hey everyone,
recently ive encountered a few situations where i have the chance to stand up for myself to strangers. it happened twice today, a checkout lady told me to get a trolley cause ‘youre not very strong’, i decided to not get a trolley, picked up all my stuff cause i am strong enough, and told her ‘i am strong enough, see?’ on my way out. she was working and wasnt scary, just old and not from a western country. when i havent stood up for myself in the past, i feel extremely shit about myself after so i know i need to always say something to maintain my confidence.
today i parked outside this tiny antique shop which is next to the place i bought bread from. there were no drawn out parking bays, just some space on the side. there were two cars parked and the space could easily fit at least ten cars. i park and a guy who spits as he speaks tells me to move my car because ‘no one will know where to park’. im very confused as theres plenty of parking and ill only be a minute. i ask him why and tell him ill only be a minute. he tells me to move anyway cause ‘no one will know where to park’. ten cars arent gonna pull up and need a place to park so they can go inside his shop. im on my own, without a weapon, and scared of being hurt so i give in and move my car even though it was completely unnecessary. i park at another business next to the place im going to (there was no parking at the place i went to) and i see him and hes shaking his head. i open my window and he tells me to park at the place im going to even though theres no parking. he tells me not to park at this other business cause its a walk and he tells me i dont wanna walk. i parked & walked.
the fact that i moved in the first place makes me feel insecure in myself cause i dont believe in the fact that i let myself feel threatened.
first world problems i know, but this is a big issue for me, im unsure how to deal with things like this.
my mum and i were parked on the side of the road next to a horse place a while ago, and a lady with a gross attitude starts arguing with us. i think she owns the horse place. i didnt know how to react so we just left, but if i could do it again i would and id tell her we’re not touching the horse, the horse cant reach us, we’re not on your property so we’re doing nothing wrong and she can mind her own business. then i wouldve stayed with my mum and enjoyed the sight of the horse in the harmless way that we were. im just so tired of people never minding their own business.
i dont wanna live life constantly scared of upsetting people by standing on the side of the road that isnt owned by the lady who owns the horse place & parking in a parking area with plenty of space.
how do you guys go about things like this?