I believe that delight is our true nature.
Our busy, hurried, always-on-the-go lives leave us fried, frazzled, treating ourselves harshly, and reacting to our dear ones out of stress and fear instead of responding with love. It squeezes the delight right out of us. We close ourselves off from having eyes to see what is precious, beautiful, and delight-filled RIGHT HERE in our daily lives.
But we can change that.
There is a moment in every day when we can choose to pause and ask,
“What delights my heart, right now?”Â
In this moment, this breath.
I believe that in every moment, there is always something, one little delight, that our hearts long for us to notice and savor.
What happens when we pause and ask, “What delights my heart, right now?
We exhale deeply. The muscles in our eyes, mouth, jaw, and shoulders relax. Our hearts lift up and open, from the back of the heart. We reconnect to what is most important. We choose to connect instead of disconnect, allow rather than resist, have compassion instead of acting harshly. We soften. We feel empowered. We wake up and live with a deep sense of liberation.
I believe that our world needs more folks who find delight in this very moment, this very breath, without changing anyone or anything. Just opening the heart to what is ALREADY HERE for our delight.
I believe that when we create the habit of listening to and following what delights our heart, watch out world!
~Â A true happiness takes up residence in our souls and begs us to share it with the world.Â
~Â Our very presence has the power to inspire others.
~Â Our delight naturally flows into our relationships at home and in this world.Â
~Â We transform our everyday lives and we inspire others to do the same. Â
~Â We transform suffering and manifest change in all of our relationships by our very presence and simple acts of compassion.
Introducing the Daily Delight Project
To transform my day, transform my heart, transform my relationships…and inspire others to do the same — I am starting the Daily Delight Project.
Every day, I am embracing a posture of noticing what delights my heart.Â
I’m pausing.
Softening my eyes.
Opening my heart.
Exhaling.
Stilling my body and brain and life for a moment and asking,
“What delights my heart right now?”
And I’m savoring it.
Whether it’s for a moment that lasts 20 seconds or 20 minutes. Whether it’s in the midst of the daily chaos of crumbs on the kitchen floor (or worse!), dog poop on my shoe, a deep hurt between me and a dear one or I’m doing salsa at Zumba, laying on the beach of Costa Rica (soon to happen!) or snuggling with my kiddos and husband on the couch. Whether it’s “easy” and obvious, or I have to soften even more and open even more — I am asking the question on a daily basis, “What delights my heart.”
For six months. From June 24, 2013 to December 24, 2013.Â
Asking the question at least once a day, “What delights my heart right now?”
Savoring it and sharing it.
A picture, a poem, a blog post, a story. On this blog, on the Barefoot Barn’s Facebook page and Twitter. . Follow along!
Want to join me?! I’d love it!
Feel inspired? Join in! Ask yourself every day, “What delights my heart right now?” And listen. Listen, soften, open, and savor. Share a picture of what delighted you on Tuesday morning, or a rainy Thursday afternoon, or a lonely Monday morning. Share a quote, a line from a poem, a story from your daily life. We’ll need each other to keep coming back again and again to cultivating a posture of Daily Delight.
I know that noticing what delights your heart will change how you go about your day, what you choose to put your attention into, and how you see your own self, your dear ones, and the world around you.
~Â Check out this blog post: 5 Ways to Follow What Delights Your Heart to get you started!
Lisa A. McCrohan
MA, LCSW-C, RYT
Compassion Coach
** Thank you for being a part of the Barefoot Barn community. “Follow what delights your heart and you’ll inspire the world!” I work with folks who want to live with more delight, compassion, and connection in their everyday lives. Over the phone, skype, or in person, I offer mindful and compassion coaching. I am also a body-centered psychotherapist and yoga teacher offering individual sessions and group workshops and retreats. Check out my work here. Â Find inspiration here at the Barefoot Barn Facebook page and on Twitter.
[av_sidebar widget_area=’End of Blog Post Subscribe’]
Blessings,
This is awesome and inspired. I already practice this, but I don’t do it every day. I generally ask myself in the morning 2 questions:
1. If I could do anything I wanted today, what would I do?
2. If I could go anywhere, money being no object, where would I go?
Sometimes I am actually stumped for an answer on # 1 because I’m getting to be so okay with doing nothing, I can’t think of anything else I would want to do.
I hope you get a lot of people to sign on for this because I do believe it will be transformational on a personal level. I also think the benefits of doing a daily delight project will spill over onto those we come in contact with. Something happens when we follow the delight of our heart. 🙂
Ohhhh, Brenda, those are GREAT questions!!! I am just getting back into the mode of wanting to travel. With little kiddos, we have mostly stuck around home and trips to see family. This is the first year we will actually take a VACATION! I am feeling the desire to travel again. Costa Rica it is!
YES, you are right on – whenever we take on a posture of delight, compassion…whatever — it spills over into the world around us.
Yes indeed – something happens when we follow the delight of our hearts. That’s what I’m doing right now with a BIIIG leap of faith. I’ll blog about it soon. Now – I must rest!
Love,
Lisa
This is a wonderful idea! Sign me up! 😀 You already know I enjoy sharing about what delights my heart. Even when times are challenging I will find that silver lining.
But Lisa this is motivating on a wonderfully deep level… inspiring me to contemplate even more about what delights me, every day. Firstly, YOU and your wise teachings delight me. Please keep sharing your steps of softening your eyes, opening your heart, exhaling, and all the ways that help you… because every time I read your steps I find myself exhaling, softening, and relaxing.
Your work is important, not only for parents of young ones (but it really doesn’t get more important than THAT!) but for all of us as we grow and endeavour to share our light and love with the world. You help us remember to slow and take a breath, and be gentle with ourselves along the way. Bless your heart, dear one, and know that your teachings bring me (and so many) deep comfort and strength.
With love, gratitude and admiration, your friend Gina xo
Gina,
I tend to gloss over compliments too quickly…so I reread your words. A few times. Thank you, Gina. Thank you. I need to listen to these words. I can’t help but share what’s asking/begging/wanting to be called forth from within me. It’s really reassuring to hear from you how you find yourself exhaling and softening and relaxing when you read my words. Thank you. Funny enough, Gina, I was just thinking about you last night and saying to myself that I wondered how you were doing and how I need to get back online and check in with you!!!
I’ve been sharing these daily delights on facebook – every day. That seems a bit easier than posting every day. But to be honest, I am finding Facebook to be…well…I guess I’m thinking about taking a break from it and just focusing on my posts here on the blog. Even if that means daily posts. We will see.
Love to you, dear Gina. Lisa