My cute little Golden Retriever puppy (Olive) is growing up so fast. She's now my big puppy, weighing in at nearly 60 lbs. Body positivity!
She continues to remind me of important life lessons. In this blog article, I'll discuss a few more items that she continues to share with me.
Be Curious
My (big) puppy, Olive, is a curious girl. Whether it's discovering new objects, being in a new environment, or seeing familiar things on a different day, she sniffs them out to learn more.
I can't pull a fast one on her. If I move to another room, she follows me to see what I'm doing. If I wear a new pair of shoes, she notices them and wants to check them out. If I bring home groceries, she investigates the contents. She's a little detective. If there's something to be seen, she gets down to the bottom of it.
I think curiosity is a good trait to have. As an adult, I think it can be easy to go on autopilot in life, have a routine, and just go about life. This doesn't leave much room for curiosity. But stopping to explore and learn more about things can help keep your mind open. Simply paying attention can spark ideas and help make better sense of the world.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Along the lines of being curious, Olive girl is always aware of her/our surroundings. She has particular interest in birds and squirrels. I admit, I don't think I ever paid much attention to birds and squirrels before, but she reminds me to pick my head up and be aware of what's around. They are interesting creatures, I'll give her that.
This trait is particularly helpful for safety too. She can sense a person or animal approaching or behind us and will often stop to take note. Even if I don't see anything at first glance, I know if she stops and is looking around or is moving her little nostrils, she notices something, which prompts me to check out what's around.
Picking your head up, or simply being aware of intuitive signals, can help you gain a more holistic view of the world around you. And noticing the world around you can bring into focus how we are part of a much larger ecosystem than meets the eye as well as an increased sense of self.
Another example of being aware of my surroundings is that I started noticing ladybugs and butterflies after I got Olive girl. Now, I'm not sure if they just started appearing more because of the spring season, or if I just started noticing them more? Either way, I started having more space to see the beauty that surrounds me after getting my puppy :)
Every Day is a New Day
Every day, Olive wakes up ready to explore the day ahead. We have pretty much the same morning routine every day, yet she manages to approach it with the same gusto as the day prior. She has her toys, her treats, her walks, her park time, her quality time with me and her neighborhood friends—life is good.
It is like she sees each day as an opportunity to make the most of it and make every interaction positive. And I respect that.
It reminds me to re-set each morning and be grateful for my opportunity to be authentically myself and enjoy life! There is so much to be grateful for; it helps to recognize each day is a new opportunity for wonder and appreciation.
With that said, I hope you stay curious, see the beauty out there in the world, and make the most of every day! Thanks for reading about my wise puppy :)