Say Nay To The Nay-sayers

So, spring is finally here! Hurrah! And here I am, ready to be your little bundle of positivity and amiability.

Just kidding.

But it doesn’t hurt to dream, does it?

Dreaming.

Now there’s something that’s been a problem all my life. At night, there’s the getting to sleep and staying asleep long enough for the literal variety. And, during daylight (ugh), there’s the day variety. Oh boy, that got me into trouble as a kid. Always daydreaming. I actually found some of my school reports the other day. There were a few phrases that kept popping up over and over again. It was almost as though each teacker thought they might as well copy what the previous three comments had said. And oh, how those phrases were used to beat me over the head. Why couldn’t I be more like so-and-so, they always got the year prize.

In fact, the majority of comments on my old reports soon start looking like a big old game of ’fill in the blank’.

Very bright but-

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But, in my defence, it wasn’t always because I wasn’t paying attention. For instance, in one Domestic Science lesson (aka ’cookery’, aka ’yes-I-really-am-THAT-old’), we were making soup. I was 11. My pan of onions and carrots was sizzling away nicely on a corner ring. The teacher decided to gather everyone around one of the hobs to show off one pupil’s efforts. Look at Bethan’s soup, everyone. Isn’t it perfect?

The crowd were, well, crowding out my access to the hob I was using. I tried to get the teacher’s attention, to be told that I should be more like Bethan. My pan of onions and carrots was still sizzling away nicely as the teacher continued to extol the virtues of Bethan’s burgeoning masterpiece. On and on, she went, while my pan was now burning away nicely on its corner ring. I tried again to draw attention to what had gone from being a lack off access to a possible need to call the fire brigade. It was only when thick smoke started pouring from my pan that the teacher dragged herself away from filling in the forms to make Bethan a saint and actually deal with the problem in hand. I got told off for not paying attention and allowing my pan to burn.

But, ensuring the canonisation of Saint Bethan of the Blessed Minestrone, I was allowed to take a couple of ladlefuls of her soup home so I had something to show for the wasted two hours and suspected smoke inhalation. All this accompanied with a frosty ”Not everyone is a natural cook.” from the teacher and sniggers from the other girls (because apparently boys don’t cook). When I got home, I didn’t dare tell Mother what had happened to my own effort, as I knew I would get the usual eardrum bongo solo for wasting food. What I did get, however, was a “It’s a pity you’re not more like Z – they’re a wonderful cook.”

I am actually a wonderful cook.

So there.

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But, for now, everything everywhere is just exhausting. Life is still very wearing. It takes me all day to do what I usually do all day. Doesn’t help that my attention pings around like a ball in a pinball machine.

So why the title? Simply this.

You are you.

You are not someone else.

And that someone else is not you. They cannot and should not try to make you become like them. And if someone tries it, say no. Or at least, act no. Tell someone. Also, do not let anyone compare you unfavourably with anyone else, either. I can’t be anyone else. I mean, the amount of times when I was growing up I heard “Why can’t you be more like X?” or ”You should try to be more like Y”. The irony is that, years/decades down the line, if I had been more like X or Y, I’d either be dead or in prison now.

A cup is a cup, and a plate is a plate.

They are both equal and valid.

We need both.

I’m going to make a sweeping generalisation. Hey, it’s about the only sweeping I’m going to get done today. People work on the principle of ”The world would be a simpler place if everyone was like me.”
Look at when someone misunderstands or gets annoyed/frustrated with someone else. 99% of the time, they’re experiencing those feelings because the perpetrator isn’t behaving or reacting the way that they themselves would. Seriously. Just watch them. Let me know what you find.

There you go. Homework. A*. Top of the class. Have fun with it.

For anyone wanting to read all my rants in one place – including all-new exclusive stuff, then click below!

Volume 1 of my diary – why not start at the very beginning?
Volume 2 – more rants, musings and fairly useful advice…

Volume 3 – things are afoot! The thot plickens…

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