Can We Chill?

I woke up late (8a on Sunday—don't act surprised we all know I'm crazy), automatically annoyed because my apartment wasn't clean and I had to be at a brand new workout class within half an hour. On my way down the stairs, a dog peed right in front of me. Like, on the carpet, right in front of my feet—it peed.

I stopped to buy a bottled water because I had forgotten (which I never do because #prepared), and I put it unopened in my purse so, you know, wet things.

As I cursed and grabbed my water bottle before my phone took a bullet, I started laughing.

Are you seriously upset right now?

We see people that have to wait a minute too long at the grocery store turning up their noses in a fuss. We see people yelling at drivers for going the speed limit.

We see people getting so worked up about minuscule things every day.

I was raised to brush things off, to laugh at myself, to realize it could always be worse.

I'm not saying I'm constantly calm—because throw in anything and anyone I'm passionate or care about and you can definitely see me worked up (also road rage sometimes happens—but I try to keep it to the inside of my car). I'm not saying I'm never worked up, because sometimes getting worked up is fun (as long as you're not too serious, as long as you see the humor in the situation eventually).

No, I don't know what people are dealing with in their lives and maybe when I see people worked up over (stupid) things, it was just the final straw.

Maybe that's true.

But I think a lot of the time it's just us, people—getting upset over nothing.

Forgetting that we have an apartment that can be messy. Forgetting that we have stairs in our apartment that a dog could potentially pee on. Forgetting that we have clean drinking water available.

Forgetting that often the things we are worked up about, are just small bumps in the things we need to be grateful for.

Day-in and day-out—at work, at the store, at a bar, I see people wasting energy on things that are so small in the scheme of life.

I wish we would take more time to laugh at ourselves or the situation, to brush things off, to realize that there are much worse things that could be happening.

I wish we could change the way we view our "inconveniences." I think we'd all be a little more happy, I think we'd all be a little less tired.

So, if something is bothering you, either fix it or realize that getting worked up over it probably won't help, in fact, it will probably make things worse for you.

Spilled your coffee? Make a new pot.

Upset that the waiter is taking too long? I'm going to guess he's trying his best.

Late for work? Be early tomorrow.

Stressing about the small things? Stop.

Mad because a dog peed? Lol, really?