Instead of resisting life’s unavoidable irritations or praying that they be removed from our life, we can choose to see their higher purpose as rich material for our ongoing, inner growth and transformation. Irritants show us where our ego is acting out, where we self-righteously blame outside sources and events for our circumstances. If we would just slow down long enough to give more mindful attention to those “irritants,” we could actually become grateful for how life’s simple, everyday happenings are invaluable opportunities for us to wake up.