muttsandmischief

There is a version of professionalism that looks generous. Responsive.Available.Always kind.Always accommodating. And in caring industries — especially dog behaviour, rescue, welfare, education — that version is quietly rewarded. You answer messages late at night.You respond to “quick questions” that take 40 minutes to write.You rewrite resources so they’re easier to understand.You absorb frustration when someone is overwhelmed.You soften your tone so nobody feels judged. You stay...

It’s not uncommon for me to see frustration when someone clicks on a blog and realises it sits behind a paywall. Sometimes that frustration turns into a refusal to pay — and the content is simply left unread. I understand where that reaction comes from. We’ve become very used to information being immediate, free, and endlessly available. At the same time, as a student and professional who regularly pays to access academic articles, journals, and the work of authors I value, I also understand...

People often assume that because you’re a professional, you must already have confidence. That you must be comfortable speaking. That you naturally “have a platform.” But something we don’t talk about enough is how hard it can be to use that platform when you are autistic, an individual with disabilities, have had difficult past experiences, and are used to shrinking yourself to fit into rooms that were never built with you in mind. Recently, I’ve been invited into spaces that have meant more...