I’ll [!fill!] when… You know the phrase. If you’re not guilty of using it yourself, you’ve at least heard it. I admit that I’m guilty as charged. I’ll quit my miserable job when I have enough money to buy my dream home. I’ll start going to yoga classes in the fall when the kids are in school and I have more time. We’ll try having a child when we’re married, own our dream house and have a nice cushion of savings. I’ll travel the world when… The possibilities are endless. I recently saw an anonymous quote that referred to this very point. By using this phrase, we’re basically saying ‘I’ll be happy when….’ We’re keeping ourselves from living our lives, of living lives of happiness.
What Are You Waiting For?
Last week I had a conversation over Skype with a dear friend in which this very point came up. We concluded that there is no perfect moment; there are no perfect circumstances. Too often we play the waiting game – waiting for just the right situation to make a move, waiting to have the perfect life so that only then we can start enjoying life. Yes, I’ve said it. Perfect. That word that we’re not supposed to say in yoga class because there is no perfect pose. That word that is loaded with parents’, teachers’, and society’s constructions and expectations. Well, if it’s not allowed on the yoga mat then it shouldn’t be allowed off the mat either. There is no perfect way to live life; there is no one perfect life.
If you’re like me, you’ve made an effort to be happy. You have made changes to be happy now. I sure have. I’ve even made some big changes. I quit my office job in finance for a freelance career. I moved to Easter Island and began teaching yoga. And yet, I too still catch myself saying, “I’ll [!fill!] when…” Just as yoga is a life-long practice, so too is living to be happy. So what do we do when we get off track? Well, what do you do when you lose your balance in Tree pose? You return your focus to your breath, ground your base foot, find your drishti and try again. The process is the same in your practice of life.
Now Is The Time!
So friends, I’m here to remind you (and myself!) that now is the time. This is your moment. If you’ve thought it over, weighed your options, slept on it and still find yourself coming back to the idea, then your heart and mind are telling you to follow your gut. So, take a deep breath (in fact, inhale and exhale evenly and smoothly at least three times) and start living your life now. Practice living happiness.
In fact, I’m going to do this with you. How long now have I wanted to participate in the blogging world and admit that I have insight, perspective and experiences that I want to share? So, here I go…
Inhale, pause, exhale.
Inhale, pause, exhale.
Inhale, pause, exhale.
Press “Submit article”.
Now it’s your turn. What are you going to do today to start living your life of happiness?
