So many mornings I wake to the most beautiful beginning… the sunrise. Life feels full of hope and wonder and beauty. It’s a gift.

Then your toothbrush falls in the sudsy sink and the espresso machine boils over spilling little grinds on the fresh white floor, a little one trails into the foyer making chalky brown footprints… there they go. You snap at the kids, grouse at your co-workers, shake from the way-too-thick cappuccino you got at the chain that you swore you wouldn’t patron, struggle consumes this abundant, blessed and somewhat annoying (for now) life of yours so you ultimately blame the full moon for this unpleasantness.

Some tweet said that if you have a pleasant day on the full moon, you’re in harmony with the Universe. If your day is full of chaos, you have some serious inner work to do. You can see how my emotional to-do list just got a few feet longer.

After I suffered through the day trying to find my way, I sat back and try to find something I was proud of today. It took a while, but I realized I confronted someone I work (an intimidating person at that) with on a few things they do constantly that make me feel dehumanized.

I spoke out. I trusted that I could speak this truth and stand my ground. I’d made some boundaries, and stuck to them without apology.

When I sat in meditation tonight it came to me that today was the perfect opportunity for me to tackle something at the top of my life tasks. Speaking up for myself face-to-face. Sure, I can advocate for another person fiercely, especially my kids, but it’s been hard for me to stick up for me. Always has been.

Today it felt like I broke through, not with them, of course. They ended up blowing me off with their reply that I was overly sensitive and didn’t understand them. In fact, I don’t understand them. That wasn’t my goal. I was trying to understand me.

The storm of chaos brought an opportunity like my morning sunshine breakfasts, and I took it.