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The Creative Benefits of Owning a Dog (with Faye Ruch) · The Daily Writer

0:00
SPEAKER_01: I recently read that around 68% of US households own a pet, which includes sixty million households that own a dog.
0:08
SPEAKER_01: If you don't own a dog, I'm sure that you know someone who does.
0:11
SPEAKER_01: On today's episode, our guest helps unlock the surprising ways that owning a dog can boost your creativity and improve your life.
0:18
SPEAKER_01: So stay tuned.
0:28
SPEAKER_01: Hey friends, welcome to the Born to Create podcast.
0:31
SPEAKER_01: My name is Ken Sanders and I'm an author, professor, and creative coach.
0:35
SPEAKER_01: This is the show where we explore the mindset, habits, and principles to help you make a bigger impact in your life and creative work.
0:44
SPEAKER_01: I'm excited to share my conversation with Faye Brook from DogLifemadeBetter.com.
0:49
SPEAKER_01: Faye is on a mission to help dogs have better owners.
0:52
SPEAKER_01: And I love that tagline because it reminds us that we have a reciprocal relationship with our dogs and really all of our pets.
1:00
SPEAKER_01: We have a responsibility to them, and then in turn, they improve our lives.
1:04
SPEAKER_01: I first met Faye in a mastermind group last year, and her passion for helping dog owners was immediately apparent.
1:11
SPEAKER_01: As you listen to our conversation, you'll learn practical ways that owning a dog can help you be more creative, how to be a better dog owner, and also some fascinating lessons that Faye has learned on our entrepreneurial journey.
1:24
SPEAKER_01: This episode is packed with surprising tidbits that you can start putting into practice immediately.
1:29
SPEAKER_01: I know I certainly learned a lot about becoming a better dog owner and how my dog helps make our family more creative.
1:35
SPEAKER_01: I hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did.
1:38
SPEAKER_01: And if you want to take a deeper dive after the episode is over, be sure to check out our show notes at Kent Sanders.net slash dogs.
1:46
SPEAKER_01: That's Kent Sanders.net slash dogs.
1:50
SPEAKER_01: Now let's get right to the interview.
1:54
SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm excited today to be talking with my good friend Faye Rook.
1:58
SPEAKER_01: Faye, welcome to the podcast.
2:00
SPEAKER_00: Hi, Kent.
2:01
SPEAKER_00: I'm so excited to be here and to talk about how dogs can spark creativity.
2:05
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me.
2:07
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
2:07
SPEAKER_01: You know, the funny thing is, uh as we're recording this, so this is uh it's almost noon my time on a Tuesday.
2:14
SPEAKER_01: I just got out of a class, actually.
2:16
SPEAKER_01: I teach teach college for my day job, and I was talking with a few friends in the hallway and said, Hey, I've got to go do this podcast interview, and they asked what it was about and so forth.
2:25
SPEAKER_01: And I told them this was an interview about uh pets and dogs and how that connects to our creative life.
2:30
SPEAKER_01: And unanimously and I'm not making this up, but unanimously the response was that sounds really fascinating and interesting.
2:38
SPEAKER_01: And I thought that was so cool.
2:39
SPEAKER_01: So I'm really glad that we were able to set up this chat and um see kind of what the connections are between our creative life and pet ownership.
2:46
SPEAKER_01: So thanks for joining me.
2:47
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, thank you.
2:49
SPEAKER_01: So the tagline of your website is Dog Life Made Better.
2:54
SPEAKER_01: And I'm so I'm sorry, let me start that over again.
2:56
SPEAKER_01: So the title of your website is Dog Life Made Better, and the tagline is Helping Dogs Have Better Owners.
3:02
SPEAKER_01: So would you say that your mission is not just to help us be better caretakers for dogs, but also helping us to realize that dogs make our lives better in some really tangible ways.
3:13
SPEAKER_00: Oh, definitely.
3:14
SPEAKER_00: I would love for people to really learn more and understand how dogs um add so much value to our lives.
3:21
SPEAKER_00: Um things like anything from like improved sleep, like if they sleep in the bedroom with you.
3:27
SPEAKER_00: Um there's studies that have been shown where petting or playing with your dog can reduce stress and anxiety, decrease blood pressure, um, reduce feelings of loneliness.
3:38
SPEAKER_00: And you know, stress and anxiety, as we probably know, are big obstacles to our creativity.
3:45
SPEAKER_00: So they can really fuel our creativity.
3:48
SPEAKER_00: Um, dogs give us responsibility, they make us feel more safe.
3:52
SPEAKER_00: There's a lot of bonding opportunities.
3:55
SPEAKER_00: Um, they look to us for guidance.
