Written by Heidi Ganahl

The lessons I’ve learned over the years are numerous – keep in mind that the world is your field of tennis balls and pile of sticks to fetch if you just put your nose to the ground and go after them! Tragedy, loss and misfortune can all be used to learn the lessons you will need to get past your fear and become a great leader or entrepreneur.

Look no further than our own furry friends for all the important things we need to know.They are teachers; they stay by our sides, undisturbed by worry or regret, and show us how to live each moment as it comes. I’ve learned incredible business and life lessons from my furry friends.  In the coming blogs I’ll highlight 5 key lessons that I’ve gleaned from them…

Lesson 1 – Dogs know what they want and they go for it, they have goals.

I’ve never known a dog that lived life as though it was just a practice run. But we often live our lives like we are going to do it all over again, and the next time around we’ll take all the chances. You have to stay connected to your goals—without focus and tenacity you won’t achieve your heart’s desires. Our dogs constantly send us gentle examples of this. My dog will not quit staring me down until I offer an invitation onto my bed at night. That is the same kind of clarity that we need to pursue our own goals. Catch the Frisbee, destroy the toy, win the tug of war, and get the longest scratch on the head as possible. They know where they are and where they want to be. For many of us, this is agonizing, but the bottom line is you have to set goals for yourself to make things happen.

Lesson 2 -Dogs aren’t confused about their feelings.

They are always pretty clear about how they feel about themselves. If they’re satisfied with where they are in life at any one moment, they’ll wrestle a toy or take a nap to celebrate. When they find themselves in circumstances that are particularly unappealing, they’ll do everything possible—bark, scratch, cry or jump—to stack the deck back in their favor. Dogs don’t have expectations beyond their immediate needs. They’re not obsessed with their potential. They’re not crippled by regret like the rest of us.

From “The Art of Now”:

Mindfulness is at the root of Buddhism, Taoism, and many Native-American traditions, not to mention yoga. It’s why Thoreau went to Walden Pond; it’s what Emerson and Whitman wrote about in their essays and poems.

“Everyone agrees it’s important to live in the moment, but the problem is how,” says Ellen Langer, a psychologist at Harvard and author of Mindfulness. “When people are not in the moment, they’re not there to know that they’re not there.” Overriding the distraction reflex and awakening to the present takes intentionality and practice.

Living in the moment involves a profound paradox: You can’t pursue it for its benefits. That’s because the expectation of reward launches a future-oriented mindset, which subverts the entire process. Instead, you just have to trust that the rewards will come. There are many paths to mindfulness—and at the core of each is a paradox. Ironically, letting go of what you want is the only way to get it.

So sounds great in theory but how the heck do you do it? From WikiHow…

Take notice of the world around you. No matter what you’re doing, try to find something beautiful around you. Maybe on your way to work or school, you go over a beautiful bridge, or you get a view of the sunrise behind the city buildings. Realizing these small things can bring life and happiness even to the most boring or routine days. Be thankful for those little things.

Smile when you wake up. You can set the tone of appreciation and awareness for the next 24 hours by simply waking up and smiling. Don’t wake up with a groan and a smash of your alarm clock. There’s scientific proof that the expressions that you make with your face can actually influence how you feel.

Commit random, spontaneous acts of kindness. Whether it’s donating 1 dollar to a fund at the pharmacy, picking up litter, or helping victims of natural disasters, keep alert in every moment of your day for some way in which you can make the world a better place. Even the smallest thing, like complimenting someone can bring joy. It’s the most spontaneous and unexpected acts of kindness that produce the greatest impact, and you can’t be sensitive to those kinds of opportunities unless you’re living in the moment

Minimize activities that dull your awareness of the moment. What are you doing that tempts your mind to run away from the present? For most people, watching television puts you in a passive state of mind, and time slips right by. Daydreaming and getting lost in a good movie or book isn’t bad, but it’s not living in the moment because it places your concentration on something that isn’t right here, right now; it’s a form of escapism. Don’t zone out; zone in. Do things that are active, and that encourage you to look around and engage the world in that moment.

