Meet at the doorstep, cheer up in a difficult moment, wake up with a barking bark, race with us … Dogs are happy with us. Pets will tell you what happiness is if we carefully observe them.
Dogs are made for happiness. There’s something about them that makes them wag their tails, try to lick our noses, look us in the eyes, and say “I love you” in so many other ways – regardless of what’s going on in the world.
Let’s think. How happy are we when we wake up in the morning, especially in autumn, when it’s cold and uncomfortable? Probably not much. But dogs are quite the opposite. They run around the house and have fun, as if they are made of solid joy. So what is happiness – for them and for us? And what can dogs teach us? Here are 5 happiness secrets we can discover by watching our pets.
1. Thanks
Dogs live in the moment. They do not think about what the weather is like outside and what will happen when it gets colder. And they don’t even think about what happiness is. They just know that they are awake and they see us. And that makes them happy. From a dog’s point of view, gratitude is a sufficient reason for happiness.
2. Movement
Morning walk is another reason for sincere delight. Of course, dogs need to raise their paw, but this is not the main thing. They are happy with running, movement, freedom. Exercising outdoors is a well-known way to cheer up. Maybe we should try?
3. Consent with yourself
You can’t catch a dog in front of a mirror thinking about how to become more beautiful. They fully accept themselves and are happy. And now they are jumping around us to show that they are ready to go with us even to the ends of the world! And they don’t care what they look like.
4. Curiosity
Dogs are constantly exploring the world around them and will never miss a chance to sniff every corner, even if they have already visited this place a thousand times. They tirelessly seek out something new. I wonder what if we, too, were always ready to be surprised and also constantly looked out for something new around us? Maybe we could guess what happiness is?
5. Communication
Dogs never become isolated in loneliness. They know how important it is to communicate with everyone around: with us and our family members, with other dogs, with passers-by. Usually the dog tries to take a place closer to the person – and it is best to perch on him. The dog is sad and may even stop eating when deprived of the opportunity to communicate. There is a lot to learn here too!
If one of the goals of human life is to become happier, it is worth watching dogs. It is as if a special program of happiness is installed in these amazing creatures. They will not only help to cheer up when we are sad. What we learn by looking at them can make us a little happier every day.
About the Author: John Moore is a psychologist, coach, founder of the Couples Counseling Center in Chicago, and bestselling author of When We Confuse Love with Addiction.