3:57
SPEAKER_00: Um, and we can kind of just think about, like for all of us who do own dogs, just think about every time you come home, aren't they always just so excited to see you no matter what?
4:08
SPEAKER_00: So it's like, what can be better than that?
4:11
SPEAKER_01: So I know that you focus specifically on dogs.
4:14
SPEAKER_01: What about people who have cats or other pets?
4:16
SPEAKER_01: Is there something that they're potentially missing out on if they don't have a dog?
4:20
SPEAKER_00: Well, I love all animals, but I've only owned dogs.
4:25
SPEAKER_00: And so that's what I know most of.
4:28
SPEAKER_00: But I feel like yeah, so I feel like there can be bonding capabilities like with any kind of pet someone chooses.
4:35
SPEAKER_00: So even if you just think about, oh, I've got a fish tank aquarium, just think about how we gaze at the beauty of a fish tank.
4:43
SPEAKER_00: Um, they need care as well, they need their tanks cleaned, they need to be fed.
4:48
SPEAKER_00: So um that carries responsibility and some scheduling.
4:52
SPEAKER_00: So it doesn't really matter what kind of pet you have.
4:56
SPEAKER_00: I just think that there's still that relationship that's formed.
4:59
SPEAKER_00: But I focus on dogs because that's what I owned.
5:02
SPEAKER_01: So well, that makes sense.
5:03
SPEAKER_01: And you know, it's it's funny that you mentioned that because a couple of years ago for my son's birthday, we got him a a pet snake.
5:10
SPEAKER_01: It was a a ball python, you know, not a very big snake.
5:13
SPEAKER_01: Uh and it was funny because he wanted this snake and me and his me and my wife, of course his mom.
5:19
SPEAKER_01: We thought, why does he want a snake?
5:20
SPEAKER_01: This is sort of like a very cold pet relation, or you know, what does a snake really do?
5:25
SPEAKER_01: But it's funny because I got really attached to that snake.
5:29
SPEAKER_01: And unfortunately it passed away sometime later.
5:31
SPEAKER_01: But it is you're you're so right that a pet of any kind can really be a companion.
5:36
SPEAKER_01: Can you walk us through kind of your journey with how you got really interested in helping to teach people about pet ownership and specifically dogs?
5:45
SPEAKER_00: Sure.
5:45
SPEAKER_00: Um so my mission um is to help inform dog owners, particularly new dog owners, on how to get their dogs potty trained and how to keep their dogs safe and out of the emergency room.
5:58
SPEAKER_00: I think these are essentials for great dog parenting.
6:01
SPEAKER_00: So people and their dogs can live a long, safe, happy life together.
6:06
SPEAKER_00: And um when I was growing up, I was not allowed to have any pets despite all my begging.
6:14
SPEAKER_02: Wow, okay.
6:15
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
6:16
SPEAKER_00: So when I became on my own and I met my husband who loves dogs and was raised with dogs, um, of course, I was able to get a dog, but I got one and I didn't have a clue what to do, really.
6:30
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it was just my first dog.
6:32
SPEAKER_00: And so I've learned a lot.
6:34
SPEAKER_00: I've now owned seven dogs along the way.
6:36
SPEAKER_00: So I'm just interested in sharing what I've learned, you know, outside the dog training capabilities where people, you know, can go to school and be taught those things.
6:45
SPEAKER_00: I like to cover the things that people, I think are essential for people to know at home for everyday life, like keeping them safe, how to get them potty trained, the things you don't really learn so much in dog training school.
6:59
SPEAKER_00: And I had a friend Lori, she um at the age of 42, she got her very first dog ever.
7:05
SPEAKER_00: And she was asking me all these questions about, you know, what should I buy?
7:09
SPEAKER_00: What I need to do in this situation, in that situation.
7:12
SPEAKER_00: And so that really sparked the um thought for me to say, if she's asking me these questions, I would love to share that with more people.
7:20
SPEAKER_01: So her questions, in a sense, kind of prompted you to realize that there's other people who may want to know this information as well.
7:27
SPEAKER_00: Right.
7:28
SPEAKER_00: Because I didn't know, like when I got my first dog, like I said, I didn't have a clue with what to do.
7:32
SPEAKER_00: And then she's asking me the same sort of questions.
7:35
SPEAKER_01: So well, that's true because uh I forget what percentage of American households have dogs.
7:40
SPEAKER_01: I think it's 30 some percent or something like that.
7:43
SPEAKER_01: I I could be off.
7:44
SPEAKER_00: It may be higher, because um I did look that up one time.
7:47
SPEAKER_00: It says that like 68% of households have pets.
7:52
SPEAKER_00: And like that's like 85 million pe families, but I think 60 million of those families were dog owners.
