3 Things I've learned from my dog 🐕
The simplest lessons are not always apparent to my fancy human brain
Hey 👋🏻
I hope you’ve had a good summer. Thanks for opening this. I am proud of myself for posting it. hope you enjoy.
3 Learnings
This issue: The things I learned from my dog edition
It’s super fun to lay on your back in the grass and roll around
To really smell something, you need to jam your nose all up in there
To have a dog that goes anywhere, I have to be willing to take her anywhere and endure the challenges.
Crag dog Ruby!
2 Thoughts
Ted Lasso is a real good show.
Life is complicated and its okay to just try my best. Sometimes my best is very good. Sometimes it is not that good. But that is okay.
1 essay
I had an interest wander away from me. Like a friend you don’t call as much as you used to.
My summer has been full. I dedicated like 1/3 of my summer days to lacrosse. Coaching and playing in tournaments, doing lessons, and playing pickup.
On top of the never ending weekends of lax 🤙🏻,
my mother was moved to Denver for medical care in May. Which has made my life heavier. I have spent a lot more time at hospitals and care facilities than I anticipated.
This January I had two goals. I wanted 2024 to be the year I got a dog. And I hoped to climb outside once every month of the year.
I knocked the first goal out in January by adopting new buddy Ruby.
The second resolution was not as easy as walking out of a shelter 30 days into the year. On January 28th, I squeaked my day. I went twice in that week, so February checked off stress free. March, April, and May were all easy and I thought this would be cake. In June I went with a friend, but again barely got the day in. Because of the extra weight of my 2024, July and August were both misses.
My gym climbing started dropping off in February because of dog parent responsibilities. And dried up in May when my mother arrived in the Denver hospital. I occasionally realized it in the moment, but was trying to hold on. One hot July day, as I walked to the gym I hadn't visited in weeks, I called my curly haired partner. I depressed vented about how I didn't feel like I could call myself a climber. It had walked out of my life while I was distracted.
I am an athlete. I have been my whole life. Growing up, I described myself solely through the sport I played. I still do. I have more activities now. Losing one harmed how moved through the world.
I started climbing right before covid, and have gone religiously since then. I've traveled to South America and Europe and there is a climbing gym in every city I've been to. The gear is easy to pack, and I love being there. So this is the first time in 4 years I'd lost the practice.
Climbing is peaceful and challenging. It clears my mind. The mix of physical strength and mental problem solving had me hooked from the first route. As I've improved, I've refined my movements and focus. So my mind is able to concentrate on breathing, work, or lacrosse.
Not jamming my feet into climbing shoes for months has unintentionally degraded my mind. I have been struggling to maintain my patience. My self talk is much worse. This has worn on me and the relationships that are closest to me
This week, I've had more space for my life to even out. I don't have any trips planned or guests visiting until the end of the month. Which feels like an eternity. I've gotten to the gym twice.
When I arrived the first day, I was angry. But over an hour or two, my mind refreshed. The pieces of life that were weighing on me released. I had space to be patient. My body felt better. Today, the second day, I feel strong. Not that my climbing is perfect, but the good tired feeling when one has used their muscles.
This is affirmation that I can feel in my tendons. An activity that disappeared and has returned with positive vibes. I find we humans don't always recognize these small feelings of positivity. They don’t always feel ‘good’. They are things we have to train ourselves to notice.
Tired muscles and a clear mind.
I had an affirmation of a good habit. So tired limbs is a good feeling to lean into.
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