How can I be "beside myself" with whatever?

TheCatWoman said:

How can I be "beside myself" with some feeling or other?

Turns out it is due to a mistranslation in the 1490s

https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/01/origin-beside/

Caxton translates the French phrase, “hors de soi” (meaning “outside herself”) to “mad & beside herself” (with regard to Dido’s mental state when she learned of Aeneas’ departure), marking the first time the expression is used in print

My mother recounted a story from when she was in the WRAF of doing cleaning and her boss telling her to 'use some elbow grease'.

She looked in the cupboard but couldn't find any so reported this back to her boss.

One of the first ones I remember as a child was someone telling me they were pulling my leg (when they weren't).