7:58
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's a lot of dogs.
7:59
SPEAKER_01: It is.
8:00
SPEAKER_01: And many of those, you know, like yourself, have more than one dog.
8:03
SPEAKER_01: Right, exactly.
8:04
SPEAKER_01: So can you talk a little bit about some of the tangible benefits that dogs can bring into our lives?
8:10
SPEAKER_01: You know, and you shared a little bit of your journey.
8:12
SPEAKER_01: So talk about how how they can actually help us with our creative lives, you know, reducing stress and so forth, and maybe you know, how they've helped you personally in your life as well.
8:23
SPEAKER_00: Oh, sure.
8:24
SPEAKER_00: Um so you know, going along the topic of um creativity and how dogs can sparkle spark that, or even just pets in general, um, some people think that um routine like squashes their creativity.
8:41
SPEAKER_00: Um however, when you're doing routine things, um, that actually allows your mind to wander and because there's no distractions.
8:50
SPEAKER_00: So um dogs, of course, require walking every day.
8:54
SPEAKER_00: It's um an important part of their world, not just to get out to do their business, but to explore the world more than just the backyard.
9:02
SPEAKER_00: Um, and I think a Stanford University put out a study that showed walking activates your creative side.
9:09
SPEAKER_00: Um, so the studies showed that going for a walk can actually increase your creative thinking and boost creative creative output by about 60% compared to just sitting.
9:20
SPEAKER_01: That's amazing.
9:21
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I know that was a lot, a lot more than I expected.
9:24
SPEAKER_00: So, and actually, as I continue to read about proactivity and creativity, that that one tip that's on in almost every single thing I've read is about getting outdoors.
9:34
SPEAKER_00: And of course, dogs need to get outdoors.
9:36
SPEAKER_00: So we can actually think of our pets as like creative fuel in that way.
9:41
SPEAKER_00: Um, and dogs should be walked multiple times a daily, so that gives us lots of opportunities.
9:47
SPEAKER_00: It's really mutual beneficial, you know, for the dog and for us because then it gives us energy, gets us off the couch, gets us out there thinking and taking care of the responsibility of our dogs.
9:59
SPEAKER_00: Um and dogs, of course, provide a sense of joy.
10:03
SPEAKER_00: Um, I just look at my dogs every day, and I must say, like 10 to 20 times a day, you're the cutest thing I've ever seen, or you're so beautiful.
10:11
SPEAKER_00: And in those instances, nothing else really matters.
10:14
SPEAKER_00: I'm not thinking about, oh, I've got to pay the bills, or I've got to get this done by tomorrow and so forth.
10:20
SPEAKER_00: It's just like everything's washed away and it's just it's awesome.
10:23
SPEAKER_00: And so they just give so much joy to me.
10:26
SPEAKER_00: So I hope that's the case for everyone else, too.
10:29
SPEAKER_00: Um, and they also like we talked a little bit about routine and schedule and sleep.
10:34
SPEAKER_00: Um, but they love sleep and uh they love the routine of going to sleep at the same time every night.
10:39
SPEAKER_00: So that's one thing I've learned is I used to think sleep was underrated, but not anymore.
10:45
SPEAKER_01: It's critical.
10:46
SPEAKER_00: It is critical.
10:47
SPEAKER_00: And some people think like working overtime um will make them more creative and get more done.
10:53
SPEAKER_00: But actually, you know, as we know now, overworking is counterproductive to the creativity.
10:58
SPEAKER_00: So I just say sleep is necessary for rest and repair, gives you a more clear mind, it equals a more creative mind.
11:05
SPEAKER_00: So I always say let your dog help you get to bed on time.
11:09
SPEAKER_01: That is very true.
11:11
SPEAKER_00: So those are some of the things that I think are that we can use with our dogs to help us um be our better selves and be more creative.
11:22
SPEAKER_01: Now, what about stress reduction?
11:24
SPEAKER_01: I believe you mentioned that earlier.
11:26
SPEAKER_01: Are there s some specific ways in your life that you have tangibly seen dogs help you feel less stressed and just more relaxed?
11:34
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
11:35
SPEAKER_00: Well, um, like I was saying, you know, they make me smile, or maybe I didn't say that yet, but um, they do.
11:41
SPEAKER_00: They make me smile every single day, they make me laugh every day, they teach me every day, they inspire me every day, they keep me in a routine, um, they provide me with companionship.
11:52
SPEAKER_00: Um, just the fact of just petting them or looking at them just really helps reduce any anxiety and um just creates uh such a fun environment in our household.
12:03
SPEAKER_00: And they're so fun and funny too.
12:05
SPEAKER_00: I laugh.
12:05
SPEAKER_00: They make me laugh so much.
