Since dogs really are man’s best friends, there are a lot of lessons they can teach you about happiness. They can actually teach you how to live a happier, more satisfying and more fulfilling life, since living with a canine companion can be a lot of fun. There is a lot of research that has shown that living with a dog can boost your health and your happiness. Marianne Williamson once said that “Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” and she couldn’t be more right. Here are 7 lessons dogs can teach us about happiness:
Happiness really is simple. You can truly find joy in the little things like spending time with the people you love or doing that thing that you enjoy so much. Dogs for example, are happy just if you rub their tummy or when they experience the fresh air and wind in their face. So try to be grateful for what you have and don’t complicate things since it’s quite simple to be happy.
Even if you have a lot of tasks that you need to take care of on a daily basis, don’t forget to have fun. Every now and then, take a little break from your chores and obligations and do those things that you enjoy so much. Dogs are extremely happy just by being able to play with all kinds of simple things like water, sticks or balls. So do whatever makes you smile: ride a bike, draw something, read a book or listen to your favorite tunes.
No matter how long you stayed at work, your dog will always greet you happily when you open your door. If there’s one thing that you should learn from him is the fact that you should always greet everyone with a big smile on your face no matter how tired or busy you really are. It always feels great to see him wagging his tail joyfully when he sees you.
When you are happy, show others how you feel. When dogs are happy, they wiggle their tails joyfully, they jump around and they are unable to control their emotions. So when you are happy, smile, laugh and express happiness openly. Spread your positivity when you are feeling good and let everyone around share in your joy.
Happiness does lie in the little things, so sometimes, just take a little break and explore the wonderful things around you without thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Just do something relaxing, take a walk, smell the flowers and simply enjoy yourself.
Dogs know really well how to express their needs and desires. For example, when they want to go outside, they scratch the back of your door, when they want to cuddle, they crawl up right into your lap. They simply let you know what they need so follow their example and when you need or want something, simply express yourself. Don’t expect others to read your mind, just tell them what you need.
Dogs aren’t shy about approaching other dogs. They love making new friends and they don’t just wait for someone to notice them, they just approach the person or the animal that they see and they just introduce themselves with a friendly sniff or bow. So be more open to making new friends and you will live a happier and more fulfilling life.
Dogs will also teach you to not hold grudges, they will help you realize that things won’t make you happy (people will), that there are a lot of things that you can be enthusiastic about and that you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously. Do you know any other lessons dogs can teach us about happiness? Do tell!
Sources:
lifehack.org
happyologist.co.uk
want2discover.com
sparkpeople.com
tinybuddha.com