Dog Days of Business
May 29, 2024
In a couple of days, our dog Luigi will be turning 4 years old. It makes me reminisce about his first year as a puppy and it was…insane.
Puppies are no joke. Their little shark teeth chew on everything. They pee and poop everywhere, except where you want them too. And their zoomies turn demonic in the witching hour, when they truly lose their damn minds (seriously, Google it).
I’ll never let my husband forget how many times he asked me, “Can we give him back?”. My response? No…at least not today.
But then, something amazing happened. We watched this little creature evolve, learn, and mature. He began to sit on command, motion for food when he was hungry, and show his personality in all his little head tilts and butt wiggles.
The best part? We grew as much, if not more, than Luigi. Now we take chaos in stride, effectively communicate through commands, and play like big kids with him every night. A whole new aspect of life and our abilities was revealed.
Growing up, we are taught that school is where you learn. But my most important lessons were learned in living my every day life.
From choosing to raise a tiny puppy, to backpacking around the world, to moving to NYC and surviving there for a decade…those decisions I made formed who I am today. Personally and professionally.
In conversations where we talk about “professional development,” I encourage you to think holistically about different approaches to learning.
Yes, you may have to gain very technical skills in a more school-like environment (data analysis, coding, etc), but maybe part of your development plan is also experimenting with out-of-the box approaches to learning. Like taking an improv class to practice ideating on your toes, or trying a new hobby like gardening, to practice patience and the benefits of slowing down.
How can we bridge our work lives into our personal lives to grow in both areas?
Remember, at the end of the day, we are humans and life is to be lived, not put off until “retirement” or “when you have time.” Thread the needle through both worlds and watch your life blossom.
— Ariana
PS: Luigi, happy birthday cutie. You are one of the greatest lessons of my life. I love you.
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