12:08
SPEAKER_01: Now what about kids and and pets?
12:11
SPEAKER_01: I guess specifically kids and dogs.
12:13
SPEAKER_01: You know, most I'm not gonna say I'm not gonna speak for anybody else, but I know in our own household, you know, having a kid has been the factor that has moved us toward getting pets most of the time.
12:24
SPEAKER_01: Have you ever ever seen or ever heard of pets really having a tangible effect on helping kids to reduce their stress or maybe even reduce their social anxiety or improve their social skills, that kind of thing?
12:36
SPEAKER_00: Oh, sure.
12:37
SPEAKER_00: I think um I think it's great for kids to grow up with pets because it really helps teach them some responsibility and some respect.
12:47
SPEAKER_00: Um and I do I do recommend that children only do like what you would allow to do with a puppy is the same that you would allow a child to do with a human infant.
12:59
SPEAKER_00: So like if the child's too young to hold the puppy, it it's too young to hold a human infant.
13:04
SPEAKER_00: You know, same rules apply.
13:06
SPEAKER_00: So just kind of think about age-appropriate things.
13:08
SPEAKER_00: Um that makes sense.
13:09
SPEAKER_00: If you if you want your child to like walk learn to walk the dog, but it's really probably too young to be doing that.
13:16
SPEAKER_00: I read a really good tip one time um that talked about putting two leashes on the dog.
13:21
SPEAKER_00: So basically there's a ring, you put the leash on it, but the adult holds one leash and the child holds another leash.
13:28
SPEAKER_00: So it uh increases the safety potential there, but it still gets the child engaged in being with the dog and teaches them the responsibility.
13:38
SPEAKER_00: Um, and they can learn things on the walk too, like you know, cleaning up after the dog.
13:43
SPEAKER_00: Um, so yeah, I definitely feel like they um get a lot of benefits out that out of that.
13:48
SPEAKER_00: They can go to dog training school if that's something that the family is doing, even if their attention span is not that great, you know, not gonna last the whole hour or however long the class is.
13:59
SPEAKER_00: You can take things like dog figurines or dog coloring book, just kind of keep that engagement going where they don't necessarily always have to pay attention during class, but still keeps them engaged there.
14:09
SPEAKER_00: So, but yeah, it definitely helps them learn the responsibility and importance of dog ownership and caring for them and respecting them for sure.
14:17
SPEAKER_01: What are some of the biggest problems that you see with dog ownership?
14:20
SPEAKER_01: Things that people are getting wrong or mistakes that they're making.
14:24
SPEAKER_00: Um probably one of the biggest things I would say is not having a good understanding of how to communicate with your dog.
14:34
SPEAKER_00: Um, I'll give you an example like say, save my dog Odie, I want him to come to me, but he's walking away from me.
14:42
SPEAKER_00: And I just say, Odie, Odie, Odie, Odie.
14:44
SPEAKER_00: But I'm never really telling him what I want him to do.
14:48
SPEAKER_00: So we have to let them learn what our language is.
14:51
SPEAKER_00: If I say, Come to me, Odie, then he understands what to do, versus just like, I'll hear people do that all the time, just call their dog's name repeatedly.
15:00
SPEAKER_00: So I just kind of think of it as if you have a friend who doesn't speak your language, you don't get mad at the friend for not understanding their your language.
15:08
SPEAKER_00: You teach them, you engage them, you work with them or show them resources on how to get learn the language.
15:14
SPEAKER_00: So I think of it along those same lines with dogs.
15:17
SPEAKER_00: So that's one common problem I feel like.
15:20
SPEAKER_00: Um another one is um potty training the dog, and that's why I'm focusing on that up bit, is because I've logged some hours at a pet shelter before.
15:32
SPEAKER_00: And one of the most common reasons that dogs are surrendered is for lack of potty training.
15:39
SPEAKER_00: Um, so I think that's so important.
15:41
SPEAKER_00: It's more than just letting that out the dog, um, keeping the dog in the crate too many hours.
15:46
SPEAKER_00: Crates are great, but only for shorter periods of time.
15:49
SPEAKER_00: Um, so they need to be learned to be used appropriately.
15:53
SPEAKER_00: Um, a couple other things I can think of is not doggy proofing the home to prevent accidents.
15:58
SPEAKER_00: So, again, that's another reason I focus on dog safety.
16:02
SPEAKER_00: Um, unfortunately, I've been in the dog emergency room a couple of times and I've learned about why other people were there.
16:07
SPEAKER_00: So that's really been helped me learn to share with other people about how to keep your dog safe.
16:15
SPEAKER_00: And then probably maybe the last thing is not understanding the financial responsibilities of having a pet or a dog.
