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The following article is an excerpt from my book, which is currently available for purchase, Pawsitive Perspectives: Life Lessons from the Shelter Dog Who Became Queen.

I spent over 15 years with my rescue dog, Ella, who taught me about life, love, and happiness. Through the book, I share 40 life lessons told from Ella’s perspective. Throughout the chapters, Ella refers to me as “Mom.”

I hope you find her thoughts on life to be as useful as I did, and that Ella’s life story can make the world a more joyful place.

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Live Your Passion: Never Stop Doing What You Love

“Your heart is a hidden treasure, Seek diligently and find out what it is.” ~ Rumi

I had endless energy most of my life.

My three favorite activities to burn off some of that energy were running, hiking, and walking. I talked about my neighborhood strolls already and will tell you more about hiking soon, so I’ll focus on my biggest passion: running.

Lucky for me, Mom was a runner. Soon after she adopted me, she began training for a half-marathon, and during many of our years together she competed in triathlons. I know I wasn’t always the easiest to jog with, because I tended to ping pong back and forth on the trail following my nose to all the best smells or trying to chase after those pesky prairie dogs.

Sometimes I would cross right in front of Mom, causing her to have to stop on a dime. I was always on the lookout for fresh goose poop, which was plentiful on our favorite running trail since it went around a pond. I also liked to take a quick stop in the pond to cool off.

I didn’t bother much with other dogs when we were jogging, because I was too busy having a good time. I did nearly dislocate Mom’s shoulder a few times going after a rabbit that crossed the trail in front of us, or those chirping prairie dogs who would egg me on and then disappear into their holes. We saw coyotes a few times on our early morning runs, so Mom would shorten up my leash to keep me close and out of harm’s way.

We had several routes from our house, some with nice stops built in, like the dog park. We would run the two miles there, then I would sniff around in the park, and visit with the people who were there (not the dogs though—I didn’t have much interest in them, since it’s not like they could pet me or give me any treats). After I grew bored, we’d jog the two miles back home.

One summer, when she was jogging a lot, Mom took me on an eight-mile run. Mom thought that would tire me out, but I was still ready to play when we got home. I think she wished she could harness some of my energy for herself because she was pretty tired. It energized me to do what I loved.

I jogged with Mom well into my elder years. Even when I was 13 years old, we would go for some short jogs around the pond. We were both a bit slower by then, but I still enjoyed getting out and trotting along the dirt trails, which were easier on Mom’s knees than the concrete or paved paths. By then, Dad and Mala were part of our family, and those youngsters would run ahead of us. We’d all meet back up at the trailhead. I didn’t mind, it gave me some alone time with Mom.

I was always happy to go for a run, as my smile indicated. Even if we were doing my other favorite activity (hiking), if someone jogged by us, I would pick up the pace to a trot and look back at Mom to communicate, “Aren’t you coming? This is so fun!”

Life is short, and tomorrows are never guaranteed, so you should do what makes you happy now, rather than putting it off until some time in the future. All you have is the present moment.

Mom knows all about not putting off what you love until tomorrow. After she survived her heart attack, I told you she realized the work that she spent so much time doing didn’t fulfill her, and she started seeking out her passion. Now, she loves what she does, and is much happier as a result. She jokes that she is semi-retired, but she’s doing something that fulfills her, so it no longer feels like work.

Humans tend to put things off, thinking they have plenty of time, but there is no magical time when everything will be different. As dogs, we know that life is short and that you need to live your passion now. As Brendan Burchard wrote in The Motivation Manifesto, “Life’s purpose is to live—to live freely, vibrantly, joyously, madly, consciously, lovingly, enthusiastically.”

So, go ahead, find what makes you feel alive, and do it!

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*Support Carrie and order your print or e-book copy of Pawsitive Perspectives: Life Lessons from the Shelter Dog Who Became Queen here! 

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