I hate this phrase.

The phrase "Don't sweat the small stuff. And it's ALL small stuff." Drives me nuts. I don't know why, exactly. So, hah, you get to read my Random Mental Mutterings while I try to figure it out. Lucky you. But at least you get to click away from the page. This kind of thing clutters up my brain all the time.

So anyway, I think at least part of it - the biggest part, really - is that yeah, it may all be "small stuff", but dangit, it's the small stuff that always drives me nuts. BIG STUFF I can (usually) deal with. I think because it's supposed to be irritating / annoying / depressing / generally icky-mood-inducing, so therefore it's not quite as much of a surprise when hey, now I'm irritated, annoyed, depressed and icky-moody. I know the cause, I know it's temporary, and I know it'll go away eventually. Problem solved, I can get on with my life now.

But the "small stuff" - that crap is always there, it always happens, and it's always trying its best to goop up my happy place. And it's never any ONE thing I can point to, and say, "well, sure I'm depressed, look at THAT Bad Thing." No, it's just little crap, gooping up the happy place. So even if I do try to point to something, it feels like "gee, THAT is what's getting me down? I must be pretty pathetic to let that get to me this bad..." Yeah, wow, that sure is helpful. Now I've got my Happy Place all goopy and I'm feeling pathetic and stupid for letting "small stuff" goop up my Happy Place!

I just need to remember: Dust is a very small thing. It's a vast collection of "small stuff" - but it can be a Big Problem in machinery. Dust - a Very Small Thing - can cause scratches and dings in die molds, necessitating expensive replacement, motors to quit working, and generally make life Very Unpleasant if it's not removed or otherwise allowed for. So, when life's Dust is gooping up my Happy Place, I'm not pathetic. I'm just in the middle of a Dust Storm right now. Come back later, maybe I'll be out of the Dust Storm, okay? If you really want to help, give me your hand and maybe show me the path OUT of the Dust Storm. Without any stupid platitudes. Especially that one about small stuff.

And hey, ya got a mop? Cause this Happy Place sure could use a good de-gooping.