16:24
SPEAKER_00: Um, that's another reason dogs are surrendered to shelters, unfortunately, is because people didn't know the financial responsibilities, including like going to the emergency room, the cost of accidents.
16:35
SPEAKER_00: So if we can prevent those and keep dogs in homes and safe, that's um part of my mission.
16:41
SPEAKER_01: The dog that we currently have, she is an Australian shepherd named Madison.
16:45
SPEAKER_01: We've had her for about uh how many years?
16:48
SPEAKER_01: I think eight years now.
16:49
SPEAKER_01: And she was actually a rescue dog.
16:51
SPEAKER_01: We got her from a shelter in the area.
16:53
SPEAKER_01: And it was heartbreaking because her previous owner was really abusive to her.
16:57
SPEAKER_01: So when she came into our home, she was extremely she's actually still a little bit skittish, especially around fireworks or loud noises, that kind of thing.
17:05
SPEAKER_01: But it took her probably six months to even let me come near her because you know, in her experience, every man was abusive and mean and was going to hurt her.
17:16
SPEAKER_01: But fortunately, that was one rescue dog that we were able to help.
17:19
SPEAKER_01: But I know that there are a lot who who are never helped, which is really tragic.
17:23
SPEAKER_00: It is.
17:24
SPEAKER_00: It's very, very sad.
17:26
SPEAKER_00: Always say um dogs need people and people need dogs, so that's my plug for getting out there and taking care of these dogs that are in shelters because they really do need good homes.
17:37
SPEAKER_00: It's stressful being in a shelter for dogs too, even though they get great care there.
17:42
SPEAKER_00: You know, just being in a kennel situation with a lot of other dogs and you know, not a lot of quiet time and um activity.
17:50
SPEAKER_00: I mean, they get out, of course, but um just anything we can do to get them in good homes is uh very, very good for them.
17:58
SPEAKER_01: So if someone wants to enjoy the benefits of being around dogs or owning a dog, but they live somewhere like an apartment building or some other place where they cannot own a dog, are there any ways for them to sort of get the benefits of being around dogs without having to own one?
18:15
SPEAKER_00: Yes, definitely.
18:16
SPEAKER_00: So that's volunteer, volunteer, volunteer.
18:19
SPEAKER_00: So, like we were just talking about it, pet shelters.
18:22
SPEAKER_00: There's so many dogs that need care.
18:24
SPEAKER_00: Um also there's so many charities and organizations out there that people can connect with if they want to get more involved with animal care.
18:33
SPEAKER_00: Um maybe even a nearby vet office may um want some volunteer work.
18:39
SPEAKER_00: Um, of course, there's pet stores where people can get employed and learn more about dogs.
18:44
SPEAKER_00: And then I would say, then they should make a mission to move to a place where they can have a dog.
18:49
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that makes sense.
18:50
SPEAKER_01: Definitely.
18:52
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, that definitely volunteering would be um a very, very good opportunity.
18:57
SPEAKER_00: Um when I recently moved, but when in my other state where I lived, um when I'd go to volunteer, I would always tell my dogs, Mommy's going to go give love to other dogs who don't have moms and dads right yet.
19:11
SPEAKER_01: So I had no idea that you could volunteer those places.
19:13
SPEAKER_01: It just never dawned on me that that was a possibility.
19:17
SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah.
19:17
SPEAKER_00: And they need and welcome all of the help they can get because that means there's more social interaction with people that these dogs, you know, just really crave for and they get play time and they get a lot more walk time, and so yeah, you can help clean their crates, other people can play with them while you're cleaning their crates.
19:35
SPEAKER_00: It's just it's really um a very, very good opportunity for people to engage with dogs, and they let you stay there as long as you want and play with them.
19:43
SPEAKER_00: So good opportunities there.
19:45
SPEAKER_01: Well, I assume that that dogs are the same as humans in that you know, sometimes we neglect the importance of just physical touch and of physical affection of just you know, petting a dog, you know, and with humans, you know, we all need hugs and handshakes and um shoulder rubs and you know things that help to to bring up our energy level and make us feel important and feel accepted and loved and so forth.
20:10
SPEAKER_01: So I assume that dogs aren't aren't any different.
20:13
SPEAKER_00: Yes, definitely.
20:14
SPEAKER_00: That's exactly right.
20:16
SPEAKER_00: It's very, very important.
20:17
SPEAKER_00: They crave for the relationship, the bonding, they want to be loyal to someone, so they they need our guidance.
20:25
SPEAKER_00: So um, yeah, all that interaction is so important for them.
20:29
SPEAKER_00: It makes them more relaxed.
20:31
SPEAKER_00: And then also just going back to the shelter thing, um, you know, dogs love a schedule, they love a routine.
