It is difficult to bring people to goodness with lessons, but it is easy to do so by example.

-Seneca

The time change has made me have to rearrange my schedule. In order to get Hooper walked before it gets dark, it's become the first thing I do when I get home. The old routine was to come home and get on my yoga mat, cook dinner, then walk the dog. That routine changed to yoga mat, dog walk, then dinner. Now it's walk the dog, yoga mat and then dinner. Routine changes are always hard for me and sometimes my yoga practice gets left off the list. But lately I feel like I've got the swing of this new routine.

I remember sitting in Misti's backyard not too long ago listening to my new friend Michael complain about not being able to get up early enough to do a meditation practice. I remember telling him that he should just do the practice before bed. At least that way his head would be clear and he'd be able to sleep better. I also remember thinking "Damn! I need to take my own advice!". I had been struggling with this very thing all year. I get where Michael was coming from. He said that he felt so much better if he started his day with meditation, but then felt guilty for not doing it at all. I can't tell you how many times I've found myself drifting around on the same guilt ocean.

These things are not things I have to do. I don't have to walk the dog or get on my yoga mat. They are things I want to do. Same goes with my meditation practice (which has found it's way back into the morning routine). These are all things I should never feel guilty for not doing. But what I suddenly realized while sitting in that backyard (Misti's backyard has powerful juju) was that these things I wanted to do didn't need to be done in a specific order. All that really mattered was that I did them. What I don't understand is why it took me so long to figure this out. I love my routine but I've learned to really love rearranging that routine.

Rearrange something today and love it. Happy Love Thursday!