Life lessons from a Donkey

If you know me, you’ll know I love Donkeys. Donkeys are, in my opinion, one of the best animals on the planet. They are curious, kind, hardworking, smart and completely lovable. And there is so much we as humans can learn from a Donkey’s approach and resilience.

I’ve broken down some of the core lessons here…

Strength is a mindset, not just physical

Donkeys are incredibly strong. They can pull twice their body weight and have lugged more than a few obese tourists up large cliffs. They can go further and carry more weight than a horse!

This is part to do with their physical make-up, but far more to do with their mental toughness. And they prove the saying “mind over matter”.

Take a leaf out of the Donkey’s book and strengthen your mind. Start believing you can do things and you’ll see a shift. There was a study published in the Journal of Neurophysiology where researchers found much of muscle strength was based on brain activity, rather than on muscle mass itself.

Think about the power of your mind when facing something seemingly unachievable. Donkey’s are living proof!

Hard work won’t kill you

We live in a society where everyone wants the shortcut to reaching their summit — diets for weight loss, get rich quick schemes, even mail order brides; removing the hard work of building a relationship. It winds me up a little.

Donkeys just get on with the job in hand and work as hard as they need to. They are the hardest working animal I can think of. Put yourself in a Donkey’s hooves for a day and consider trekking up and down the side of steep cliffs with heavy loads on your back (covering miles and miles a day). Then look at what you actually need to do to achieve your daily goals with no shortcuts. I am pretty sure whatever it is, it’s much easier than a Donkey’s life, so stop looking for a quick win and just get on with it.

Balance is crucial

Donkeys are incredibly smart and can assess terrain in front of them and the load on their back and ensure they plant themselves so as not to fall off balance; they instinctively understand the weight distribution of what they are carrying and how it affects their stride.They are very sure footed and recognise the importance of balance.

We all know we should live a life of balance, but many of us fail — me included — to assess the terrain ahead of us and make a plan so as not to tip the balance too heavily in one direction.

For example, I can spend far too much of my time sitting working, foregoing a walk or exercise because I’m busy, to the determent of my health. I haven’t taken the time to assess what’s ahead of me and ensure I distribute my load evenly to maintain life balance. I bet there are areas in your life where you can say the same.

Stand your ground when necessary

Whilst Donkeys are herbivores and incredibly loving. giving and loyal creatures, they will stand up for themselves if they are threatened — or those they are protecting are threatened. That’s where their kick comes in.

Whilst I am certainly not encouraging you to start kicking people, that is a behaviour to be left in the animal kingdom, I am suggesting you follow a Donkey’s lead. Try to be loving, giving and loyal, treat people with kindness and help where you are able, but do not let people walk over you or treat you badly. In these circumstances stand up for yourself. Metaphorically kick their behaviour to the curb and speak up.

Think independently

Stubborn, belligerent and difficult are all traits you may hear a Donkey has, but actually these characteristics are simply because Donkeys will not be forced into an action if they are not convinced.

These amazing animals will always consider their options before they do something, assessing whether it is what they want. They aren’t daft and they aren’t open to bribery either, if they sense danger or are unwilling to enter into a certain situation they will stand fast no matter what is tried. Hence their reputation for being stubborn.

Just like a Donkey you should always evaluate a situation for your self and make your choice, don’t be rushed into decisions and don’t ever be forced down a path you don’t want to go. Trust your instincts.

Be aware of your surroundings and don’t be afraid to change course

As highly intelligent creatures Donkeys can think and plan as they go. It is not unusual for a Donkey to recognise an obstacle along its path and change its route accordingly, even if this means taking a longer way around. They’re very adept at problem solving along their journey.

This is an incredibly useful skill to master in your own life. Rather than just ploughing on regardless, be curious of your surroundings and continue to learn and adapt as you go. Do not be afraid to change your path as you compile more information, if it will serve you better.

Until the next time — Hee Haw xx

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Originally published at https://moreology.blog on December 6, 2020.