I needed this holiday from dog training

I sit here almost one week into my break after a non stop year of dog training and owning my own business, and I realised how much I needed this break from dog training.

Passions are hard to balance, because all you want to do is invest into them. Sometimes it feels like a chore, but most of the time it feels like a thrill.

A thrill of seeing change happens in a dog. A thrill of the owner finally getting it by the 3rd or 4th session. A thrill of not knowing what my life will be like, but feeling I’m in my zone.

What they don’t tell you about thrills is that it needs to be balanced with calm.

We as dog trainer tend to preach calmness is important for owners and their dogs, but how often do we neglect our own need for calmness.

I’m not talking about sitting on the bed/couch still responding to emails. I’m talking about sitting still in the nothingness and feeling okay to do so. We can feel like we are being unproductive or the intrusive thoughts will run (such as losing clients, following, momentum), but to be mindful is to give space for those thoughts and let them pass rather than linger.

It is a skill and it will take time, but gosh in the long run it’s so good for us and those around us. Hey you may even feel refreshed and ready to take on new things because of it.

So I hope this encourages someone out there to consider their needs being met too, and learning to be okay with calmness. I know I needed it.