Ever feel like yelling at the top of your lungs?

My dear friend, Lucia Gunzel, wrote a lovely children's book called "Cranky Pants" .  It's the story of a cranky little girl.   Today, I feel like I'm wearing my cranky pants!!

Every day, I try my very best to live according to the yogic principals that I've been studying.  With each sadhana is do, I ask the Divine Mother for guidance and support.  So why the hell do I feel so cranky??!!
I can't help but feel like my efforts are fruitless.  No matter what I do, someone is always upset with me.

Did I make a wrong turn somewhere?  Am I doing something wrong here?  Where is the bliss?  Where is the all the love and light I hear yogis talking about?  I must be doing something wrong!! Where's the yoga handbook?!  I need to review the instructions for life again I must have missed a step.

It's hard to think straight when you're cranky.  It's hard to keep your emotions under control.  When the pressure is turned up to high an explosion is inevitable.   We all have a boiling point.  We all lose control of ourselves from time to time  and say things out of anger which we later wish we could take back.  Some of us explode at others and some of us implode on ourselves.  Either way - it's disastrous!

So let's review some yoga lessons we've learned in the past in the hope that we can perhaps avoid the next explosion. 

*   Emotions are reflexes of the mind - We are not our emotions
*   Everything is temporary - This too shall pass
*  No effort is ever wasted - besides, we are to offer up our effort to God and detach from the fruits
    of our effort
*  Recognize the Divine in everyone - No matter how angry that person makes you - see God in
    EVERYONE - It's hard sometimes but try - God is there somewhere.
*  We can't control others around us -(believe me I've tried - it doesn't work) - All we can control is
    how we react to stress and tension
*  Step back for a few minutes - close your eyes and breath deeply before reacting when you know you are
    getting "hot under the collar"

Here's a few parenting lessons I've learned over the years that also seems applicable.

*  Keep a regular routine - Practice yoga and meditation regularly - daily if possible
*  Keep a healthy snack handy - temper tantrums are sometimes caused by hunger
*  Get enough sleep - When we are sleep deprived we are more likely to lose our cool.

The little girl in Lucia's book eventually takes off her cranky pants.  I think I'm ready to change
out of my cranky pants too.  I think I'll put on my yoga pants and maybe do a few asanas.  That always makes me feel better.