The Dog’s Guide to Your Happiness for International Day of Happiness

THE DOG’S GUIDE TO YOUR HAPPINESS:
Seven Secrets for a Better Life From Man’s Best Friend
by Garry McDaniel & Sharon Massen
(Lumina Media; $19.99, also available as an eBook)

In addition to being the first day of spring, today is International Day of Happiness! Motivational speaker and author Garry McDaniel shares his Five Tips for a Happy Life from Man’s Best Friend based on his new book, The Dog’s Guide to Your Happiness.

Five Tips for a Happy Life from Man’s Best Friend

Ask anyone what their goal is in life and their answer will probably be, “To be happy.”

If our dogs could talk, they would share five reasons we can improve our happiness through their example. Here is a brief summary of what they would say.

1. “You can count on me.”

When we ask pet owners what they admire most about their dog, loyalty is usually first on the list. Loyalty is the confidence that you can count on others to be true to you and do the right thing even if it is difficult and even if you are not present. Dogs are loyal to their pack and display amazing loyalty to their owners. So Tip # 1 on the list of things we can do to increase our own happiness is to ensure we are loyal so we strengthen our relationships with others.

2. “Tell me your problems.”
Dogs are among the best listeners ever! You can spend hours talking to your dog and he or she will hang on every word. This is not usually the case for our friends, associates, or even family members. Tip # 2 then, is to take time to listen to others and make sure you understand what they have to say before you share your point of view.

3. “Let’s play!”
One of the best things about dogs is their curiosity and desire to play. Tip # 3- step outside of your daily routine, take the dog out for a walk, and pledge to have at least one experience a week that is just plain ‘fun’.

4. “I forgive you.”
Even if you come home late, skip a walk, run out of their favorite treat, or accidently step on their tail, your dog will not hold a grudge against you. Humans, on the other hand, can hold on to real or imagined insults forever! All this does is create stress and keep us from moving on with our lives. Tip # 4 – let go of bitterness and resentment toward yourself or others.

5. “I love you no matter what.”
Our work environment and educational system are based on the carrot and stick; “do this for me and I’ll give you that.” Unfortunately, this approach often carries over to our relationships and we begin to place conditions on our affections with others. Dogs love you whether you are young, old, rich, poor, fat, skinny, covered with hair or bald as they come. Tip # 5 – love with an open heart and expect nothing from others in return for giving yours.

Garry McDaniel and Sharon Massen speak nationally on what individuals and organizations can learn from dogs about leadership, team building, and customer service. Their book is The Dog’s Guide to Your Happiness: Seven Secrets for a Better Life from Man’s Best Friend.

Garry McDaniel is an award-winning professor teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in business management. McDaniel has written books on leadership strategy, con ict management, and is a frequent speaker in the United States and internationally on topics such as leadership development, employee engagement, personal and organizational change, life balance, and what humans and businesses can learn from dogs to improve their lives. He is currently available to discuss personal life coaching, training, or speaking engagements.