(DA) There's nothing like learning something new

There's something to be said for constant learning.

I feel like I've conquered a mountain every time I add something to my quiver of "I can ..." or "I know ..." It's a wonderful feeling to learn, even a small new task; like how to mix a new drink, or how to cook a new meal, even what the name for a '&' is (By the way, that's an ampersand- learn something?)

I used to have one of those "Fact A Day" calendars, and I loved it. I think it was actually a "CAT Fact a Day Calendar" that taught you things like: A group of cats is called a "Clowder" or a cat can be 'right-pawed' or 'left-pawed' or even that a cat has 230 bones. I loved that calendar because I would start off my day with a new bit of knowledge. The mental stimulation I got from that Fact A Day calendar was like a little shot of redbull.

So when I feel like I'm not learning in my day to day life, or at work, I seek new challenges. I've learned how to do inventory for a bar, how to schedule staff, how to cash out tills, how to properly hem pants, how to make a hat, how to operate a spot light, how to cook many new meals and definitely one of the biggest undertakings is how to raise a dog.

Dog training has had a huge learning curve. My dog is a year and a half, and I've had him and been working on his training for 1 year and 4 months, and I'm STILL learning. I love it. Some days the dog tests my patience (like today when he wouldn't pee in the rain, but had to go and would just whine at the door, but not pee when we got outside), but I learn from that too. I learn that the more stressed and persistent I get, the more uncomfortable he gets. He's not trying to be a bad dog, he's just uncomfortable, and inexperienced at peeing in a torrential downpour, standing in mud, beside a freezing cold owner. I had to learn to be patient, despite my uncomfort, calm and encouraging.

If you can, try to learn something everyday. Or, when you're feeling down, google something new and see how you feel after learning a new fact, or task!

Let me know what you learn and how you feel.

-Brandolyn