As a dog owner, you probably spend a lot of time with your canine companion. The more time you spend with your dog, you sit there and think, “I wish I could know what you’re thinking” or “I wish I could talk to you.”

Good news — you can!

Many pet owners, my former self included, ignore the language of a dog’s tail and what it tells us. We all assume it just means they’re happy — happy to see us, play with us, be near us, etc. …

Ubisoft has captured the attention of all Assassin’s Creed fans with the reveal of the latest installment to the series: Valhalla. In the reveal trailer, fans watch a mighty Viking warrior leading his soldiers into battle against English troops during King Harold’s conquest of England.

While the trailer was visually spectacular, something didn’t quite sit right with me, and I imagine it left others feeling a bit off as well. Assassin’s Creed has always followed a protagonist who functions as an assassin, one who lurks in the shadows and strikes with lethal intent. Granted, recent installments of the series have open battles that are more in line with what a warrior would do. Still, their role in the story is malleable enough to allow for a fluid transition between being a warrior and an assassin due to the historical context. …

As humans, we often place a great deal of concern on our mental well being due to the impact it has on our overall performance. That said, have you ever given thought to the mental health of your dog?

In our role as pet owners, we make sure that our dogs:

• eat right
• are properly vaccinated
• are physically healthy

Dogs, being the living creatures that they are, also have their mental health that affects their performance. Behavioral patterns and problems that present themselves in dogs are often linked to their mental state.

Canines need the freedom to express their natural behavior. Drawing on instinct from their ancestors, dogs are creatures that are meant to roam and explore their surroundings, much like the wolves they descended from. Due to modern society, however, the space needed for canines to roam properly isn’t exactly easy to attain in most places. As pet caretakers, we must find substitutes that can keep our canine companions happy and stimulated. …

Let’s face it, we all have unproductive days, especially now that we’re stuck at home. But how many days of yours are unproductive? Once a week? Four times a week? Every day of the week?

If you feel yourself getting into a slump and becoming unproductive, it might be time to change things up.

1. Make Your Bed First Thing in the Morning

“If you wanna change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day.” — William McRaven, US Navy Admiral

For many years I never made my bed, I’d just leave it as is and head out for the day. It wasn’t until I heard the Admiral’s speech that I began to see what he was getting at. …

Back in December I got my first job out of college. It was a project coordinator role for a small start-up communications company and I loved working there.

Then came January: COVID-19 was making headlines after ripping through China, but I felt like an audience member at a UFC match who was watching the chaos unfold from the sidelines. There was no way this was going to impact me…right?

Unprepared and Blindsided, I fell into a Slump

March rolled around, the government started passing quarantine regulations and I lost my job. The company had to cut costs to survive, and I was left unemployed.

This was my first job out of college. The job that gave me a sense of worth after months of failure. …