Get off of the Complain Train.
do you understand how powerful your thoughts are? no...really? this is something I have been searching and learning about for a long time, probably about the time I landed in a psychiatrists office for chronic depression. back then I "thought" that I was miserable because my life was miserable. I blamed everything on outside situations and circumstances. I blamed my happiness on money, on my husband and children for not being exactly.how.i.want, I blamed it on my body, my parents, my siblings, my house, my car. you name it.
if anything I've learned from therapy, and it's been a lot, probably the most valuable is that everyone needs someone to listen to their crap. because once you start saying out loud all of the "things" that are wrong, you 9 times out of 10 realize after you've said it, "Wow, that's really stupid and I've been holding on to that for how many years now?" just getting those thoughts and feelings out where you can see them is what is needed. and if you can't see how crazy or self destructive they are, you can pay someone else to see them for you. because you need to say them and then move on, let them go. if you don't you just keep thinking the stupid stuff for years and thinking the negative thoughts for years and that creates a negative life. blech. that's so 2008.
"it goes without saying that negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults, we speak—or at least think—critically of ourselves, and before long that is how we see everyone and everything. No sunshine, no roses, no promise of hope or happiness. Before long we and everybody around us are miserable." Jeffrey R Holland.
thoughts. they are that powerful. they can make your life what you want, or what you don't want, depending on what you are thinking. if you don't believe they are powerful then what are panic attacks? anxiety attacks? is anything physically actually even happening to a person at that moment? nope. it's just their thoughts.
whenever I forget how powerful the energy of my thoughts is I can go to my trusty dog auggie. auggie knows when I'm angry before I even do. no joke. when my blood starts boiling over something silly, and I start to lose my cool (usually between 3-7pm) he leaves my side. woosh. just like that, he's outta here. he can already feel that I'm not happy and he is the happiest being you'll ever meet. so he's gone. if I escalate and start yelling, the poor guy hides under the table until the dust has settled.
how does he know what's going on? I think pets (and humans when in tune) can feel your thoughts and feelings. actually, I know they can. that's why we have pets. it's awesome! (not trying to sway anyone over to love pets, but seriously, you should)
but that's how powerful our thoughts and feelings are, they are not just stuck inside your brain, they have power. power to do good and power to do bad.
so if it's true that our thoughts are powerful, why would we choose bad ones? 1. habit it's what we were modeled, or what we've been doing. so if we can CHOOSE, than why not choose awesome thoughts?
welcome to my life over the past year. I've been working on and erasing old habits and negative thought patterns, and it has changed everything.
I have literally brought back sunshine and roses and happiness into my life though positive thinking.
but one thing I still am in a rut with? I mean, I'm working on is...
complaining.
I read a quote in a book that said "once you complain you literally become a walking and breathing crap magnet." and isn't that the truth? what comes first, the person is complaining because their life is an acid bath? or their life is an acid bath because all they do is complain?
I know what I believe the answer is, you are welcome to your own decision.
but you are invited to join my "complaining fast". I started yesterday but you can start any day you please, for 7 days I'm REFRAINING FROM COMPLAINING. this is verbally complaining and complaining in your head also (whoah, this one is a biggie).
we talked to the kids about it and are all trying to do it this week. I actually told the kids I am going to make the Sorrygame buzzer sound every time I start to hear complaining. to remind them, and myself, "nope, stop complaining!" I actually should just clip one to my belt for easy access and nip all complaining in the bud.
imagine if we all practiced what we preached? because if we truly know who we are, and why we are here, our life situation is just that, a situation, we wouldn't feel the need to "complain" about it. sure, some things may need to be looked at at fixed, but as Jeffrey R. Holland said, "There is nothing so bad that whining about it doesn't make it worse."
as I do the complaining fast I can share here a little game I play, kind of like Pollyanna's positive game she teaches everyone in the book "Pollyanna." it's called, "THIS IS GOOD BECAUSE." when anything bad happens or doesn't go your way, instead of complaining, look for the good. THIS IS GOOD BECAUSE. there is always something good. there really is.
I can tell you that the major awesomeness, peace and happiness that has blossomed in my life? those are all the gifts of manure. manure from situations we as humans totally try to avoid at all costs because "ick". but that's where the growth comes from. so if the growth comes from the bad stuff, why not learn how to embrace it all, even during it, and enjoy the ride?
I hope you do the complaining fast. and if that's too much, just try one day of not complaining. and if that's too much just try an hour of not complaining. and tomorrow try two. I promise it's going to change your life, you are that powerful.expect to see some awesome changes in your life with this. I know I am.