Gratitude vs. The Grumps

I woke up grumpy this morning.  No real reason...well, there were some very strange dreams last night but nothing upsetting, per se.  I simply felt grumpy, out of sorts, edging into cosmic disparity.  I had the feeling that there was a huge list of things for me to do today, even though there isn't.  I think it's just that I'm quite tired, which makes me feel edgy.

I tried to buck up; knowing that behavior can lead to sentiment, I behaved in a cheerful manner.  It didn't fool anybody, though.  I was grumpy, and Rob and I both knew it.  I didn't turn the corner until I rushed into the shower, a mere fifteen minutes before my scheduled "time-to-leave-the-house-or-I'll-be-late-to-class" time.  Grumpiness also tends to lead to tardiness...for me, at least.  Anyway, I was in the shower and thinking about how grateful I was to have found this wonderful soap I've been using for the past few months when I realized that a little baby seed of joy was started to sprout inside of me.  I decided to think about other things for which I was grateful:  that we got to lay around being cozy in bed and chatting until almost 7:30 this morning, that Rob is enjoying his new job, that I can walk the dog to his vet appointment today if I choose to, that I can walk to work everyday, and so on and so forth.  The practice of feeling gratitude started to soften me, helping me to feel less grumpy and closer to my normal self.

I got to the studio in time, but had a suspicion that nobody would be in class this morning.  One person is sick, another out of town, which leaves just two more and what can I say?  I just had a feeling...so I set up my mat, got myself together and started warming up.  I take a look at the clock:  9:32 (class starts at 9:30).  Okay, no problem, sometimes folks run late.  I keep practicing, and check the clock again:  9:40.  Okay, well, that's officially when classes get "called".  If no one has arrived by 10 - 15 minutes after the start of class, I figure they aren't likely to arrive at all.

Rather than being grumpy about it, I felt grateful:  while I would have liked to teach this morning, the fact that nobody showed up meant that I got the studio all to myself for my own practice.  Not a bad deal, eh?  So I practiced, and felt more gratitude - for the joy of practicing yoga, for the peacefulness I feel, for the strength and flexibility it grants my body, mind and spirit and for the sheer joy of feeling gratitude!

What a simple, humbling and effective way of dealing with The Grumps.  Gratitude is the antidote to that poison, and I intend to keep a good supply of it on hand.

Comments

[duchess]

Oh, I have been employing this same technique. Link and I are going through a very stressful season and to deal with the toll it is taking on me I started a list on the side of our adoption blog about the small things in life I am grateful for. It really helps. In fact, I think I will go add a few items to it right now. (Like reading friends' blogs and being reminded how good life really is.) ;)

[Mary]

Gratitude is a life boat that once discovered and used is always there. It's what kept me afloat through brain surgery and recovery. It is part and parcel of LOVE. And ALWAYS, ALWAYS leads us to our better selves.