Gift Number Eleven
What if there were something you could do, or rather, NOT do, that could make your life - the exact same life you have right now - bump up in quality? Who wouldn’t want that?
If this were a commercial, this would be the moment where the shiny new product would appear on the screen. And in true 2021 fashion - it’d have a monthly subscription - right?
Of course, I’m not talking about a shiny new product or gizmo. I’m talking about relieving yourself of the awful burden of negativity.
I number of years ago I stumbled across a blog on a church website that told of one Lenten season when this particular church gave up complaining for Lent. They got little rubber bracelets made to wear to remind them to give up negativity - if they caught themselves being negative - they moved the little rubber bracelet from one wrist to the other. Simple. So they got to it.
In short order people in the congregation started talking about just how challenging they found this. They’d had no idea how much they’d been complaining. They generally thought that it was those other people over there who were too negative. Ha! Isn’t that the way that goes though? It’s US. It’s me.
So I started this too. My life was a mess at this point. I had some serious health stuff going on - and that was messing up my entire life. I thought, yeah, I’m definitely complaining about this too much - and I was completely clear that complaining was not helping AT ALL. I didn’t have their little rubber bracelet - but I did have a little rubber bracelet - that came home with me from the grocery store on my broccoli. It worked JUST as well.
In a matter of a week and a half - not only did I cut my complaining significantly - but it made me feel less awful, less stressed. I mean - I was still facing the same health issues, the same mess that they caused, but the complaining itself was making things - well - “worser” than they had to be. The complaining FIXED nothing but made me feel worse.
Even better - complaining less did for me exactly what it did for the people in that church’s congregation -
Complaining literally makes problems loom larger, weigh on us heavier, and leaves us more stressed. We absolutely FEEL better when we don’t complain.
It made it easier for me to feel less overwhelmed by the problems
Because I was less overwhelmed - I was better at making improvements - even if only tiny ones
BONUS! Not complaining made it easier to see the problems for what they are - and address them more effectively.
Okay - so for the low, low price of Nada-Ninety-Five YOU can go to your kitchen right now - reach into your crisper drawer and grab that little purple or blue rubber, Amy Jo-made “remember to not complain” bracelet and be on your way to feeling better! And it is OKAY to munch on somma dat broc while you’re at it.! Woo hoo!!!
And come back tomorrow for another gift. Trust me - you’ve earned it.