Have you ever noticed that dogs are always happy? To illustrate this point, allow me to describe a typical scenario with my dog Mucci (Pronounced like Gucci). Sitting on my living room floor, he looks up at me with big, relaxed eyes. A noise interrupts his focus. He raises his head, adjusts his ears and waits for more information. Just then my daughter walks through the door. Excited beyond containment, Mucci runs to her, wagging his tail faster than the speed of light, giving her an eager and warm welcome.
This same scene happens every day without fail. There’s no rolling of the eyes, grumbling beneath his breath, or thoughts of being imposed upon or interrupted (not that I can tell anyway). Rather, he responds with focused, positive attention. Dogs are always inspired – energized enough to share their enthusiasm with others. This is not to say that they are manic, in fact, for the most part, my dog is quite chill.
Here’s my point… We are only grumpy when our energy is low. Have you ever been grumpy when you felt rested and balanced? It just doesn’t happen. The moral of the story is not to sleep all day like dogs and then wag your tail at the first sight of someone you love, but to do the simple things that balance your energy. This is different for everyone. One person might enjoy taking some time to be alone, while another might find it energizing to call a friend and chat for a while. Whatever it is that works for you, let’s all try to be more like dogs. As my favorite bumper sticker proclaims: “Wag more, bark less.”