We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Grace Wagenveld a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Grace, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
For a long time I thought that a person’s purpose was defined by the job they had or a massively good deed they did in their life. As a child and even a young adult, I didn’t realize that just living life to the fullest was a purpose in itself. I constantly felt like I was still chasing something, almost unattainable. Was I truly going to go through life without finding my dream career or making an impact in some way? What was my purpose?
It was around the time that I became a Mom that the pieces started to fall into place. I was focused on providing a healthy, adventurous, safe, and exciting life for my son. Simultaneously, I began to just live and gained confidence and started to jump at opportunities that were in front of me. I learned to trust my process. I began to understand that each part of my life has meaning and is part of what forms who I am. I eventually came to realize that our purpose can change as we make our way through life. We go through different phases, relationships, jobs, and life events that help mold our life. It turns out I’ve been fortunate enough to have found different purposes throughout my life so far: A babysitter, a student, an athlete, a mentor, a daughter, a coach, a traveler, an educator, an artist, a partner, a house cleaner, an entrepreneur, a manager, a caretaker, a Mom, and a dog trainer!
It helps to have a support system, even if it’s just one person at the time. Self-care and taking the time to reflect are essential. Getting to know yourself and most of all loving yourself for who you are (flaws & all) can help you understand your strengths, likes, dislikes, and values. I also think having people to look up to and to learn from can be inspiring. It’s also important to have an understanding that purposes will come and go, some are meant to be seasons.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Sometimes I find myself feeling like I’m late or behind professionally. When 18 year-olds go off to college, they’re expected to pick an area of study and make a lifelong career out of it. I’ve always felt that it’s not fair to expect young adults to choose so quickly and before truly getting out into the world. Some kids have never left their hometown, or haven’t been exposed to diversity, or gotten the chance to discover who they are outside of their bubble. I knew there was more out there, I was so curious to get out into the world and discover cultures, language, traditions, and new understandings. Also, it’s always been hard for me to sit still, literally and figuratively. Due to my ADHD, I’ve always struggled with the idea of possibly being stuck in an office chair and not having more time for my loved ones or my curiosity of the world. So instead, I’ve always just gone with the flow and worked random jobs. Childcare, teaching, caretaking, construction, painting, agriculture, data analysis, event planning, cleaning, food delivery, and more! I still hadn’t found something that caught my attention long enough to become a career or long-term position. A couple of years ago when I was living in Mexico, someone I knew suggested I look into dog training as a job. They noted that I had trained my own pack and had a knack for connecting with dogs. Before I knew it, I decided to jump into the world of dog training and even got the crazy idea to start my own business.
In August of 2023, I started my dog training business, Anything is Pawsible. I’m really proud of the work that I put in to create my own business, and the dedication it takes daily to keep it afloat. It was an interesting journey starting this business. My marriage was ending, I was juggling becoming a single parent, and I really wanted work that let me tap into my creativity, studies, and experiences in life so far. Most of all, one that I could make a living off of and would have the opportunity to grow professionally.
Everyday with my job is an adventure! I thrive on the excitement of each unique client case, where no two days are ever the same. Each dog and family bring their own stories, dynamics, and learning processes; making my work incredibly fulfilling and never boring.
I especially adore working with rescues. There’s nothing like a good rescue story! The kind where there are insurmountable challenges or the odds seem to be against their favor. I know exactly what it feels like to be discarded, left for chance, and not knowing what your future could entail. I am a “rescue,” I’m adopted! I was left by a ravine in Honduras when I was just 3 months old. My future was in the hands of fate, or destiny. I eventually was adopted by my parents and grew up in Philly. With their love, consistency, and dedication I ended up having a wonderful upbringing. Naturally, I’ve always had a soft spot for working with and/or rescuing dogs and seeing them find the loving home and chance they deserve. Through training, we are able to give dogs a chance at having a positive, confident, exciting, and loving future.
I say that anything is possible because of the approach to training I use. It’s absolutely all positive reinforcement: Treats, toys, nose work, sticks, physical love, verbal affirmations, & more. My goal is to set my clients up for success in their daily lives. Every situation should be a learning opportunity for both the human and their dog. In all of my courses clients learn to understand their dog’s energy, communicate effectively, reciprocate respect, read dog’s body language, proper socialization, and master obedience skills. We achieve all of this with consistency, patience, and love.