Be thankful for what is. When you find yourself wishing for something you don’t have, or wishing your life would be different, start your quest for your wish by being thankful for what is already in your life. This will bring you back to the present moment. Make a list of what you are thankful for right now even if all you can think of is that you are alive and can breathe. You don’t want to miss the gifts right in front of you, because you are always looking beyond what is in the present moment to what once was or what might be. If you are thankful for what is, you’ll be happy to be in the moment instead of some place else.

Lesson 3- Dogs appreciate the simple joys of life—the excitement of heading to the kitchen each morning for a bowl of dry kibble, riding with their heads out the window, or chasing the Kong dog toy down the hall until it bounces off enough furniture to come to a rest on the floor, where it will get the shaking of its life. There’s the soft feel of the grass in the backyard, always worthy of a roll or two. There’s the glorious word “walk,” which to our furry friends, sounds like “Lotto winner.” And they are always as grateful as if it were the first time.

Oprah has a great post on her site about learning to live in the moment:

When You Live in the Moment, You Will:

• Hear the messages your life gives you each day
• Respond better to these messages
• Feel more gratitude
• Connect more deeply with others
• Stay connected to your feelings on a more regular basis

How to Develop “Present Moment Awareness”

• Breathe deeply—Focus your attention on your breath
• Focus on your body. Use simply daily tasks like brushing your teeth or taking a shower to bring your attention to your body and focus your awareness on what you’re doing in the moment.
• Meditate for briefs periods of time each day. Start out with five minutes of silence and stillness and build from there. You might even practice the pleasure of being still two or three times a day!

Lesson 4 - Dogs improve your health!

Pets Can Improve Your Mood:
For those who love animals, it’s virtually impossible to stay in a bad mood when a pair of loving puppy eyes meets yours, or when a super-soft cat rubs up against your hand. Research supports the mood-enhancing benefits of pets. A recent study found that men with AIDS were less likely to suffer from depression if they owned a pet. Men with AIDS who did not own a pet were about three times more likely to report symptoms of depression than men who did not have AIDS. But men with AIDS who had pets were only about 50 percent more likely to report symptoms of depression, as compared to men in the study who did not have AIDS.

Pets Control Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs:
Yes, it’s true. While ACE inhibiting drugs can generally reduce blood pressure, they aren’t as effective on controlling spikes in blood pressure due to stress and tension. However, in a recent study, groups of hypertensive New York stockbrokers who got dogs or cats were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates than those who didn’t get pets. When they heard of the results, most of those in the non-pet group went out and got pets!

Pets Encourage You To Get Out And Exercise:
Whether we walk our dogs because they need it, or are more likely to enjoy a walk when we have companionship, dog owners do more than non-pet owners, at least if we live in an urban setting.  Because exercise is good for stress management and overall health, owning a dog can be credited with increasing these benefits.

Pets Can Help With Social Support:
When we’re out walking, having a dog with us can make us more approachable and give people a reason to stop and talk, thereby increasing the number of people we meet , giving us an opportunity to increase our network of friends and acquaintances, which also has great stress management benefits.

Pets Stave Off Loneliness and Provide Unconditional Love:
Pets can be there for you in ways that people can’t. They can offer love and companionship, and can also enjoy comfortable silences, keep secrets and are excellent snugglers. And they could be the best antidote to loneliness. In fact, research shows that nursing home residents reported less loneliness when visited by dogs than when they spent time with other people! All these benefits can reduce the amount of stress people experience in response to feelings of social isolation and lack of social support from people.

Pets Can Reduce Stress—Sometimes More Than People:
While we all know the power of talking about your problems with a good friend who’s also a good listener, recent research shows that spending time with a pet may be even better!  Recent research shows that, when conducting a task that’s stressful, people actually experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a supportive friend or even their spouse was present! (This may be partially due to the fact that pets don’t judge us; they just love us.)

It’s important to realize that owning a pet isn’t for everyone.  Pets do come with additional work and responsibility, which can bring its own stress. However, for most people, the benefits of having a pet outweigh the drawbacks. Having a furry best friend can reduce stress in your life and bring you support when times get tough.  Woof….