20:38
SPEAKER_00: So when they know that the same thing's gonna happen consistently every day around the same time, they can be much more relaxed.
20:46
SPEAKER_00: So giving them playtime and you know, hugging and loving on them and feeding them, like all of those things are so important in their world.
20:54
SPEAKER_00: Getting them out so they can explore the world, um, so important.
20:59
SPEAKER_01: So, for all the people who are listening who have dogs, what are two or three really practical, actionable steps that they could maybe begin putting putting into practice with their dog ownership or other homes to start enhancing their own creativity and start to be better dog owners?
21:14
SPEAKER_01: Any any specific things come to mind?
21:17
SPEAKER_00: Definitely spend quality time with them every day.
21:20
SPEAKER_00: Um, engage them in some kind of activity.
21:23
SPEAKER_00: You know, dogs were meant to have a job to do, and if we don't help them be active and engaged in some manner, um, then they're kind of living their whole lives without a purpose.
21:34
SPEAKER_00: So that helps them.
21:36
SPEAKER_00: And then, like we've already talked about getting out and walking, studies even show how that improves our creativity.
21:43
SPEAKER_00: So that's a big one.
21:44
SPEAKER_00: Um, they're very in tune to reading our emotions.
21:48
SPEAKER_00: Um, so building a great relationship with them uh is something we can do.
21:53
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I think those are some of the big things that people can do.
21:56
SPEAKER_00: Just you know, build that relationship that needs love.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: Nurturing, handling with patients, getting serious about the responsibilities, um, knowing that we have to learn how to communicate with them.
22:08
SPEAKER_01: You know, and there is a sense, and I I confess I've never thought about it in this way before, but you know, as pet owners, we have a responsibility to not just care for uh the dog or the pet on a basic uh level, like feeding and watering and that kind of thing.
22:23
SPEAKER_01: But we also have a responsibility to bring out the best and to bring out the potential in that animal you know, and to help them be healthy because the more that they can give, the the more that we give to them, the more they can give back to us.
22:34
SPEAKER_01: So there definitely is that reciprocal kind of relationship going on.
22:38
SPEAKER_00: Yes, I agree totally.
22:40
SPEAKER_01: So let's twitch the gears for a second, if we can.
22:43
SPEAKER_01: I'm curious uh some things that you have learned on your entrepreneurial journey as you have you know set up your website, as you're trying to expand the things that you're doing for people, what are some lessons that you're learning as a creative entrepreneur?
22:56
SPEAKER_01: Uh since this is a show for creative entrepreneurs, what are some things that you've been learning the last few months that have helped you, maybe some lessons that you would want to pass on to somebody else or learning points that have really been kind of key moments for you as you are building up your own business?
23:12
SPEAKER_00: Are you talking kind of like some practices I engage in every day or habits I form?
23:18
SPEAKER_01: Or yeah, habits would be great.
23:20
SPEAKER_01: Habits would be great, or even just things that you would say, hey, if you want to begin, you know, setting up a website or trying to get your message out there, these are some practical steps to keep in mind, you know, if you're wanting to start out on your entrepreneurial journey.
23:34
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so as far as starting out on the entrepreneurial journey, um I guess I'll just kind of go through mine and and so you can kind of learn a little bit about where I landed.
23:45
SPEAKER_00: So I started with the Dave Ramsey group um becoming um getting financially free.
23:53
SPEAKER_00: You know, he f he has Financial Peace University, and I learned a lot about yes, I learned a lot about that.
23:59
SPEAKER_00: And then I in that, because he's friends with Dan Miller of a 48 Days um group, that started me thinking about what is something that I would love to do, um you know, as with my creativity and becoming an entrepreneur.
24:16
SPEAKER_00: And so then I just started learning, um, I got in some groups and started learning the people that who are um really good at teaching, like how to build a website, how to go on this entrepreneurial journey.
24:29
SPEAKER_00: And then um my website, I am doing it myself, or I did do it myself.
24:34
SPEAKER_00: So that was a huge learning thing.
24:36
SPEAKER_00: So I uh learned that from Shannon Mattern um at uh WP plus BFF.
24:45
SPEAKER_00: She walked me through a lot of that along with a lot of other friends, including yourself, who helped me with some with some of the technical issues.
24:55
SPEAKER_00: Um and then in learning, like on this journey, I also picked up and learned a lot about um organizational habits, pre pre um productivity habits.
25:08
SPEAKER_00: And so things I really concentrate on, and I touched on this a little bit, is um I do aim for seven hours sleep.
25:15
SPEAKER_00: That's my optimal amount.
25:16
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then like things like making my bed right when I get up, drink lots of water, starting right when I get up.
