To keep one's cool.

Here's some shocking (or not so shocking if you're my parents/sister/friends/boyfriend/the guy who cut me off driving on the highway) information I'd like to share about myself: I have a temper. A bad one, at times. 

Take today. The morning started with a delay getting through the metro turnstiles. (Apparently, a class of elementary school kids were on a subway-chauffeured field trip, swiping their OPUS cards one-by-one and thereby blocking entry into the cavernous spaghetti below). The unforeseen hold-up set off a chain reaction of tardiness: I missed my metro, missed my bus, got to work 25 minutes late. (Bonus of riding the later bus? More free seats, a.k.a. no seat neighbors, a.k.a. the public transport equivalent to a luxury vehicle. Score!) 

I won't get into the nitty gritty of how I spent my workday. Suffice it to say, there was a lot of hustling to prepare a surprise (and very last-minute) presentation. Time is ticking away, Hyein and I are hauling ass, and just as the end is finally/miraculously in sight, we find out that the meeting had already been rescheduled for tomorrow. Except no one thought to let us know. Oops?

And this is where I try try try to keep my cool, but it feels impossible. My brain, my guts -- suddenly I'm overwhelmed with really shitty energy. Unfortunately, my knee-jerk reaction to these situations is to dwell. To vent. To spew mean words I didn't even know had welled up inside me. I briefly relate the shitstorm to Jdog via text, but it isn't enough to fully scratch the itch. My cool might be lost forever.

Except it isn't. I find it. I'm reminded to breathe & reboot, so to speak. To let go of petty grievances. And in this particular case? To be happy I got the job done a day early. When you think about it that way, I'm pretty fucking kick ass.

It definitely takes a little more time and a lot more effort, but when you find yourself staring down some real terrible (or just moderately irritating) feelings, you have to redirect your thoughts to somewhere new. That place might be located at a 180-degree re-route, or somewhere closer/simpler that just slants more positively. Regardless, just step away from the blahs and you'll end up back in sunshine and good vibes and dancing emojis.

OK now it's time for Modern Family. (Thanks, Video On Demand!) Byeee!