The Unexpected Start to 2025: Lessons from the Flu and Fire

I kicked off 2025 with big hopes and plans—a fresh year to chase personal and professional goals. Instead, I got hit with the worst flu of my life. I call it my "flu-blackout."

Amidst fever dreams and endless tissues, I woke up to the news that LA was on fire. My Instagram feed turned into a dystopian slideshow of burning homes, distressed wildlife, and apocalyptic skies. I wanted to post dog training content, but inspiration? Nowhere to be found.

This flu has been relentless. It forced me to rest far longer than I’d like, reschedule sessions and sales calls, miss my friend's engagement party, and feel out of breath just walking to the kitchen. My sleep was wrecked by incessant coughing and hot flashes, leaving me drained.

I haven’t felt well enough to go to the gym (my happy place), see friends, or even give my dog Sadie the care she deserves. Asking for help—something I absolutely hate—became non-negotiable. Sadie seemed more disconnected from me, which only compounded my guilt. The holidays had already unraveled my routine, and this flu became the cherry on top.

Doom-scrolling wildfire updates and watching animals flee their burning habitats didn’t help me reclaim my creative mojo. Instead, I felt overwhelmed by a relentless "should" monster: “You should be posting. You should be productive. You should be better.” It left me exhausted and deflated.

When the “should” monster strikes, I usually fight back with self-care—going to the gym, eating well, tidying up, and tackling my to-do list. But sometimes, no self-care recipe can cure the chaos. Sometimes, you just have to sit with the discomfort. No amount of yoga or green smoothies will undo homes being burned to the ground. 

This rocky start to the year has been a stark reminder of how terrible it feels when your needs go unmet:

• When you don’t feel well physically.
• When you feel isolated socially.
• When you feel emotionally drained or unsafe.

And then it struck me—this must be how our dogs feel when their needs aren’t met. They live in a world that wasn’t designed for them. A world where routines change, environments overwhelm, and their voices often go unheard. No wonder they sometimes seem anxious, disconnected, or overwhelmed.

This start to 2025 has reminded me of something I often teach my clients: it’s okay to struggle. Whether you’re a human or a dog, unmet needs can leave us feeling unmoored. But when we recognize what’s missing, we can start to rebuild—step by step.

So, here’s to the imperfect start of 2025. A reminder that resilience isn’t about avoiding struggles, but learning to navigate through them the best we can. My heart goes out to those impacted by the fires, and my thoughts are with all of us striving to rebuild amidst the chaos, one step at a time.