25:23
SPEAKER_00: Um, I do work out about six days a week, and um, that really helps with my creativity because I do a lot of thinking during that time.
25:32
SPEAKER_00: And I read every day.
25:35
SPEAKER_00: I read every day, plus I read a verse of the day.
25:38
SPEAKER_00: I try to plan tomorrow today.
25:40
SPEAKER_00: So what I'm gonna do there.
25:41
SPEAKER_00: And of course, I have at least two quality play sessions and two good walk sessions with my dog every day.
25:48
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
25:51
SPEAKER_01: Now you mentioned that you like to read a lot.
25:53
SPEAKER_01: What are some books that you've read recently or anything that you're reading now that has really been helpful to you?
25:59
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, I do read a lot.
26:01
SPEAKER_00: Um so uh Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey is one of my favorites.
26:06
SPEAKER_00: Um uh The One Thing by Gary Keller.
26:09
SPEAKER_00: Um yeah, I love that book.
26:12
SPEAKER_00: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, talking about the law of attraction.
26:16
SPEAKER_00: Um No More Mondays by Dan Miller.
26:19
SPEAKER_00: Um, then I'll listen to a lot of podcasts as well.
26:22
SPEAKER_00: Um if I can throw this in there, I'd love to share a couple of dog-related books, which I think.
26:28
SPEAKER_01: Yes, please.
26:28
SPEAKER_01: That would be great.
26:30
SPEAKER_00: Might help some of the audience, but there's one I found that I love.
26:33
SPEAKER_00: It's called Decoding Your Dog.
26:35
SPEAKER_00: Um, it explains common dog behaviors and how to prevent unwanted ones.
26:40
SPEAKER_00: And it's written by the American College of Veterinarian Behaviorists, and there's only like I think 60 some of them in the United States.
26:48
SPEAKER_00: So they have to go through rigorous training, um, and it talks a lot about dog behavior.
26:52
SPEAKER_00: So I've learned so much from that book.
26:55
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then also training the best dog ever.
26:57
SPEAKER_00: It's a five-week program using the power of positive reinforcement by Larry Kay.
27:03
SPEAKER_00: Um, and the five-week program, if you just kind of divide it out per minutes per day, if you can spend 10 or 20 minute sessions with your dog once a day out of all of our 24 hours, and that's all it requires to help you have a really great, great dog, I think that's an awesome book to read.
27:18
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's great.
27:20
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
27:20
SPEAKER_01: You've like in given us so much great stuff here.
27:24
SPEAKER_01: And one thing that I have really appreciated about you, Faye, for those of you who well, I was gonna say for those of you who don't know this, but nobody would know this who's listening to the show, unless they're like a close friend of mine and I've shared this with them.
27:35
SPEAKER_01: But we were in a mastermind group together led by Nick Pavlitas, who was uh a guest on the podcast.
27:42
SPEAKER_01: And I, if I'm remembering correctly, at the beginning of that mastermind, I think back in August, July or August, we started that was kind of when you were getting your website up and running and and just sort of a lot of the stuff was in the planning phases.
27:55
SPEAKER_01: And just in a few short months, I mean you've got that established, you've got plans going, you've got all these things happening.
28:01
SPEAKER_01: And I think that is fantastic.
28:02
SPEAKER_01: You've done a great job with it.
28:03
SPEAKER_01: And I really I respect the fact that you have consistently just kind of grasped at the next rung and climbed up.
28:11
SPEAKER_01: And you know, the technical challenges are where a lot of people get hung up with websites and you know writing and all that online stuff.
28:19
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, you've just kept chugging along and taking it bit by bit.
28:22
SPEAKER_01: So I think that's a great example and and it's been an inspiration to me as well.
28:26
SPEAKER_01: So I appreciate that.
28:28
SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much.
28:29
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, my website was not live when we began that class, but I I pushed the publish button during the um at one point during the class.
28:36
SPEAKER_00: Actually, I uh published it on National Dog Day, which was yeah, which was August 26th.
28:42
SPEAKER_00: So it's definitely still in the works, but I'm on a mission to help dogs have better owners.
28:48
SPEAKER_01: So I love that tagline.
28:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you're doing a great job with this, and there's a lot of good stuff in here that I'm gonna start actually implementing when with my own life, because again, we have a dog at home, so this has been helpful to me as well.
29:01
SPEAKER_00: Oh, great.
29:02
SPEAKER_00: I'm so glad.
29:03
SPEAKER_01: And honestly, you know, people have probably caught on to this, but a big reason why I do this podcast is because it gives me an excuse to talk to people who I can learn something from, and hopefully other people learn something in the process as well.
29:15
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, that's probably true of a lot of people who do these interview style podcasts is hey, I want to learn something, so this gives me a kind of an excuse to chat with people and just make my learning public.
