As many of you would probably know, I love my dog. I got him when I was 18 years old and just about to start uni. Amongst many things, he was there to remind me that no matter how crappy I felt in my life, there was always something out there that loved me more than anything else in the world. Animals can teach us many different things if we allow them to; all you have to do is watch. And that’s pretty much all I’ve been doing the last couple of weeks, whenever I had any free time. I chill with my dog, not only because it’s somewhat comforting but also because it’s very interesting.

Roman, just like most other dogs, loves to play fetch. Every time any one of us comes outside the house, he grabs any toy he can find and begins to run around us until we try to grab it out of his mouth, ending in a game of tug-o-war which then is followed by us throwing it away for him to chase and bring back to us, repeating the process until he gets tired or we cant be bothered anymore. Without thinking, I noticed something that I didn’t pay much attention to before. His awareness.

I would chuck the toy in any given direction and he would immediately chase after it without any hesitation whatsoever, his concentration on it never waving.

On quite a few occasions, however, the toy would fall close to the fence or a door or even near another person. But somehow, centimetres away from whatever was in front of him, Roman was able to come to a halt and catch the toy without hurting himself. A series of near misses perfectly avoided by nothing more than his instinct. Now maybe the instinct to do so is genetic and is in no way applicable to human beings, or maybe it isn’t. The point is that without even thinking, my dog was able to save himself from hitting his head all because he was aware.

In my last post I talked about what we can learn from the natural world, and despite me thinking that learning balance through the intricate details of a handstand would be a pivotal moment in understanding oneself, I realised that this might be somewhat on the same level.

Roman is a good dog, but he’s not terribly smart. He chases his own tail, and when he catches it, wonders why he cant move properly. When he catches a scent he frequently hits his head on cabinet doors and into walls while he tries to find its source. He also thinks that if he hides his head, therefore unable to see anyone, he therefore thinks no one can see him as a result.

So yes, he’s just a dog, but my point is that despite being a dog, he had more self-awareness then I have had in ages. He knew when to stop at the right time so he wouldn’t get badly hurt.

Too often do I see people lose themselves in chasing an object, person or ideal and completely being blind-sided by the consequences of not fully understanding the situation. In most cases they can get back up but to the many more who don’t, they are scarred and hurt by their own lack of self-awareness.

Knowing what could happen if shit went south is part of going out and trying to achieve something, because there is nothing wrong with being prepared, whether that be relationships, business, physical activity or any form of personal goals. What you must understand is the probable likely hood of coming short or even getting hurt in the process, despite succeeding in whatever you may be working towards.

Whenever you decide to do something, never half ass it…whole ass it. But always remember the fact that despite your hard work and your commitment, you could end up banging your head against a wall chasing a ball too hard. Be aware, and understand your surroundings. Realise what needs to be done to make sure that when you do get that ball, that you can put on the breaks and bring it straight back home.