Our home NFL team just lost today. My boyfriend is in a bad mood now. I say, "So what?"
I enjoy football as much as anyone. I really do. It's my favorite sport to watch and I enjoy the game for what it is. An entertaining game. Am I bummed when we lose? Sure. But then I shrug and think to myself, "So what?" There will be another game next weekend. Or not (come playoffs). But either way, life goes on.
In about an hour I am due to have the CEO of the humane society in my city, along with Patty Spitler (a local news celebrity and host of Pet Pals TV), and her crew at my house! They want to do a story on the blind shih-tzu I am fostering (soon to adopt, hopefully). I have cleaned my house, but still. Having people over, especially "high profile" people AND knowing your house will be on national TV.... certainly makes you look at your house with new eyes! I feel like I can't get it clean enough. I see all the flaws. But then I sat down to finish this blog post and reminded myself, "So what?"
I've prepared my house and myself the best I can. So what if it's not perfectly spotless. I have 4 dogs after all! I'm also nervous about how those 4 dogs will behave. But so what if they bark? At least this is a group of "dog people" coming over. They should be used to it.
Even though I'm nervous, I know it will go how it goes. All I can do is be me. My dogs will certainly be themselves. So what if it doesn't go perfectly smoothly. So what? I'm deciding to just enjoy the experience.
A couple other "classic" "So what" examples:
Maybe you applied for a job and just found out you didn't get it. You don't know why. You were perfect for the job. You wanted the job. But they hired someone else. It's a bummer. But so what? It's not THE ONLY job out there. You just weren't meant to get it. There's an even better place for you to be.
Or you just went on a fabulous date. You thought the two of you clicked so well. Conversation flowed. There was attraction (or so you thought). But then you never hear from the other person again. So what? They may have looked darn good based on that date, but they're not right for you. Trust the Universe on that one. Let him or her go. You're actually being spared.
This may sound cold. But it's not. It's actually deeply loving. Love yourself enough to let go what isn't in your best interest. Love yourself enough to trust that something even better is meant for you. Love yourself enough to know it's all happening for a reason and later you'll be even happier than you are now.
One of the qualities about myself that I like the most is my ability to bounce back. I know that life goes on. One thing ends only for another to begin.
Of course I've been heartbroken as much as the next person. I've been through the end of relationships, the loss of jobs, the death of loved ones. I've been distraught, crying, not knowing how people get through such a difficult time. But I got through it. And you will too.
The next time you're worried about how something will go, or disappointed or upset that something didn't go like you wanted, say to yourself, "So what?"
You got through it. It's over (for good or bad). It is what it is.
Share your thoughts and experiences below. I'd love to hear what you have to say!
Quote of the Day:
"Every new beginning is some beginning's end." (Bon Jovi lyric from the song "Welcome to Wherever You Are." One of my favorite songs, by the way!)
*You can listen to the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zcypsjO8o
The video is also very cool! Check it out for some inspiration!
I liked reading this post. I've been trying to balance out life lately by not taking life too seriously. Let me explain. I tend to be overly serious about things, and as a result I can be inflexible (I have a Capricorn moon sign, so that explains it) ... I tend to react strongly emotionally when things in my life aren't going the way I think they should. I think asking the question, "So what?" is a good practice because it can
ReplyDeletehelps me to step out of the situation and see the bigger picture. I will practice this ... one of the things I've been telling myself when things go wrong in any given day is, "It's not that big of a deal, Marielle!" Thank you for the reminder to not get too attached to how I think life should go.
Marielle,
ReplyDeleteThanks! Glad you liked it.
That's funny that you mentioned having a Capricorn moon sign. I'm a Capricorn (my astrological sign...I don't know my moon, sun, whatever else signs individually). And it certainly fits me! I laughed when you described how you can be inflexible and react strongly emotionally when things don't go the way you think they should because I'm the same way! Lol.
Similar to your telling yourself "it's not that big of a deal," I often tell myself to "relax" when I feel myself tensing up and getting too invested in the outcome I think should happen or when something "gets in my way" (like a slow driver). Lol.
This will probably be a lifelong learning process for me. :)
Thanks for sharing! It's always nice to find someone else you can relate to!