This week was a rough one. Whatever I did, it was wrong. Whatever step I took, it was leading in the wrong direction. I had to redo basic tasks multiple times to get them right. My computer died and my hastily purchased new one didn’t work either. My children were on their worst possible behavior and my foundation work keep hitting roadblocks. And it was 50 degrees outside —in June! My frustration level was so high that I started to snap at everyone in sight. Never a good response. The kicker — I couldn’t get to yoga for 4 days straight.

Now, I realize that compared to the real problems in this world, my terrible week is actually nothing, and so I apologize for this self-absorbed rant. But as I was experiencing this week, it didn’t feel too hot (off the mat or otherwise). At least I can joke about it now. Wink.

We have all had one of those weeks (or more than one), but the lack of yoga compounded the problem in a way I did not fully understand, until I made it back to class today and finally found relief. The class was exquisite – not that I achieved anything new in the postures — but the release of my muscles and the 90 minutes of stillness took it all down a notch. I could finally breath. The tasks ahead of me didn’t seem as daunting. The obstacles in my path seemed more manageable. I was back in control.

This experience reminds me of one of my favorite posts, “Mom, Please Go To Bikram So We Can All Have a Better Day.” In this post I talk about something that teachers often say at the end of class — that the time you take for class is not purely selfish time, but is actually a bit like paying it forward, as the strength and peace you get from class are passed to others you encounter during the day.

I sure could have used some Bikram Yoga this week. I would have benefited from a calmer approach to the issues at hand and my family would not have had to suffer through my heavy sighs and sharp words. I probably would have gotten more accomplished too. No wonder my husband kept asking me, “Are you going to have a chance to go to yoga today?”

Fellow yogis, how do you survive a stressful week without yoga?