I love watching the transformation in my people clients throughout their course. I watch their confidence grow, the communication with their dog improve, their respect for dogs emotional intelligence broaden, and I witness their lifestyle improve in remarkable ways. As for the dogs, I sometimes receive cases where the dog is essentially scared shitless of life. They have reached a point where they feel cornered and don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. To some, they feel their only option is to defend and keep all possible threats at bay. For others, they hide and run from anything and everything. Fight or flight. Humans have the ability to communicate more broadly with our capability for languages and complex thinking. That makes us great therapists, teachers, and guides for dogs. Unfortunately, dogs can’t talk and tell us how they feel or what they’ve been through. Instead, we are left to hypothesize based on body language, triggers, and responses. To me, that’s the fun in dog training! The puzzle, arranging all the pieces of the particular case and finding ways to help give that dog a new lease on life. Again, my goal with every client is to set them up for success in their daily lives so they can have a bright future. That’s what I mean by ‘anything is possible.’ Please don’t take that out of context thinking I mean any dog can become a working dog or something along those lines. I mean, every dog can eventually achieve feeling confident, calm, and in-love with life again. It’s fulfilling to see the positive changes unfold and how they enhance the quality of life for both the dogs and their families.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Curiosity
I learned to trust my process, which involved embracing my ADHD and discovering the positivity and strength within it. My constant curiosity for life has fueled countless adventures and experiences. I’m proud to say that this curiosity has opened doors to incredible opportunities allowing me to immerse myself in diverse cultures, jobs, relationships, and educational paths. It’s exciting to know that all of those moments have helped shape who I am and have led me to where I am now. I continue to embrace my curiosity and now get to share that with my son as he finds his purposes in life too. I also find joy in exploring the curiosity in my dogs. Their curiosity is led by their nose, interests, and instincts and has been a constant learning opportunity and chance for more adventures too.
2. Social justice
One of the absolute most awesome impacts my parents and our village had on me was their focus and dedication towards social justice. As a child, my Dad used to bring me to paint over graffiti in the city. My Mom is deeply rooted in educational opportunities for all . Together and with our inspiring community, they taught my sister and I that it’s important to stand up for our beliefs, the rights of others, and to make good trouble. I’ve studied and experienced social justice movements and history in Philadelphia, New York, Kenya, Honduras, and Mexico. I’ve always known that my professional purpose would somehow be rooted in social justice.
Remember, dogs can’t talk, they don’t have a voice or way of saying they deserve rights, proper care, and respect. It’s up to us, the humans. Dogs need more advocacy on a global scale. One effective way to support them is by demonstrating that they can be rehabilitated and trained to be wonderful pets and sometimes even working animals. By showcasing their emotional intelligence and capabilities, we can help promote their rights and enhance a better understanding of their potential.
3. Perseverance
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in life is the importance of perseverance. I’ve faced emotional and physical setbacks, but my determination to get back out there has always been strong. Life is full of changes, endings, and unexpected twists; that’s just the way it is. Sometimes, the hardest part is finding the motivation to get back up again. I’ve come to understand that it’s perfectly okay to try again, take a different approach, or to even start over. Even with a thriving business, I consistently take the time to assess what’s working and what needs adjustment. I’m always willing to adapt my business to best support those in need, even if it differs from my original vision. Perseverance is essential for running a successful business; it sharpens your focus, promotes growth, and demands the flexibility to embrace change.
Technically once we are born, we have started our journey to discovering our different purposes in life. If you have found yourself questioning your purpose in life, it means you’re curious about getting to know yourself more. I love that for you! Curiosity can be as simple as learning to cook a new dinner, reading, taking a class, people watching in the park, and beginning self-reflection. Curiosity is just wanting to understand or know more about something. Social justice movements are all around us. It’s the elephant in the room. Literally every person can think of something they care about and think is worth standing up for. There are so many ways to get involved which is awesome for people with different comfort levels. Reading, keeping up with recent events, local community events, social media advocacy, protesting, writing, and more! Keep at it! You got this! The tough days eventually can remind us of what we are capable of and our boundaries. It’s okay to feel all the feels and be uncertain, but once you’re ready, fix that crown and continue on. Baby steps! Not everything needs to be done in strides. Give yourself grace, prioritize rest, and remember to have fun too. Persevere, ¡Si se puede!
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal human client is someone who loves their dog enough that they are interested in expanding their knowledge on understanding and taking care of them. That’s it. Someone who is eager to learn, sometimes able to humble themselves, excited for a challenge, and ready to commit to the course. I would love more children clients. I just had a family with a kid train with me. He did incredible! I’d love to see families include their kids more, because they are just as capable, if not more, at connecting and working with their dogs.
My ideal dog client is literally any dog. I obviously adore dogs, so I’m always excited to meet whoever my next client is! I get pups who are naturally fast and keen learners. It’s exciting to train through commands and to achieve new levels with them. They love finding more purpose to their life too. I also work with dogs who are severely struggling. They need steadfast commitment, unwavering patience, and lots of consistency. They’re always worth it. Once they start shedding the fear and/ or aggression, their metamorphosis is a sight to behold.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://anythingispawsible.online
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anythingis.pawsible
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dogpawsible
Image Credits
Edo Vignani – PAWS 18th Annual Mutt Strutt
Alex Albers
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