chore at times, but there are steps we can take to make it easier on our bodies, like eating healthier food, taking a walk outside now and then, and keeping up with the latest news that you’ve read.
Milo has helped me take note of those things in my life by giving me the motivation to get going each day or showing me that some days I just don’t feel like going for a walk.
…
4. Don’t be afraid to try new things
I’ve never really been the adventurous type.
During my time with Milo, however, I’ve discovered that he would always be the one dragging me out of the house at times when I’d rather stay home and do nothing.
But I’ve also discovered that sometimes it feels good to be adventurous and go out for a walk or spend some time doing something new.
And even when I’m not the greatest at something, Milo is always willing to give it a try, and we usually end up both being successful and having a lot of fun.
…
5. Don’t be afraid to feel.
One of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned from my dog is to not be afraid to learn and understand new emotions, even if they’re ones that you might not understand or feel comfortable with at first.
For instance, Milo has shown me how it’s important to laugh out loud despite just having a bad day, and I’ve also learned to appreciate the feeling of sadness more because it helps me connect with my dog when he feels the same way.
However, the most significant lesson has been about gratitude.
I’ve learned that it’s important to appreciate the little things and be thankful for what you have because, as Milo constantly reminds me during our walks, “there are a lot of people out there who don’t have what you have.”
But this is a lesson that I can truly apply to my life outside of my dog.
—
This post was previously published on medium.com.
***
You may also like these posts on The Good Men Project:
White Fragility: Talking to White People About Racism | Escape the “Act Like a Man” Box | The Lack of Gentle Platonic Touch in Men’s Lives is a Killer | What We Talk About When We Talk About Men |
—
Photo credit: Joe Caione on Unsplash