On Being Flexible (and not just in body!)

Yes, I am working on becoming more flexible with my daily yoga practice, but in this post, I'm talking about flexibility of mind. Being ok when things don't go your way. Able to just go-with-the-flow is something I am pretty good at, though this winter has been tough. Between the snow days, class cancellations, school closings, toddler tantrums and life in general, being flexible is the only way to get through it without going stir crazy.  

I had a stomping my feet moment the other day when our 8:55pm flight home from Florida was delayed until midnight (ok, yes, we were just in Florida). Hanging at the airport for 4 hours and then getting home at 4:00am was not part of my plan. Then I recognized that my 3 yr old was being so amazing, my husband Chris was totally fine and we just had a Florida vacay in the middle of the winter from hell and I changed my tune. But not after pouting for a few minutes. Seeing Zephyr play with his activity book & sit quietly watching Toy Story happily in the airport showed me that I had to find something fun to do to pass the time. And get over it.

Yesterday, I was supposed to go to the Bronx to teach at PS 83 where a good friend is a VP. At 6:00 am I made the call and decided not to do the drive. (The weather people told me to stay home!) It was a good decision based on what it looked like out there but making that call was hard. This has happened so many times this winter and losing money and work when you are self-employed is not easy. When it doesn't go your way, you can pout a little and get angry but then you have to move on. 

During these snow days, I've been able to make time to enjoy the snow with Zephyr, organize bits and pieces of our apt and my office, do lots of cooking, baking, mala making, reading, movie watching, family hanging, blog writing (like now!) and taking unintended breaks. I am a go go go type of person and these days off have caused me to stop stop stop. 

In my morning meditations, I chant "I am flexible" as one of my mantras. This mantra is about being flexible in mind & spirit. Things in life do not always go the way you plan. There are big things that happen to you where being flexible may not cut it (unexpected losses are a biggie). I'm talking about those little things that happen in our daily lives that cause us to get angry, annoyed, upset, etc. all of which are valid emotions. Feel it, but then move on. Once you realize that you can't change the situation, there is nothing left to do but take a deep breath and have fun. 

How do you handle those moments that don't go your way? What is something you are working on in your daily life?