Good morning everybody! It's Tiki here again, sharing a lesson I learned this week. You see, this weekend I got to spend lots of extra quality time with my doggie-cousin, Koda, while my mommy was out of town.

As you probably know, I am very comfortable with my daily routine of begging for treats, going for walks, begging for more treats, playing at the studio, eating dinner, and then begging for more treats. Koda, however, is a big Golden Lab and has her own routine that she is used to and completely different ideas of how to play. At first, this made me really uncomfortable: it was new and different, and it challenged the way I was used to thinking about things. But instead of resisting her new games and insisting that my way was the only way, I decided to be a little more open to her viewpoints. I took the time to quiet my mind so that I wouldn't be following my old habit patterns of reacting to proposed changed with fear and judgment, and I really listened to her ideas. And guess what, I had a blast! We chased each other around in circles and played for hours. I even got to walk to one of Koda's favorite parks that I hadn't been to before (and Koda's unexpected leap into the fountain made this my most entertaining trip to the park ever!). Adding these new tricks to my repertoire really enriched my doggie-life. If I had decided to close my mind and heart and rigidly adhere to my own routine, I would have missed out on lots of opportunities for fun.

So this week, when someone challenges the status quo and offers a different viewpoint, instead of automatically resisting the change, be grateful for this opportunity. Even though change may feel uncomfortable, that message they have for you could be the inspiration that leads you to your own entertaining park visit! Their perspective may help you to look at things in a slightly different way that will open up doors you hadn't even dreamt of before. Go out there and be open to all the possibilities - it's so exciting to see where they will lead!

Namaste,
Tiki

Are You Livin' the Moment?
from Dave Romanelli

I invite you to take the following 30 seconds to determine your ability to Live in the Moment:

On January 12, 2007, the Washington Post conducted a fascinating experimenting. Famous violinist Joshua Bell was positioned in a DC subway stop during rush hour. He was performing a beautiful composition by Bach on his $3.5 million antique Stradivari violin. The hidden cameras watched 1,097 people hurry by Joshua Bell on their way to work. Only 7 people took the time to stop and listen. Mind you, Joshua Bell fills the most famous auditoriums all over the world. People pay hundreds of dollars to watch him perform. So my question to you: would you have stopped to listen? I'll be honest. I'm not sure I would have. And therein lies the question: If the vast majority of us wouldn't stop for Joshua Bell, what else in life are we missing?

In my book Yeah Dave's Guide to Livin' the Moment and in my workshop taking place at Joy Yoga September 25 and 26 (visit here to view the juicy details), I'll share with you some ideas, skills, and thoughts on taking time to overcome the maddening velocity of life and on learning to live in the moment. You won't be sitting and listening to me, but rather enjoying a flowing vinyasa yoga class set to great music (ranging Sinatra to Sublime) followed by a feast of fine wines and exotic Vosges chocolates. The idea being that everyday of your life, if you can experience 1 beautiful moment, 1 funny moment, and 1 delicious moment, you'll begin to create moments and memories in days that otherwise fly by faster than a sorority girl running through a men's county jail on a Saturday night. In these challenging times, it would be as easy to skip my workshop as it would have been to walk right by Joshua Bell. Is that the life you want to live? Let's not let the days slip through our fingertips. As Robin Sharma said, "Life is just a series of moments. If you miss the moments you miss your life."

Namaste,

David Romanelli
www.yeahdave.com