What inspires you?

Edited:  I wrote this way back in 2011, but never got around to publishing it. After reading it today, I've decided that although a few years have come and gone, we all still need motivation at times.  So here it is:

It's been a rough few months around here, just last week got a cast off my elbow that has really been inhibiting what I've been able to do with my own dogs, as well as my training dogs. Not able to work dogs with my left hand and having the same trouble with the right, just trying to stay away from surgery this time around.  It's easy to sit around the first couple of weeks, after all, there was a CAST on my arm, but it's off now, and I'm back to working dogs with my right hand.  Painful, but has to be done.

I know what a downer it can be when we aren't feeling 100%, it's raining cats and dogs all day, every day, and things just don't feel like they're working.  So what do you do when the motivation is waning, and you just have to find a way out of the doldrums?

 I try to do a few things here and there, working in particular on how to bring joy back into my life and my relationship with my training dogs.  After all, they don't care what's going on with me, do they?

One of the things I do is read about the fun other trainers are having with their dogs, and I get a  bit jealous. There, I've said it!  I want what they have, and it's all up to me to make it happen.

My dogs deserve it, my training dogs need and deserve it, and they shouldn't have to be denied the fun and joy we enjoy when we're working together.

 Using some fabulous games developed by several trainers I've been following, in particular Sarah Wilson, has kept me in the game.