On Complaining….

I have spent a lot of my life complaining.

And then one day, I didn’t want to anymore. It felt crappy. So I decided to stop.

It turns out the term “rewiring the brain” is a real thing.

Did you know that wires in the brain are shooting messages to other synapses (or wires) constantly, and if a message is repeated enough, those synapses grow closer together? The brain does this so that it becomes more efficient. So the question becomes, what pattern of thoughts are we setting?

There has never been a safer time to live on the earth.

Never has there been more fear.

The Internet has opened up opportunities unlike any other time in history.

We complain how it has upset our business models, never to return to the way it was. We complain that the competition has increased; that we hear too much noise.

Just. Stop.

Take it from a recovering cynic.

Replacing the negativity with other things (gratitude, wonder, awe, compassion, on and on….) will save your life. Fast.

What is happening to me now? Colors are brighter. Maybe I simply notice them more. When I hear hardship stories, I see hero stories and their endings aren’t written yet. Everything is…lighter. The weight of a million things I didn’t need to carry lifted, and I think I’m just beginning to see what the world can be.

Some things aren’t controllable, yes, but “uncontrollable” is only one part of this story.

You are a co-creator with the rest of it. Carpe diem.

On Complaining: An Epilogue

My resolve to stop complaining became weak a few days ago. I needed to get to a town an hour and a half away and I timed everything wrong. First I got stuck behind the school bus. At least I decided to wait patiently for its frequent stops. I’ve got my own kids, after all. After the bus pulled over and let the line of traffic pass, I was able to get onto the highway and encountered a car accident. Glass was everywhere, and we had to navigate slowly. Then I realized I needed to fill up with gas.

“I’ll be at least 15 minutes late,” I texted.

I arrived at my destination 15 minutes late. It wasn’t a big deal. When I got home, I did need to let my husband know that the drive was pretty exasperating when he wanted to know how my day had gone.

“If you hadn’t been slowed by the school bus, you would have likely been in that accident,” he said softly.

I relaxed. Then I smiled at the Universe and said, “I’m getting the message.”