Chase the Squirrel ...and other notes from my dog.

Anyone who knows me knows my dog Bojangles. This week my buddy turned 5 years old. I think back to when I rescued him as a small tornado of a puppy and realize he's come a long way. But like most great people/experiences, Bojangles has taught me a lot too. Especially during the last [almost] 2 years, facing the professional and personal challenges the pandemic has brought. So in honor of my wise pup's birthday, here are three things I think he'd want to share with you as well.

Chase the squirrel. We don't say the word "squirrel" in our house because Bojangles will insist you let him out to chase it. He has never caught one, but he will always go full speed after that bushy tail and happily bark them up a tree, very proud of himself. When I think about the work I do or the things I spend my time on, my hope is to approach it like my dog does squirrels. If it brings me joy, I refuse to let the fear of being unsuccessful stop me from pursuing it. Imagine the things we could do if we followed our interests with the zoomies and didn't stop to consider if it would work! For me, this has helped me become more confident in sharing my unconventional ideas and focus on enjoying the process of being creative with my team.

Take a nap (or a few). Does Bojangles think twice about curling up like a little biscuit and taking a nap? Nope. So why do I feel guilty taking "me time"??Currently, many of us are working from home. Raise your hand if you've enjoyed staying in your comfy pants during the workday? While we undoubtedly have some benefits, we've also lost the clear separation between work and personal life. We no longer have a commute to listen to our favorite podcast or walk down the hall to chat with our coworkers. For those of us who were already working from home, going to the gym or taking work to the local coffee shop isn't necessarily as feasible. Instead, we often have these worlds colliding wrangling our kids at home with school closures and still working. We owe it to ourselves to rest- our minds and our bodies. Whether it's a nap with your pet, doing a garage workout, or just enjoying quiet time, it is worth it. For me, this has meant actually taking a lunch break for …lunch *gasp*. Instead of trying to squeeze in training or fold laundry, I make it a priority to make a nutritious lunch and take a moment to myself- sometimes that is watching mindless TV, sometimes it's taking a walk with Bojangles, and sometimes it even means taking that nap.

Anytime is a good time to bark. If I had a nickel for every time Bojangles barked at the delivery person, I would have a LOT of nickels. He has no regard for whether we are on the phone or the baby is taking a nap. When he wants to alert us about something, he's going to do so. While his unpredictable bark or excited howl might be annoying at times, it's reminded me that there is no bad time to communicate with your loved ones. During the pandemic, many of us were unable to see our friends and family as often. In the beginning, we set up game nights or virtual parties. But soon, people dropped those habits and there was a sense of "virtual fatigue". For many of us, this feeling of isolation was something we'd never dealt with before. Instead, we can take a note from Bojangles and "bark" anytime. We don't have to plan a designated evening to check in on our friends. We don't need to set up a family zoom call to remind your grandma that you're thinking of them. For me, I've challenged myself to reach out to my friends more intentionally by choosing to call or facetime versus relying on a?group chat or sending a meme.

Next time you give your dog a belly rub or take them on a walk, ask them what advice they'd share with you. I know Bojangles and I would love to hear it.