Recently, I spent a delightful evening with some incredibly strong, beautiful, diverse, and interesting women, sharing laughter and random bits and pieces of ourselves over dinner, and it was one of those experiences that I'll remember forever, because it touched me on a soul level. I truly felt a sense of real, raw, and human connection with these women. Then, tonight, I spent the evening with some amazing coworkers, laughing and being ourselves, and it made me so...well...HAPPY. On the drive home, all I could think about was getting home so I could write to my heart's content. Writing--or doing ANYTHING meditative and from the heart--is so cathartic.
It's very easy to get caught up in the "if I only had this, I would be happy" syndrome, but I tend to forget that it's actually the things right in front of my nose that bring me the most joy. Not just a fleeting moment of giddiness, but the soul-filling, heart-warming, gut-wrenching, turn-me-inside-out kind of joy...the kind that envelopes you in a feeling of utter contentment that goes beyond descriptive words. All we have is the present...here and now...this moment. In this moment, if we could all just take a deep breath in and a deep breath out and then give thanks for that breath...for the life that fills our bodies and minds, for the people we love and who love us back, for the experiences and lessons we are blessed enough to be having and learning, for the little things that make us smile--like our favorite cup of coffee; the pink and blue hues of the sunrise on our drive to work; those people we encounter during our day who always have a laugh or a smile for us, even when we're feeling grumpy; the human beings and animals who offer us kindness and unconditional love when we need it most; the homes that shelter us; the food that nurtures us; the jobs that make us feel secure; or the laughter and camaraderie shared with our coworkers during a simple happy hour after work. These are just a few of the things that bring me joy--the list can go on and on. When we stop and think of all the things in our lives that we have to be grateful for instead of lamenting over our perceived lack, there is no room for worry, regret, or fear--there is only joy, peace, trust, love, hope, and contentment.
Of all the things that bring me joy, the most important are the ones that light my inner fire and fuel my passion. As many of you know, for me, one of those things is yoga. It has changed my life in earth-shattering ways, and it has caused me to look at life and my place in this world like I never have before. Yoga has brought me insight into "who I am," as well as compassion and understanding for the other human beings who co-exist with me on this planet. I'm not saying that everyone has to do yoga in order to be happy...what I AM saying is that each of us should find SOMETHING that makes our corks float...that special something that brings us complete joy and contentment. Maybe for you, that thing is gardening, painting, or cooking...or maybe it is taking care of your home and your beautiful children...or maybe it is being the best you can be in the job that you LOVE (note that "love" is key here)...or maybe it's scuba diving or kicking ass at restoring cars and teaching challenging students (shameless shout-out to my amazingly talented daughter and hubby here). The point is--finding what makes YOU tick and having the courage to express your truest, most authentic self is the doorway to happiness. When you can do that, you are golden, baby. The rest is icing on the cake.
Love like there is no tomorrow, dance like you are the only one in the room, laugh with wild abandon, be strange and weird and quirky and goofy and ORIGINAL, and be the best YOU that you can possibly be. The Universe doesn't make mistakes--don't forget that. There is only one unique and beautiful you. Find your joy, use your voice, express your authentic self, and remember to be open-minded, kind, and compassionate with others...for each of us is on a journey, and we are all just walking each other home.
I love you all...truly and deeply. "Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray."--Rumi
Love always,
Tammy
