1. Practice. I struggle so much with my mind — its constant freaking out over every little thing, how it won’t let me rest, its speed and noise, its confusion, how it spends so much time obsessing over every potential risk and choice, the stories it tells that have almost nothing to do with what is really happening, how it won’t let go or relax — and practice is one of the only things that allows me some freedom, some ease, some peace.

2. Community. I was listening to an interview yesterday taped for the Feast program I’m in with Rachel Cole, and there was a discussion about the importance of community, how support from a community can help us resist some of the distraction, confusion, insanity, and dysfunction that occurs in our world. As an introvert, community is a complicated situation for me, and yet I find myself supported by so many. I’m so grateful for Feast, the Open Heart Project, the Daily Dharma Gathering, Om Ananda Yoga studio, my friends, my online tribe, my family, and my CSU people. My suffering and confusion are eased by those connections.

3. Sam and Ringo, my tiny family. I try so hard to do my best to take care of them, generate so much anxiety and suffering for myself trying to make the right decisions, so afraid I’ll make a mistake. Thankfully their experience is mostly free of any such worry, their lives full of ease and joy.

Sweet Sam on Spring Break

Ringo Blue on Spring Break, all smiles

4. Eric, who is so patient with me, such a loving witness to my struggle.

5. Breakfast burritos, from La Luz with love.

Bonus joy: Skyping with Justine, teaching yoga, bird song in the early morning, getting shit done, being able to rest, sympathetic joy, talking to my mom on the phone, getting en eye exam and finding out my distance vision hadn’t gotten any worse in the past two years, cooking, listening to podcasts, new music, blue sky, a new piece of art, receiving and sending mail, good advice from Andrea, making plans to see friends I’m missing, the way Ringo rolls on his back and lets you pet his belly, the tiny little ball Sam can curl into when he’s sleeping, full minute hugs, a nurse good at drawing blood fast and painless, good test results, naps, the episode of Friends where Joey tries to learn French.

1. Spring. Bird song in the morning, crocuses blooming, 2 for $5 bundles of daffodils at the grocery store, driving with the windows rolled down, sitting on the back step in the sun while the dogs lounge on the patio.

2. Spring Break. Yes, I could have included this as an item in my list of all things Spring, but it deserves its own listing all by itself — it’s that good. And today is the best, the Friday before Spring Break. I feel giddy and so hopeful that the time mostly away from work will allow the space for some rest and ease.

3. My boys, sweet Sam and Ringo Blue. Have I told you lately how much I love my dogs? We haven’t started Sam’s elimination diet yet to try and figure out exactly what he’s allergic to, but even just switching him to a salmon based primary food has made a big difference. I’ve also been noticing how much more he trusts us now, how much more relaxed he is as a five year old. He’s always been a sensitive dog, so even though he’s been with us since he was around 10 weeks old, it took him some time to be totally comfortable — although he still thinks the washing machine is an evil monster and hides in the bathroom when it’s on. Ringo Blue’s foot is almost completely healed. He’s even been able to run around crazy in the backyard a few times even though it’s muddy right now with the snow melt. He went through a few weeks of hardcore puppy terrible twos recently, but he has been really good for the past few days so I’m hoping that bad boy Wolverine thing isn’t something that will stick.

4. Yoga. I’m teaching three classes next week, but to three different groups, so I’m going to plan one new class and then get to practice it three times.

5. TV that makes me laugh. This week it was Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and New Girl and Friends, which Eric and I have been binge watching since Christmas — I had forgotten there were 10 seasons of it! The Mindy Project sadly has been doing that thing all sitcoms seem to do eventually where they hit a season in which the comedy turns mean and the characters get weird not in a good way.

Bonus Joy: an email I was worried to send that got a good response, lemon, sweet potato, finally starting to adjust a little to the time change, the Open Heart Project Sangha (this month’s topic is genuine transformation and it’s so good!), Feast, finally mailing some things that had been in my “mail this” pile for far too long, permission to trust myself, laughing with my interns, getting out some of the strawberry jam I made this summer and realizing it really isn’t that bad, french toast with strawberries and jam for dinner.