Let’s talk about lessons – I’ve learned a lot of them in the last year

Everyone tells you to get a puppy because they’ll bring you joy, add unconditional love into your life, and they will give you a purpose. But what people don’t talk about is how much “raising” a puppy will teach you about yourself. 

Below are just five lessons I’ve learned and that have fundamentally changed the way I operate in all aspects of my life.

Lesson one: Communication is a skill we do not spend enough time developing. 

Lesson two: Nothing is linear. 

Lesson three: No opinion is 100% correct.

Lesson four: Unconditional love makes everything worth it.

Lesson five: You can become a morning person.

I speak more on these lesson’s specifically on my podcast, but I wanted to expand past just these five lessons to a major theme. 

Life comes at you fast and doesn’t care what your plan is. 

So be flexible. Be understanding. Have awareness AND compassion. 

I promise that however you thought sharing your life with a dog will not be 100% how it goes. And that’s more than okay. 

Just as human beings have individual personalities, communication styles, and boundaries so do animals. Your experience will be unique because you are unique, and your dog is unique. 

The pure joy they express when you return from an errand or just a short trip to the garbage. The way your heart swells when they learn a new skill. The smile they will bring to your face each time they choose to cuddle up next to you. 

Those moments mean more than any plan could. 

And that’s the biggest lesson of all; be open to what adds meaning to your life instead of beholden to an arbitrary plan.