I have the horrible disease of taking pretty much everything personally, even when it's not even remotely personal. I'm also highly skilled at beating myself up, and not letting go of the things that I take so personally (yes, even when they're not personal). It seems my brain loves to remind me of what a loser I am (I don't think I'm a loser, btw) and loves to tell me numerous times a day about the things I've done and how badly I've fucked up. I can easily still dine out on things that happened when I was 12. Easily. My brain seriously hates me.
So when someone bitches at me about something at work, I'm hurt. I'm offended. I'm angry. Then I'm hurt again, and the beating up oneself occurs for the next day and a half.
Today, I had such an accident, where I politely asked someone who, why and when, they replied and seemed perfectly nice about it all, then proceeded to write a very bitchy email about how rude I was (it's my job to be nosey, you asswipe).
Initially, I was very offended, angry, and possibly a little hurt. But amazingly, half an hour after it occurred, I feel surprisingly good, and find the situation quite humorous.
I've even refrained from writing an email back. I assume that it'll annoy this person even more when their bitchy attitude is just ignored.
I find this very funny.
Am I taking this situation personally? No. I am still a bit WTF about it all, since I wasn't at all rude, and they were nice to me in person, then a bitch, hiding behind their computer, but that doesn't mean I did anything wrong. I'm not going to beat myself up.
Is this the other side of the bridge that those with age, wisdom, and knowledge cross? I hope so, because it sure does feel nice to seriously not give a fuck.