Boarding Pass to Practice

Hi Friends! I'm back from my family vacation and boy do I ever need a vacation! Oh yes, I'm in serious need of some Me time. Isn't it funny how we travel hours to "get away", but once you've packed your kids and husband, what getaway is it?! Yes I adore my family and I'm fortunate to be able to travel (for those judging right now), but travelling with your kids, having them with you 24/7, trying to breathe through their meltdowns, isn't my idea of a blissful vacation. So now that I'm back on home turf, my goal is to reconnect with my best Self (PS my best Self took a vaca at the same time, only to leave behind my obnoxious Ego). Needless to say, my temperament over the past 2 weeks has been anything but pleasant.
Am I the only one who feels disconnected from my best Self on family vacations? I mean I didn't get a single yoga practice in, so that certainly didn't help. I was also with my children the entire time, but aren't most people? So I'm wondering, actually I'm confessing rather, that not having any time for me makes me not-so-nice to be around. My tolerance level is at 1, my breath shortens, my expectations of my 4 & 15 month old elevate to unrealistic heights, and my desire to manage public tantrums is at an all-time low. So basically, the only part of me that's on a getaway is my patience!
I know I'm being slightly dramatic (wink wink), and I do enjoy spending time with my kids away from home. I think the part I struggle with on these holidays is finding solace to connect with my best Self. The times I've vacationed and spent a small amount of time alone made me much more compassionate and understanding. It's almost as if you get to recharge your battery so you can operate at your fullest potential.
The day before I left, I was writing a post about practicing, in which I included my 'practice list' for the following 4 wks. Needless to say, I didn't have time to complete the post, so when I discovered it the morning, I had quite a laugh. My practice list included patience and compassion towards those closest to me. It's crazy how we live in a society that thrives in the following modes: go, fast, and now. We react in 'go' mode, at a fast pace, to get whatever, now - hence our lack of patience and compassion. How many times do you stop yourself from reacting when your Ego is leading? I'm sure the answer is, rarely.
As funny or bizarre as it might sound, practice makes better. We all can use a little practice at being better human beings. For some it might come naturally, but for most, we need reminding - even an actual list! Whatever it takes to help slow us down so we can breathe better, think from the heart, and silence the Ego, I think makes us be better. When I take time for myself (even 5 minutes), I know everything I do gets done better. Sometimes it takes a family vacation to learn the benefits of daily practice. Now that I'm back, it's time to send my Ego on vacation so I can practice without interruption. For anyone about to set off on a vacation, try to schedule a personal practice to avoid needing another vacation upon your return ;)