Dear Hemi: To be happy, focus on the basics — friends or family, nature, and your passions (mmm… squirrels). What to avoid if you want to be happy? Anything I wouldn’t be interested in (hint: dogs are not interested in money, fame or comparing ourselves to others)  #dearmishu #wwmishudo

The Inside Story

Have you ever noticed that dogs seem to always be happy? And that the smallest things make them happy – such as you standing up, calling their name, or spending a minute or two playing with them? Dogs are happy, and dogs make us happy (and healthy!)

Mishu can be lying around half-sleeping and looking bored, or actually sleeping, and the minute something happens she’s up and wagging her tail, happy to do it.

Wouldn’t it be great to be like that?

Of course people are a lot more complicated than dogs. There’s a whole industry devoted to teaching people how to be happy or exploring what makes someone happy. Generally, it seems like the more we think and worry about being happy, the less happy we are. But we CAN learn a few things about happiness by observing dogs.

What do dogs seem to value most?
– Spending time with their people
– Going outside and taking a walk or hike
– Pursuing whatever gets them excited (in Mishu’s case, that’s squirrels).

If we just focus on our people, nature, and our passions, we'd probably be a lot happier. #DearMishu Click To Tweet

What NOT to Do If You’re Looking for Happiness

Just think about the things that people spend an incredible amount of energy on, and dogs never think twice about:

• Trying to get more money
• Looking for prestige or fame
• Buying new shiny objects to compete with friends

Yep. It’s pretty simple.

When we focus on things that a dog would have no use for, we're likely to never be satisfied #DearMishu Click To Tweet

And that leads to stress and anxiety.  On the other hand, when we focus on the basics – on friends or family, nature, and our passions – we’re more likely to find happiness. Maybe not all of the simple happiness of a dog, but perhaps some of it.

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