The cranky mommy in me has been in charge lately. She rules as a dictator sentencing me to endless laundry, cleaning and cooking. With her in charge, life tends to take on a certain gray feeling and whining becomes the theme of the day.

As a life coach, it seems I would have figured out how to tame the big fat meanie side. I guess we teach what we most need to learn. Helping other mommy curmudgeons serves as excellent inspiration for my own journey.

Wondering if you too are falling into the Ms. Cranky Pants camp? Take my unscientific “Cranky Test” to see. For each one that you answer "yes" to, give yourself one point, then tally up all the points.

Score of 8-10
You go! Keep up the great work. See the Toolkit ideas to continue to brush up and enhance your path of self renewal.

Score 4-7
A Little Polishing Needed – Buff it up baby! You get the idea of taking care of yourself, but can do better. A great time for a personal tune up – see Toolkit ideas to get you started.

Score 0-3
Crankster Alert! Stop the madness. Let’s take a vacation from Mean Momma for a while and try one idea from the Toolkit today.

A Kinder, Gentler You…
If you are serving as resident grumpster, it may be time for a tune up. Even if you are not cranky, it’s always fun to look at how to juice up life with what I call “The Red Hot Momma Experiment.”

To zap myself out of cranky mode, I bring in the Red Hot Momma. She’s the opposite of Cranky Mommy and much more fun. Imagine your Red Hot Momma as your best self -- she is vivacious and light. She is the playful side, the passionate you that nurtures and knows your heart’s desire. The place in you that understands perfectly who you are and exactly what you want.

Who’s Your Red Hot Momma?
To be a Red Hot Momma, you needn’t be a mommy or even red hot. You simple have a desire to create a vibrant, well-lived life. If you were to create a life you love, what would your day look like? What would be on your to-do list? How would your best self dress? What would you make for dinner?

Take out a sheet of paper and jot down your ideas. Go wild. If you are not someone who likes to write, make a collage of a life you absolutely adore. Use colored crayons or finger paints. For once, have some fun – this is your life.

The best gift you can give your family is a mom that models a joy-filled life.
Start by first giving yourself permission to take care of yourself.

Women are great at giving ourselves the “leftovers” – after caring for everyone else, we get what is left. Try flipping that to take care of yourself first; you’ll be amazed at the “halo effect” of radiance you create.

Red Hot Momma Toolkit:
Below are a few ideas to send Ms. Frownie Face on vacation.

• Take a Musical Bath – close your eyes and crank up beautiful music. Imagine it washing over you in golden light.
  
  
• Beauty Immersion Head Trip – immerse yourself in beauty for a week – flowers on your desk, candles, use the good linens and china, visit a museum or garden. Soak up the beauty.
  
  
• Spiritual Walk – invite your Creator to walk along side of you. Focus on your breathing, listen for what you most need to hear.
  
  
• Soulful Chores – as you go about your daily chores, think about them in a new way. Noticing the color of the bubbles as you wash dishes, feel the graceful curve of the tomatoes as you make dinner, treasure the abundance in your life as you fold laundry. Practice sensory awareness with all mundane tasks.
  
  
• Pleasure – this week, go out of your way to experience pleasure. It could be as simple as a hug, making love or just taking the time to be.
  
  
• Imagine the Present is Perfect – finally allow what is to be absolutely perfect, even if it’s not. Surrender to what is; embrace the imperfections as part of the journey.
  
  
• Lightness – practice lightness. Treat all irritations to a new sense of peace. Stoplights, long lines and being put on hold will be a reminder to breathe.
  
  
• Be Abundance – try practicing amazing abundance by leaving a wake of blessings. Whether it’s dropping a dollar for someone to find, offering change to someone struggling in their purse or offering a smile to an elderly person.
  
  
• Ask for What You Need – try asking for exactly what you need. Let the grocery boy help you, or invite a friend to tell you the three things they love most about you. Discover what it’s like to have an abundance of reserves by asking for what’s needed.
  
  
• Decide to be Happy – for one day, wake up and decide that it will be a great day. Make the decision to choose joy. Let go of waiting for the “somedays” and allow happiness to begin right now.

The Invitation to Live Bigger
Now that you have a list of some fun ideas – why not give one a whirl this week? Pick one of the ideas or create your own. Think of it as an experiment to see how much joy you can discover. This is your invitation to really be alive. And as a friend once said to me, “choose to live the kind of life that was worth putting your mother through labor.”