Are you feeling overwhelmed in your job as a dog trainer? Does the daily stress of dealing with clients take a toll on your mental well-being?
Developing resilience can significantly improve your outlook, and is an essential skill for any dog trainer. Here, we’ll explore practical tips for developing and maintaining resilience in your work.
One of the first steps of being resilient is identifying and understanding your stressors. Knowing which situations are causing stress can help you to figure out what’s really the underlying problem. Is your client making too many demands? Are you feeling inadequate when it comes to certain techniques?
Take an inventory of your stressors and think about the root causes of these issues. This can also help you to create an action plan.
Once you’ve identified what’s causing stress, it’s time to create a plan of action. This can help you to prioritise your stressors and develop coping strategies. Are there certain tasks or clients that you can delegate to someone else, or do you need to further educate yourself on certain training techniques? Examine what’s causing the most strain and make a plan on how to address these issues.
Taking care of yourself is essential for building resilience, so it’s important to practice self-care techniques like prioritising healthy eating, exercising, and getting enough sleep. Giving yourself time to relax and unwind will help you gain perspective and give you the strength to tackle any challenges. Finding a healthy work/life balance will make it easier to stay focused and be more resilient when the going gets tough.
It's also important to remember to disconnect from the negative energy that can be generated by social media. As beneficial as platforms like Facebook can be for connecting with others, the current climate can often be filled with criticism and judgement. This type of behavior is destructive and can hurt your self-confidence and mental well-being. Making sure to take breaks from online conversations and turn off notifications can help you to be more resilient when challenges arise.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to reach out to your support network and ask for help. This could be joining a professional organisation, or getting help from colleagues if you’re feeling overwhelmed or like you don’t have the right answers. It’s also important to remember that seeking professional support, such as a counsellor or therapist, is a sign of strength, not weakness. Remember too that feeling like an imposter is common among excellent dog trainers, and seeking help is a positive step towards addressing potential or current mental health issues.
In conclusion, resilience is a valuable quality for dog trainers and is key to staying motivated and growing as a professional. Taking an inventory of your stressors, creating an action plan, taking care of yourself and seeking support are helpful strategies for staying resilient. Remember that it’s ok to ask for help and know that you don’t always have to have all of the answers.
If you don't have my book, the dog professional's survival guide yet, it will really help you to cope in a world that can sometimes be tough.