What can we humans actually learn from animals? A fair question, don't you think? Animals are emotional creatures with central nervous systems that feel pleasure and pain just as we do. And even though we humans may be able to think in a more abstract and complex way, animals are still ahead of us in many ways.
So let's use this moment to philosophize about what lessons we can learn from the animal kingdom and use for our personal development! In this article, I present 10 things that I think we should learn from animals. Let's go!
1. align to joy of life
"All animals know it, except man, that the highest goal of life is joy."- Do you know this quote from the British writer Samuel Butler? Animals want to enjoy life to the full. This is certainly true for most people too. But between tax returns, business meetings and visits to the garage, we seem to forget this from time to time, leaving us stressed.
Animals only get progressively worse when they are deprived of the pursuit of vitality. For example, in the Factory farming to observe. Of course, we humans have to set priorities. But the Joie de vivre should always be high - This will also have a positive impact on all personal areas of life.
Tip: More inspiring Joy of Life Quotes can be found in the linked article!
2. being faithful
Jackass penguins, Seahorse and Elephants for example, are among the animal species that love each other forever. They are loyal to their partners for their entire lives. Among the typical pets, the dog certainly best describes the nature of a loyal animal. If you have a dog, then you know how loyal it is. He doesn't care what hairstyle you wear or what clothes you prefer. As long as you treat him lovingly and faithfully, he will return this loyalty and love to you! And he'll do so for the rest of his life. So just be the person your dog sees in you. These are values that we should learn from animals.
3. focus on the essentials
Animals simply do what they do best. When a cat hunts, it is absolutely focused and cannot be distracted. Maybe that's something we humans can learn from them.
In the world of animals, nothing has to be perfect! Let's just take pigeons as an example - there will always be someone who doesn't like them. But there will also always be someone who respects and likes them. And just like the pigeons, we humans would do well to focus on respectful and loving people.
4. keep together
A single ant may be tiny and maybe not sooo intelligent -. but collectively with many others of their kind it is huge and clever - and can achieve great things! Do you know people who say "I alone can't change anything anyway"? Perhaps it does these people incredible good to consider humanity as a collective - and not just themselves and their own little, tiny world. Very few animals reach their goal through selfish behavior - it is often only cohesion that makes them really strong.
Another example: A single wildebeest is also powerless against a hungry herd of lions. But even then, the cohesion of the wildebeest herd reduces the lions' chances of success. Can you think of any other examples of cohesion from the animal world?
5. allow yourself a good night's sleep
Admittedly, it takes a little effort to learn this lesson from animals. Did you know that Cats allow themselves between 12 and 16 hours of sleep per day?₁ Then they do what cats do, completely relaxed and unagitated. Jumping, chasing, eating, scratching and so on. For us busy humans, on the other hand, we tend to miss out on sleep. What's more, we sleep even worse because there are so many everyday things to keep us busy when we finally get some rest. More and above all Sleep betteris certainly something we can learn from animals.
6. regular learning
Crows for example, simply drop nuts on the road to be run over and cracked by cars. On crosswalks or at red lights! At the next green light, they watch the whole thing. At the next red light they eat. Animals are extremely adaptable and adaptive.₂ An important lesson from the animal kingdom for us humans. Because instead of grumbling about circumstances, we too should learning to make the best of it. As Gandhi said: you are the change you wish to see in this world.
7. stay calm
Whether cow, dog or domestic cat - when giving birth, playing ball or hunting, all muscles may be tense and the mind fully concentrated. But in the lives of all animals there is also plenty of time for complete relaxation and serenity. Animals can also live fully in the moment, focus on their zest for life and become one with their own actions. No matter what difficult days and situations may come - they enjoy the here and now. Quite meditative and spiritual, isn't it? But I'm sure you'll recognize the crucial aspect of this lesson from the animal kingdom.
8. find the right tempo
There's something else we can learn from animals! Animals go full throttle when it's appropriate. The cheetah when it is chasing the gazelle - and the gazelle when it is being chased. Once the hustle and bustle is over, they rest, eat and gather new energy. The wolf prefers to walk at a trot on man-made forest paths rather than run at full sprint through the densely overgrown forest. What I'm trying to say: Animals do not spend the whole day in absolute tension - but only the moments when it is appropriate.
Stress and a hectic pace can also be dangerous and even fatal for us humans in the long term. "Less is sometimes more" and minimalist thinking and acting, can therefore also be a lesson from the animal kingdom.
9. MAINTAIN CURIOSITY
Animals such as dogs, cats and pigs are extremely curious - not only when they are young, but also later in life. When they see, smell, hear, feel or taste something new, their curiosity is obvious. And if our dog is constantly fed the same food and walks the same routes when Walking marches, he is bored.
We humans, on the other hand, love consistency - Change tends to be difficult for us. This is also one of the main reasons why it takes so much patience to convince people to adopt an environmentally friendly, animal-friendly and sustainable life to inspire. I'm sure that it will also do each of us good to be able to enjoy ourselves more often. to think outside the boxto discover something new. Another lesson we can learn from animals.
10. show love & TRUST
Swans staytogether with the same partner for life and move into the same nest every year. Anyone who has a dog knows that they trust you 100 percent and are happy to return this trust to their owners. Animals need love and tenderness, just like us humans. Have you ever seen how a mother cow runs after her newborn calf when it is snatched from her in a factory farming facility immediately after birth? She runs for miles after her offspring - until she is finally prevented from doing so by a fence. This is unconditional love - and must leave behind an incredible emotional pain. Incidentally, that is also one of the reasons, why i live vegan.
Love and trust are the basis of peaceful coexistence of many animals. And that's how it should be with us humans, don't you think?
What can we learn from animals? So incredibly much!
This list of lessons from the animal kingdom is basically endless. Animals, for example, don't leave any garbage behind - they live completely naturally. All they leave behind are footprints in the sand. But what does the human footprint on this earth look like? We tend to live artificially. So consciously living naturally is certainly something we can learn from animals.
Maybe most animals don't think as complexly as we do - but in many ways they are still way ahead of us. But we are also capable of learning and can take the "animal lessons" to heart.
So, what have you learned from animals in your life? I am curious about your insights, experiences and stories!
Stay animal-friendly,
PS.: Do you already know the environmental problem of species extinction? In another post in the animal welfare blog I'll show you, what you can do yourself every day for more biodiversity.
References:
₁ Ein Herz für Tiere Media GmbH: How cats sleep and what they dream about (as at: 11.02.2021), available at https://t1p.de/sa4r. [01.03.2021].
₂ Thomas Willke: Schlaue Raben (as of: 1609.2008), available at https://www.wissenschaft.de/umwelt-natur/schlaue-raben-3. [01.03.2021].
