Life's Lessons from a Mini Mule

What's the secret to life? Love, bananas, friends, excitement, trust or adventure?  Sometimes you humans need a little gentle nudging so here is Dr Mini's lessons in life, hopefully some of these will ring a bell with you my muleteer friends :-)

No matter what others say you are always the biggest and best in the world!

In case you hadn't noticed I am a giant in the world, the biggest, the best and most definitely No. 1 (just ask FH!).  Let me tell you muleteers if you don't believe in yourself then why should anyone else?  I may be on the small side but I can promise you I have a heart the size of an elephant and will take on challenges much bigger than my diminutive size would suggest.  When you walk in the room make sure you are silently confident that you are the biggest, best and worth every moment of someone's time.





Trust a few but trust a lot

This has been a big problem for me muleteers, I have been let down in the past but wow it can be great when you learn to trust.  Be careful in your choices but let those trustworthy few in and trust them with anything.  Life is so much nicer when you have someone to scratch your itchy bits, have someone to hold your hoof when the mule doctor comes and to just sit and be with :-)

When you've found your few treat them well and try not to test their trust too much!












Face your fears head on, don't turn your back and run

Us mules do not believe in facing our fears with our backs turned or running the other way.  We will always face our fears head on.  If you can see and control your fears then you have a much better chance of fighting your demons.  This mini mule will never turn his back on something scary, I want it just where I can see it and then I'll think carefully about how to deal with things.  I've seen you humans avoid the very thing that frightens you, how will it ever get any better?  So confront that fear, ears forward, dog defenders at the ready and remember you are the biggest and the best!









Even when you have no chance of success you should still try

I will never be an olympic athlete just as FH will never be an award winning singer, but we'll both give it a go!  She'll sing at the top of her lungs whilst doing the chores and I'll prance beautifully up the lane. If you don't try you'll never know?  Regrets are so much worse than failure, at least you should try muleteers. FH recently had a go at something that she knew was never gonna happen but hey she enjoyed trying and can now 'put it to bed', it's worth a try, trust me on this :-)

My application for 'King of the Universe' was turned down but hey it was worth a try, maybe next time?!

Choose your friends carefully and look after those you choose

When it comes to friends muleteers what's important is quality rather than quantity.  Have those friends that just being with is enough, you know the ones that you just 'get' and who you enjoy being with, simple! When you find those friends make sure you look after them, you never know when you might need them.

Some friends with come and go and some will always be there; they are all important and have different places in your life, I've had many friends who have been with me for a little while only but I treated them well while our lives were on the same path.  Take time to make new friends too muleteers, new friends add a new dimension to your life!

Sometimes those that are different add the most to your life

On the subject of friends, always appreciate different.  Once upon a time I detested all felines but I was really wrong.  Now I have Catanian.  We can all learn from those that are different to us, they can sometimes be the bestest of friends, what is it they say opposites attract?  FHs best friend lives in the big city, has no interest in long ears or mud but this makes no difference or all the difference depending on which way you look at it!

Whatever you are faced with - always maintain your sense of humour

In the words of a very wise human - always look on the bright side of life!  Life is far too short and precious to take too seriously.  Making others laugh or laughing yourself is one of the best pleasures in life!  Us mules definitely believe in the power of laughter, when FH needs it we'll cover her in mud, leap on her shoulder (if you're Catanian), sit on her lap, snort on her cleanest trousers or buck and cavort until she cracks a grin! Problem, generally solved ;-)

Have patience with those that are learning

We all have to start somewhere surely?  Have you ever driven really close behind a learner driver, swished your tail angrily at the cashier in the shop because they don't know how to work the card machine or stomped your feet because the pedicurist is a little bit on the slow side?

Having been the learner surely we should all be able to behave as the 'learned' and give these new starters a little bit of a helping hoof?  Remember that first pedicure, that first drive, the first ride on the road, the first time you had to strike out in the big world, wasn't it good if people were nice to you?  Patience, it's one of the best traits you can have!

Life doesn't have to be 'perfect' to be perfect


You humans are obsessed with perfection!  Everything must be just so, the floor must be swept, the lawn must be manicured, your hair must be perfect (hmmm FH hasn't heard of this!), your job must be perfect, your home must be perfect.... you get the idea muleteers?  What ever happened to good enough?  Although you should always strive for more there is no shame in good enough sometimes.  Although I myself am perfect my mule home is a little lopsided, my paddock could be bigger and by January will be mostly mud, my rug is a little brown and has a few holes in it, my legs are a little on the short side and I have a less than perfect hairdo but then perfection is what you make it.  Perfection is a simple hug, the sunshine peeking through the clouds, making a little difference every day and being true to who you are.




Never pass up the opportunity to take a stroll with a friend

Never pass up on opportunities Muleteers, one day it will be the last walk, the last kiss, the last hug or the last neighbray, make every one count and don't 'sit life out'.

Take time out to be alone and reflect on life 

I love to be in the thick of it, checking out what everyone's up to but I also know a little secret.  Sometimes it's just great to be on your own.

Eat well and play with your food at every opportunity!

Food is the BEST!  Forget whatever your parents told you!  Eat, play and enjoy!  Food was given to us all to be happy, if you're like me you can never get enough but guess it's best not to be too greedy.... although I would really like some more!

Live for today

Yesterday, tomorrow, the future, the past, next week, someday, never, whenever..... gosh I'm not surprised you humans are so busy, you're always thinking about what's been and gone and what may or may not arrive.  Us non-human animals have a definite advantage to you lot, we don't do dwelling, regretting, worrying about yesterday or planning for tomorrow and the day after, we just get on with what the day brings and it feels good.  Today it was wet, it felt good on my coat so I bucked and kicked and squealed - what a great day!

Trust your instincts

Mules are great judges of character (even if we do say so!).  We have a sixth sense, we can read people like a book because we have a sixth sense that you humans seem to have lost.  It's still there though, if it doesn't feel right don't do it and if that person doesn't feel right they probably aren't.  Trust your gut instinct and stop making excuses!

Be happy in your own skin

This is the most important one Muleteers, until you have this lesson learned life will be difficult.  This needs no explanation, I hope you get there - Dr Mini xx