#stupidbullshit

Hello all, and happy Friday!

Yesterday, I *crushed it* at work and came home feeling energized, ready to have an amazing evening. I decided I’d start by lacing up my shoes to take the dog on a run.

As I set out, my upstairs neighbor came out to yell at me.

As a point of background: she has a history of complaints about all her surrounding neighbors and, unfortunately for her, these complaints always fall on the wrong side of the lease.

Anyway, I started by ignoring her as she followed me (and the dog) across the parking lot. Then, I asked her to leave me alone, which she did not oblige. Instead, she ran to her car and followed us down the road for several hundred feet. Our “conversation,” if you can call it that, ended with her telling me I could “Go f*** myself,” and me responding with an impolite gesture as she sped off (not my finest moment. I’m sorry, Mom). Note: I did file a police report, because that behavior is harassment.

The punchline? Less than a block from home, I turned around, didn’t run the dog, and drained from the encounter, I returned to the living room couch. Dealing with that one bit of #stupidbullshit sapped my energy and stole my joy for the evening. And that, my fellow lady geoscientists, was also #stupidbullshit.  

When I started thinking about it, I wondered how many times, on a weekly basis, I let the #stupidbullshit get in my way, steal my joy, or sap my energy. The answer? More times than I’d like.

The truth is, regardless of job or circumstance, everyday contains some element of bullshit and there’s really no difference between ill-informed micromanaging bosses and crazy upstairs neighbors (see the shit sandwich analogy). The demeaning, stressful nature of these encounters has the same effect on me regardless of where they happen. However, the effect doesn’t have to last.

We all need ways to deal with the stress in our lives and, when that stress comes, we should rely on those mechanisms to reclaim our joy and energy. For me, if I don’t act quickly, I’m likely to dwell, and frankly, I’d rather my life not revolve around other people’s #stupidbullshit. So, I decided to head to the beach because, as they say, “The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears, or the sea.” The waves were lovely, a clear night allowed for great stargazing, and Thursday night was saved.  

The moral of the story: there’s always going to be #stupidbullshit. When it comes your way, find the thing that frees your mind and take some dedicated time for yourself and your enjoyment.

I hope you all have a marvelous weekend!

Yours in LadyGeoscience,

M