Staying Calm, Feeling Cool, Looking Collected

How many times have we heard that? Calm, cool, and collected. And every time we do, we get this mental image of someone who is composed and has it all under control. The calm is what perplexes me... how to stay calm sometimes when circumstances call for losing it bad. The panic ensues, the heart pounds a little heavier, there is the instant flush to the cheeks, and then there is the full-blown irrational thinking. If I didn't know I was talking about stress, I'd say that sounds a lot like the symptoms that occur when your secret crush asks you what time it is, or if the copier is working. The mouth and tongue just can't seem to form words together... it's a mess. Don't ask... I just know about these things!

Anyway, there is nothing worse than seeing those scary pop-ups telling you, "YOU HAVE A VIRUS AND IT IS GOING TO TANK YOUR COMPUTER ANY SECOND!!!" Okay, that's a slight exaggeration but that's the internals talking. That's how we read it. How about when you take your car to the mechanic for an oil change and they say, "Have you ever replaced the transmission in your car?" Is that supposed to be their subtle way of telling me I'm going to need to? Right then, I'm in panic mode, thinking "Oh my God, how much is that going to cost? And how do I know this guy evens know what he's talking about?" Still, he knows more than me in this instance and I am at his mercy. Not feeling calm, cool, or collected at this moment at all.

How to overcome it? It's not easy. I was panic girl for a long time, and it literally drains the life out of you! It takes time to learn to stop the immediate panic that is about to set in, and try to think about the situation as if it is not happening to you. Then try to minimize its significance by thinking about all the better things that are going on, and the grander picture of your life. Minimizing is key, and seeing a solution instead of a problem that is about to consume you. There's this talking to yourself that takes place, and you say, "It's okay, let me just try to fix it" or "I'm sure there's a way to handle this."

The dryer died last week at 8:00 at night, a school night, and I had two loads of wet laundry to deal with. I didn't lose it, I didn't focus on how mad and frustrated I was, but I got Aziza, put all the wet clothes in the car, and we went to the local laundromat and dried the clothes. I brought a book, she brought her DS, and we sat there and waited for the clothes to dry. What else could I do, right? "Just deal with it" is my main motto that I try to reiterate to myself when anything seemingly insurmountable comes my way. And each time I avert panic, there is less panic the next time, and even less the next.

So, I'm going to keep keepin' on with my self-therapy, and who knows, maybe one day I'll be the one people are looking at and thinking, "How does she stay so calm?"