Wednesday, September 9, 2009

thank you for everything...



I read this mantra somewhere recently and *really* loved it. I complain. A lot. Sometimes it makes things a lot harder than they need to be.

Here is an example:

Jess trudges into the kitchen and opens the fridge. In her head: "I don't want to make dinner. I'm so sick of making dinner every night, we never have any fun and exciting food in our house, I wish I could just go out to dinner every night, but I don't have enough money to go out every night. I wish I did. Man, I REALLY don't want to make dinner tonight."

Another way this could go:

Jess walks briskly into the kitchen and opens the fridge. "OK, we have tofu, spinach, mango chutney, carrots, and some cheese. How can I turn this into a fantastic meal? This will be a fun creative challenge! I love cooking."

Both of these scenarios happen to me. I feel each of these ways sometimes, but which do you think is better for my psyche? Yep, you guessed it. The second. I feel so much more energetic when I'm not complaining and am instead being ok with whatever is happening in the moment!

Does this happen to you? Do you complain needlessly sometimes, when not complaining would make your experience of your life so much happier? Share your stories! I'd love to hear them.
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10 comments:

  1. bagsofblessingSeptember 9, 2009 at 10:32 AM

    How true, how true! I am a complainer too. If I could just wrap my head around the positive attitude3 and make it my mantra, my life would be so much more peaceful! Thank you for the inspiration!

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  2. glasfadenSeptember 9, 2009 at 10:49 AM

    Oh, Jess, I know you situation TOO well!!! It's hard to motify yourself. I'm learning everyday. Wishing you the best!

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  3. Michelle | When I Grow Up CoachSeptember 9, 2009 at 4:44 PM

    Jess, the Life Coach does this, too! It's so so tough not to complain about the desk job when all I wanna do is get outta here - & there are so many other miserable people around me, basically daring me to not complain. Honestly, there is part of complaining that's theraputic for me (sometimes it's fun & a good way to vent), but it's been so draining lately. Do we have joint homework again?

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  4. Mara RayanneSeptember 9, 2009 at 5:13 PM

    I am completely guilty of being a complainer. I used to find something negative in everything...a complete pesimist. Then, one day, I was around someone who was constantly complaining that day and realized how hard they were to be around. (I suppose there is a difference between someone who complains internally or externally.) Then, I realized that I was that person for my friends and what saints they were for putting up with me for so long. Then and there, I vowed to be more positive. I find myself about to complain and I do my best to find a way to change my attitude. I suppose we are all guilty of this some of the time, but as long as it is only some of the time, I think it is ok. Healthy even. Sometimes we just need to awfulize and vent. Besides, being the overly positive person all the time can be just as annoying.

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  5. aimeeSeptember 9, 2009 at 5:37 PM

    and you know there are still those of us who will LOVE you when you shout #1 to the moon every night (because you know i do this too, don't you?) now, if you want to spring into MY kitchen and shout #2 to the moon, i will doubly love you :)

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  6. AnonymousSeptember 9, 2009 at 5:54 PM

    Of course it's sooo easy to complain. But it's about redirecting it to something more positive. I love that you gave a second example and that's how it should be...

    -Julia

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  7. Susie LubellSeptember 9, 2009 at 10:49 PM

    Jess, I just wrote the tragic tale of my birthday yesterday in gruesome detail and then happened to look at soulemama's blog and she happens to have my same birthday and happened to capture the magic of every tiny detail with such clear and obvious joy that I am now inspired to greet the world with a little more cheer and a little less sneer. And I will paste this mantra to my monitor.

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  8. shelleySeptember 11, 2009 at 4:13 AM

    oh, this is truly wonderful. i need stickers of this print all over my house, car, and body.

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  9. Chrissy Foreman CSeptember 11, 2009 at 7:32 AM

    Hi Jess ~ I actually think complaining every now and again is a good thing ... it creates the contrast we sometimes need to follow a more positive direction! So no need to complain about complaining ... you a have a beautiful, inspirational, uplifting heart ~ a little bit of contrast here and there is a wonderful tool to remind you how good it feels to be positive! (if you felt good all the time, you'd have nothng to compare the really good stuff to!)

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  10. violetteSeptember 28, 2009 at 5:34 PM

    What a wonderful mantra....thank you so much Jess for the reminder....i can be quite the little complainer. I'm off to the grocery store to buy some food to make yummy food for my partner........i won't complain and gripe like i sometimes do!

    Thanks again.

    love, violette

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