Yoga + Food + Fun + Blog = New Project

There are so many things in our lives that require regular maintenance.  As I let Trooper out yesterday morning, my sense of neatness was assaulted by cobwebs on the front porch by the door.  If I spent only five minutes per day keeping this up, it would stay looking great, my mind said.  I've heard the same about weeding -- only five minutes per day will keep a weed-free garden.  I'm not so sure.  What if we took those few minutes per day for each and every thing that required a little touch up here, a little freshening up there -- the cobwebs, the weeds, the dust, flossing our teeth?  I'm almost certain it would occupy my entire day.  Not that any of these things are more or less worthy of our time and attention than others, but it's no wonder we don't have any time to effect significant growth in our lives.

So how do we decide what gets our attention and energy, and what we're willing to just live with, addressing once in a while?  Because, let's face it, we can't do it all, no matter how much we might want to.  I'll admit it...I'm no longer interested in trying.  Martha Stewart, I am not.  A weed here, a cobweb there are now just a part of my daily landscape.  We all have that choice.  Our days our precious and I want my days -- what occupies them -- to matter.  I don't want them to be filled with endless five minute chunks of keeping something up that is inevitably changing, that by definition I physically can't stay on top of.  We don't need to do everything...we just need to be clear about what we want.

Hence, my projects. It's simply a way I've found to focus my intention on what's important to me, now. I like to think it keeps me current and relevent in the living of my life.

In terms of my new project, I ask myself the big question: What's important to me now?  Sometimes, I think it's easier to come up with what we don't want, rather than what we do -- I don't want to fill my days with mindless busyness.  Perhaps that's a start.  Taking it a step further then, what do I want my days to be filled with?

It gets me wondering...what if I consider this new adventure from a different perspective -- one of abundance rather than one of lack?  Instead of thinking about life as a set of rules or boundaries, as a series of things I need to stay away from or work harder at, or how my life would or should look if everything fell into perfect alignment, why not focus on what I want to experience?  And let the how unfold from there...

That being said, I want to experience:

• a strong and healthy body, mind & spirit that are peaceful, vital and energetic.
• joy preparing meals that nurture myself and others.
• heartful and joyful connection with those I love and care about.
• a creative outlet that is a positive force for growth and change for myself and others.

As with the beginning of my meditation project, what full shape this takes is anyone's guess.  Leaving space for the "how" is half the fun...//