I take a lot of life cues from my cat, Bhakti. I know that may sound absurd but hang in here with me for a moment.

I encourage my personal training clients all the time to watch their pets: cat, dog, ferret, whatever. Watch how they move. It’s instinctual and free form. They never ponder if they should stretch or move, they just go with what feels right. And let’s be honest, there is something super funny about dogs in downward facing dog. (Currently, the yogis are laughing and the others are rolling their eyes.)

But animals are equally wise when it comes to wanting to be out, to be free. Early last week, Bhakti got out when I opened the door to water the plants and soon she was running all over the yard like a jackrabbit. I decided to just let her run while I watered the plants. Before long she burned up all her extra kitty energy and took a break under a pine tree. Instead of trying to force her into the house, because it’s silly to attempt to exert your will upon a cat, I decided to go with it. I took a bunch of photos of her and just sat in the grass until she decided she was done.

And when she came back in the house, she laid down with an air of calm and peace that was visible and palpable.

I thought, why don’t I do that more often? Just go outside without any agenda other than to be out, to break out?

It’s easy to get so caught up in the routine of life that we think we have to do things a certain way — and we start to believe it. What if we break out of our routine? What if we break out of this mold we’ve created for our life?

What if you simply walked into a nail salon unannounced and got your nails done? What if you sang really loud in the shower? What if you let someone else make the plans for dinner and if they didn’t follow through you just ate cereal and let it be.

What if you BROKE OUT of the rhythm that may be familiar but is also keeping you stuck?

Maybe if we all let the disorganized, childlike, fully-in-the-moment side of ourselves out to play once in a while we’d be a little freer?

I was sitting at a traffic light on Friday night, it was top down, doors off, windows open kind of weather. The guy in the car next to me was singing along to the radio. It was a song I knew well and as it headed to the chorus he got louder. A smile came across my face and a giggle started to rise. I wasn’t laughing at him, I was enjoying his enthusiasm.

If you gave yourself a little freedom and broke out of the routine, what would you do? Here’s your permission slip.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,
Lowi & G