29:27
SPEAKER_01: So I appreciate you coming on the show.
29:29
SPEAKER_00: Oh, sure, it's my pleasure.
29:30
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I listen to a lot of podcasts as well, and the purpose is for learning.
29:35
SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
29:36
SPEAKER_01: So, how can our listeners get in touch with you and find out more about Dog Life Made Better?
29:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, that's the name of the website, DogLifemadeBetter.com.
29:45
SPEAKER_00: And then also I'm working to get my Facebook page up and um to be on Pinterest, so the links are there.
29:53
SPEAKER_00: Um, so yeah, come on over and check it out at DogLifemadebetter.com.
29:57
SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
29:58
SPEAKER_01: We'll have the link to that as well as uh the books you mentioned and other stuff in the show notes.
30:02
SPEAKER_01: So once again, Faye, thanks for being on the show today.
30:04
SPEAKER_01: I appreciate what you're doing and uh your time today.
30:07
SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much.
30:08
SPEAKER_00: It was great being here.
30:12
SPEAKER_01: Hey, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Faye Rook.
30:16
SPEAKER_01: At the end of every interview, I always share three specific things that I learned.
30:20
SPEAKER_01: And these are simply some key action steps that you can put into practice right away to start making a bigger impact in your life and creative work.
30:27
SPEAKER_01: So let's dive in.
30:29
SPEAKER_01: Takeaway number one is use your pet ownership as an opportunity to be more active and healthy.
30:35
SPEAKER_01: We own an Australian shepherd named Madison who's about seven years old, and I take her for a walk almost every single night.
30:42
SPEAKER_01: So this interview has really made me double down on my commitment to taking even more walks with our dog Madison and being even more committed to my own health.
30:50
SPEAKER_01: If they mentioned a Stanford study on the connection between walking and creativity, and you can find that link in the show notes.
30:58
SPEAKER_01: Takeaway number two is let your dog help you develop a better routine.
31:03
SPEAKER_01: If they mention the importance of habits and routines, particularly going to bed on time.
31:08
SPEAKER_01: And this can be a real challenge for many people since it's really easy to stay up late playing on your phone or watching Netflix or just kind of being undisciplined and goofing around and wasting time.
31:18
SPEAKER_01: Dogs love routines, as she mentioned, and as we become better pet owners, our pets can in turn help us develop better habits.
31:25
SPEAKER_01: And after doing this interview, I have recommitted in my own heart to getting more sleep and to going to bed on time and am working hard to make that a more regular part of my routine.
31:34
SPEAKER_01: Then finally, takeaway number three is if you want to reach your entrepreneurial dreams, you must take action.
31:42
SPEAKER_01: Close to the end of the interview, I asked Faye what she has been learning on her journey of setting up her website and building her business recently.
31:50
SPEAKER_01: And I've been really inspired by her tenacity and her ability to take action and just simply get things done.
31:55
SPEAKER_01: And this is a really great lesson for all of us.
31:58
SPEAKER_01: Done is always better than perfect.
32:00
SPEAKER_01: So don't let your perfectionism stop you from making progress toward your dreams.
32:05
SPEAKER_01: Well, friends, that wraps up this episode of the Born to Create podcast.
32:09
SPEAKER_01: I want to thank Faye for taking the time out of her busy schedule to share this amazing conversation.
32:14
SPEAKER_01: You can find the show notes at KentSanders.net slash dog.
32:19
SPEAKER_01: And if you'd like a great free resource to help you save time and be more productive, you can download my guide, 21 Time Hacks for Writers, by visiting Kent Sanders.net slash subscribe.
32:32
SPEAKER_01: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts.
32:37
SPEAKER_01: It only takes a couple seconds and it helps other people to discover the show.
32:40
SPEAKER_01: You can subscribe as well as leave a rating and a review by visiting KentSanders.net slash Apple.
32:46
SPEAKER_01: Here's a recent review by a user named Bonzo Buford, which I'm pretty sure is a code name.
32:52
SPEAKER_01: But uh this user writes, I appreciate the range of creative types that Kent Sanders brings onto his board to create podcast.
32:59
SPEAKER_01: I always seem to learn something new and to be encouraged by both the host and the guest.
33:03
SPEAKER_01: If you're trying to create something and bring it into the world, this podcast is a great motivator.
33:08
SPEAKER_01: So thanks so much for that awesome review.
33:11
SPEAKER_01: You can find lots more resources to help you unlock your creative potential at KentSanders.net.
33:17
SPEAKER_01: Until next time.
33:18
SPEAKER_01: Remember that you were born to create and designed to make a difference.
33:22
SPEAKER_01: Now go create something awesome.