I remember when I finally learned the word “sit.”

It was a huge accomplishment for me and my Mom.  She got really excited and I got a treat out of the deal.  Soon after, I committed a few more human words to memory.  Words like “down,” “come,” “over” and of course Mom’s absolute favorite, “potty.”

However, the road to learning these words was not an easy one.  Mom and I worked daily and it honestly used to wear me out.  I’d confuse “sit” with “over,” “drop” with “come,” and “no” with “potty.”  I used to tilt my head to the side while Mom was talking to see if that would make me understand her better.  And, it never did.  Even worse…

I could hear the dogs outside having the time of their lives, while I was stuck in the house trying to learn how to understand “human.”

You see, from the moment I was born I’ve been ambitious.  I’ve always strived to learn new things and achieve new goals.  It’s simply a part of my personality.  And, I love the feeling of accomplishment.  However, sometimes I’m working on achieving these goals by myself and it can get lonely.

Trying to learn these human words was no different.  I’d listen to the humans around me talking and wondered would I ever get to the point where I actually understood.  Mom would empathize with me, but she’s a human.  And although I know she loves me, she can’t understand what it’s like to be dog.

After a few weeks, Mom decided to sign me up for Puppy Kindergarten.  I was so excited when I arrived.  Not only was I going to learn, but I was also going to get the chance to talk to other dogs like me. And you know what?

These dogs understood exactly what I was going through.  And, I understood their struggles.  So, we supported and coached each other through it.  Every week we’d share stories, learn new words, give each other tricks, and even share a treat recipe or two.  Most importantly…

And after a few weeks with my new dog friends and a lot of hard work, I finally got those human words committed to memory.  Now if I could just learn how to fly an airplane like Snoopy, I’d be in business.

Dream chasers and goal diggers aren’t afraid to go after their ambitions.  However, the road to achieving those goals can get very lonely.  While your friends are out snapping photos and posting how much fun they’re having, you might be home practicing your craft.  F.O.M.O. is definitely real.

You may be up late at night while the world is sound asleep.  You may even find yourself frustrated trying to explain your vision to humans (and pups) that just don’t get it.  And unfortunately, loneliness can creep up on us without a moment’s notice.  So…

It’s best to develop a cure before it even arrives.  I’ve found that being understood helps  to avoid that lonely feeling.  Connect with people (or pups) who are working towards the same or similar goals as you.  That way you’ll be able to bounce ideas off on someone who “gets it.”

You won’t have to explain how you feel because that person (or pup) will already understand.  She’ll get your dreams, your frustrations, and your vision.  And that will empower you to keep pushing as you work to achieve your goal.

These Peppermint Pupcakes With Peanut Butter Frosting are dedicated to the beauty and comfort of being understood.

And of course, we believe that every pupcake has a love story.  So, while your favorite pup is PUPPY LOVIN’ on these pupcakes, we’d love to hear from you.

Have you ever felt lonely while working towards a goal?  How did you work to overcome it?

Please share your pupcake story in the box below.  Your story may help someone else cure their loneliness.

And, after you’ve tried this recipe please share it with us @pupcakesugar on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or all three.  We’d love to see how they turned out for you.

Ingredients

Peppermint Pupcakes

• ½ Cup Brown Rice Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2 Teaspoons Pure Peppermint Leaves
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ⅓ Cup Plain Yogurt
• 1 Egg

Peanut Butter Frosting

• ¼ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (unsalted with no added sugars)
• 3 Tablespoons Plain Yogurt

Instructions

Yields: 10 – 12Mini Pupcakes

For Peppermint Pupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 10 – 12 1.75-inch mini-muffin pan with paper bake cups and set aside.
2. In small bowl mix together, flour, baking powder and peppermint leaves. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl add olive oil, yogurt and egg. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients into the mixture and blend for approximately 2 minutes until well mixed.
5. Fill each cupcake liner with 1 tablespoon of pupcake mix.
6. Bake pupcakes for 12 minutes. Pupcakes are done when you can stick a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
7. Spread or pipe peanut butter frosting onto the pupcakes.

For Peanut Butter Frosting

1. In large mixing bowl beat peanut butter and yogurt together on medium speed. Mix until creamy.  Frosting should have the consistency of whipped cream.
2. Spread or pipe peanut butter frosting onto the pupcakes.

Notes

• This recipe is for a fun treat ONLY. It should not replace your dog’s regular meals.  Please consult with your vet on the best plan for your dog’s diet.