Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Do you ever wake up in a pissy mood for no good reason? Does it make you want to just stay home, in bed or away from everyone and everything? Is it ever a struggle to make it through the day without grouching or growling or wanting to destroy something?
I woke up in one of those moods today. It wasn’t the first time. It won’t be the last.
Normally, I’m able to get a handle on things when I’m not quite feeling my normal sweet self. Not today.
I don’t think it helped that my toddler woke up in the same mood. The difference, however, between me and her is the fact that I can talk myself through that state of mind to the point where I am perfectly composed and put together by the time I greet everyone in my office. Paloma, at three, has no concept of talking herself through a bad mood.
My husband had to be at work early today. That meant I had to deal with Paloma’s 2 hour morning-time tantrum all by my lonesome. It was such a difficult morning, I was immensely relieved to get to work so I could relax. I also started crying when my paralegal asked me how I was doing…
Don’t worry – I cried for less than 30 seconds. Really. After all, I had a lot of VERY important things to do.
I slathered on my lip gloss, took a swig of my homemade avocado-chocolate-banana smoothie and started my day. Things got better. As a matter of fact, it all started to click along wonderfully.
A couple of hours passed without my even noticing and before I knew it, I was running late for a lunchtime meeting hell and gone from my central Phoenix office. I got in my car, jammed my foot on the gas and sped all the way there. I breezed into the restaurant’s parking lot running only 5 minutes behind.
There were no parking spaces close by, so I valet parked my bird-poop covered car.
Bummer.
At least I didn’t get a speeding ticket getting there, right?
I had an awesome lunch with friends who entertained me with stories of business, kids, boyfriends and money. My entree hit the spot. Out of nowhere, my group’s waiter brought us all a round of champagne to finish out the meal. That’s happened to me … NEVER.
Perfection!
After lunch, I realized I didn’t have any singles to tip the valet guy. I tipped him in dimes. <oops.> He snarled at me.
Ouch.
But then, I ran into an old friend in the parking lot. We hugged. We caught up.
Awesome!
I hung around northeast Scottsdale for two hours for the sole purpose of going to a meeting in the area that had already been rescheduled (by the other person) once. I found out 1/2 hour before the meeting it had been canceled. I was clearly on the edge because that one little thing sent me WAAAAAAY over the top.
I was in a RAGE over MY very busy schedule being messed with. The nerve of that person! Doesn’t he know how busy and important I am?
Really!
<Get over yourself, girl.>
I got in my car to drive back to the office to get some work done. I mentally calculated how much work I could finish by the end of the day if I could get myself back to central Phoenix in 1/2 hour. I could still have a mildly productive late afternoon.
I was ready to go.
Then–
The car started beeping at me. I was almost out of gas.
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh! More delays. Are you kidding me?
Plenty of things had gone right, but for some reason, I was less able than normal to deal with the silly things I felt were going wrong.
By the time I hit central Phoenix, it was 3:30 p.m. I still had an hour and a half of time left in the “normal” workday. Despite this, I knew how I felt and realized I just had to say “no” to going back to the office.
I know myself, and I know when to go home.
Here are some signs that I (and you) might need to go home:
1. You are agitated to the point of tears by the mere mention of your losing sports team, the fact that your favorite show has been canceled or…a canceled appointment.
2. You find yourself complaining more than 10 minutes to your assistant, your boyfriend, your spouse, your mother or your brother.
3. Despite the fact that several good things have happened to you that day, your only focus is on the one thing gone wrong.
4. You notice other people want to get away from you when you walk into the room.
5. You notice yourself snapping at the barista at Starbucks because there aren’t any cake pops left.
6. You are angry, exhausted or devoid of energy.
It’s OK if you (and I) need to go home sometimes. When you do go home make good use of your time. Making good use of your time means releasing the rage and the drama that is dragging you down.
Here are my ideas on things to do when you go home:
1. Avoid people (until you get your head in a better place).
2. Write in a journal to release your feelings.
3. Take a walk, go to the gym or do some yoga.
4. Read something juicy.
5. Go outside and breathe fresh air into your stagnant state of mind.
6. Call someone you love but promise yourself you won’t bitch or complain even one time during the conversation.
7. Watch an old episode of Seinfeld or Saturday Night Live or…even better…Happy Days.
8. Buy yourself a pint of ice cream and eat it. All of it.
9. Remember that everyone has bad days.
10. Remember that everyone has HORRIBLE days.
11. Remember that tomorrow will be better.
So…it’s not even tomorrow yet, and I’m already feeling better. Yay for me! (And yay for you reading this rant.)
I had a good day today. I saw some friends. I ate lunch out in a nice restaurant. I sipped on champagne. It’s 4:45, and I’m at home in my PJs ready to snuggle with my testy toddler when she comes running through the front door.
My life is good.
So is yours.
Sometimes we both just gotta know when to go home so we can remember that fact.