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I came upon this quote earlier today over my Venti iced coffee as i was preparing to teach.  At first, it sounds pretty basic.... i mean, we've heard it a million times: "follow your heart!".  it's not exactly an earth-shattering revelation.  BUT.... maybe..... it could be.  Maybe Confucius did not intend this advice to be applied only to the broad spectrum of our careers and life journeys.  MAYBE.... he meant it to apply to every individual day. or even.... every individual moment.

Like most of us, I sometimes get swept up in the big picture.  The grand plan.  In that respect, I ABSOLUTELY lead with my heart (sometimes, even at the expense of my head).  I mean, 5 years ago I picked up my life in NYC, packed it in one suitcase, and moved it all the way across the country to LA with no job, no family, and no idea what was in store.  nothing but faith.  I'd say that qualifies as leading with the heart.  BUT.... what about every day tasks?  what about grocery shopping.  or looking for parking?  When i'm doing laundry.... am i doing laundry "with all my heart"? Well... maybe not.  but WHY not?  aren't we reminded in every yoga class to be present in THIS moment?  if so, wouldn't it be wise, and maybe even make life a bit more joyful, if we DID do laundry, and buy groceries, and find parking with all our heart?  Every moment we have is a truly special gift.  i mean let's face it.  all we have to do is turn on the News for 5 minutes to be reminded of how fragile & precarious life is.  and so MUCH of life is spent doing what might be considered menial, or mundane tasks. brushing our teeth, doing the dishes, getting dressed, running errands. but what if they weren't mundane?  what if we made a conscious effort to make those moments count just as richly as any other?

If we really want to make the most of the time we have, we won't wait until the weekend, or our vacation, or the fulfillment of all our hopes and dreams, to be happy.  we will create our own happiness NOW, by placing great value on these everyday tasks.  perhaps we can shift our view.  after all.... "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".  what if.... we could make grocery shopping a reminder of how fortunate we are to be able to put food on the table.  what if brushing our teeth was not just "brushing our teeth", but rather, a commitment to longevity & wellness in the body. and so on....

so today, maybe make an intention to take the sage advice of Confucius, and "wherever you go, go with all your heart".  Even if, where you're going..... is the laundromat.