Last year around this same time, I headed off for Wilderness First Aid training and certification. It was the first time I'd done any continuing education since graduating from college. And it was something that I really wanted to learn rather than something I was learning purely for career advancement. Without getting too "preachy" on you, I think everyone should take a class or sign up for some kind of continuing education in something that really interests them at some point in their lives. It's so rewarding.
With kids starting to get out of school this time of year, I began thinking about summer school and how when I was a kid, I always looked forward to signing up for something during summer. I know... I'm a little weird. But those summer classes were so much fun! I took classes in photography, sewing, cooking and all kinds of fun things that you normally don't get to do during the regular school year. I guess this kind of continuing education has always been a passion of mine.
Ever since my first aid training last year, I've been itching to do some more classes, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to focus on. The answer came to me a couple of months ago and I've spent a lot of time since then researching where to get this next phase of training and soul-searching to see how deeply I wanted to get into this area of study.
Today, I took the first step! And since I turned 40 today, I think it's a perfect time for me to dip my toes into the deep end and see where this takes me.
A few years ago I started an all-natural dog treat bakery business and last year I started this blog. Both of these passions were centered around creating a healthy life for my dog - through nutrition and exercise. If you don't already know by now, dogs are my LIFE! I can't imagine a life without dogs. And my recent stint working at an all-natural pet store sparked my interest in learning more about pet nutrition. I loved helping people choose the right food for their pets and learning about different diets and nutritional needs.
This summer I will be embarking on a journey - a 500-hour journey (according to the course syllabus) - that will most likely take me over a year to complete, but at the end of this trip I'll be a Certified Pet Nutritionist. And who knows where this new-found knowledge will take me.
The future is wide open.