It’s been a long time since I’ve written, I know.
It’s not you, it’s me.
No, really. I’ve found myself drowning in the minutiae of small businessing. Also, taking care of three old dogs. Add to that teaching two Karen Pryor Academy courses. Training (barely) Schooner to like his veterinary visits. Add some business travel in there, and I think that’s pretty much the recipe for burnout.
You know how you just don’t want to get out of bed on Monday morning? That, “I wanna sleep a little longer, then play with the dogs, then take a nap, and then eat (but not fix) an amazingly delicious dinner before I read my book in bed until I fall asleep” feeling? That’s been me. For probably 18 months.
I’ve tried lots of different things to get the funk out.
Different organizational strategies. I’ve tried getting up early. Going to bed late. I’ve read 1,000 articles on entrepreneuring trying to figure out how I got so far off track. To date, I’ve learned nothing.
So that’s not entirely true. I have learned that getting started is the hardest part. And I mean getting anything started. I used to write three times a week. And produce a weekly video! But every week that I was away from here was one more week harder to get started again.
For awhile I ran out of ideas to write about. Plain old empty in the noggin. Couldn’t think of one thing to write about dogs or dog training.
To get back in the groove, I’m doing a little stream-of-consciousness thing.
If it’s going on in my life, I’m writing about it. My theory is that once I get started again, it’ll just get easier and easier.
Like running. The first mile is never fun. But the miles after that get easier and better. I’m hoping blogging follows suit.
So here’s what’s been going on in a nutshell.
These may sound like excuses, but that’s not my purpose of putting it all out here. My purpose is really to remind myself that I have a lot to write about if I’d just sit myself down and let it happen.
- Old dogs. I have three old dogs now. They’re priceless. They’re also crazy expensive. And worrisome. And exhausting. And the most perfect beings ever created. But they make you think. A lot. About things like quality of life. It can be both a downer and an upper all in the same day.
- Quirky dogs. I have one quirkster. Schooner, of course. The biggest, baddest dog in the house is also the scardiest. So I’ve spent a ton of time working with him to get him cool with the veterinary hospital.
- Running. I’m running a lot now. Haven’t been taking the dogs — it’s just too hot and only Schooner is young enough to go with me. Running keeps me sane, but also takes time out of my day. Schoons will head out with me in the fall when we lose some digits off the temperature.
- Working. Trying to refine my perfect niche. Been thinking about narrowing my focus. It’s a scary prospect — excluding people who want to pay me to help them. But I’m thinking it might be the best move to prevent that dreaded burnout I mentioned earlier. Plus, if I narrow my focus, I can provide more detailed and intensive help to those customers in that niche.
- Speaking. I’m headed to ClickerExpo in March 2017 and speaking on four different topics. Speaking is great fun, but man, it’s a lot of work, too. Preparing speaker submission packages, developing talks, titles, descriptions. And then putting the talk together.
- Planning. Business: What am I going to do with Smart Dog University in 20 years when I retire? Will I hire trainers? Sell it? Collapse it? Personal and business travel: should I plan any upcoming trips over the next year, given that I have three dogs that could potentially not be here in a year? My god, what would I do if I wasn’t home and one of them got really sick? {I’d die. Die dead.}
So anyway, hang around, I think I feel my writing streak coming back. Or at least there’s a little bit of a spark there.
The worst thing about blogging is lack of comments, so here you go! I hear ya! So many decisions to make; about daily life, about long-term life-that in itself is exhausting. Personal struggles happen on a daily basis. Last week was awful! I came back from the workshop not having any idea what to do. My current dog was not going to cut it (12 flights of stairs) and my other dog was dog reactive and not crate trained. I was in a panic. But I had to let the panic go and allow myself to think rationally. That was hard. My body and mind were in crisis mode and they didn’t have time to dwell there. There was still work, and a husband and teenage son, two dogs and four senior cats who needed my attention and focus. So I breathed for a day. Just breathed and let it all wash over me. And there was a solution. Not a perfect one. I mean, a little Foster dog was not my jam. I am a big dog girl. But after 24 hours with Wren (formerly Runt. I hated his name) I knew it was a good solution. I taught him “Touch” in a day so he could start to bond with me. He is smart and picks things up crazy quick. He is afraid of men, but we are working on that. He sleeps quietly in a crate at night. He gelled with my two big dogs.
So solutions are always out there. I went from thinking I was in over my head to feeling much more confident within a week. The answers are out there as long as you continue to breathe and think through options calmly. Panic is paralyzing and I wasted two days there. The answers are within us. We just have to be calm, breathe and let them come.
I got asked tonight – “where do you want your business in 6 months? A year?”
Ummm…….Can I phone a friend? Drop me a lifeline on this question?
I kinda like it where it is, but I know it needs to grow….so I get ya! What do I do next? I guess tomorrow starts that kinda planning phase.
Nothing like a kick in the pants to get that going!
I’m afraid I’m in the midst of burn out. I have a mom in a dementia ward in a nursing home, a demanding job, some health issues, two very old pets, two that are sort of old but thankfully healthy, and two youngsters. I need a vacation but can’t be sure when I’ll need to use vacation time to tend to my mom. I’ve cut out a couple of things I used to do in my free time, and I’m taking more naps, but something really has to give and I’m not sure what.
Don’t rebook yourself so much you go into burn out. Reduce travel for a year. Tend your dogs. Keep running. You’re on the right track.
You’re right. It’s you, not us. It is you who is brave and honest with yourself (and us). It is you who have things quite prioritized — even though you sometimes do not think it, I surely think you do. It is you who is so very resourceful; Nobody Else in the World But You. I admire you for “putting it all out there.” You are very much a super duper full-time dog mom, you educate yourself and others endlessly, you run, you are the dearest friend, wife, daughter and social media guru. I’m glad you are being real with yourself and making those subtle changes you may need to make, getting to The Heart of the Matter, if you will. I’ve missed SDU’s newsletters, but I understand. No Wasted Time here. Rarely do you have The Last Worthless Evening writing. I hear it takes 21 days to get into the groove of a new habit. It’s an Inside Job and takes one day at a time. I look at our Hannah girl and see her gray face lovingly look back at me. I can barely stand to imagine what is yet to come, much less times three or more. Perhaps a cold beer with the Desparado at the Sunset Grill what may be in order. He’ll be “local” next week! We are all here for you in a New York Minute! Woof!
I know this is a old post. But I found it honest and open-hearted. I hope you keep writing, even just about your life. And videos and blogs does not have to be brand new ideas, same idea with different dogs. I hope you can have a comprehensive playlist or blog for new dog owners like myself to educate our selves who care so much about their dogs. Keep writing please!