Have you ever thought about the number of times you complain throughout the day, or if not you, then someone close to you, maybe even someone on social media? I’d like to say that while many of have problems expressing our emotions, we do quite well in the complaint department.
The definition of complain is to “express dissatisfaction or annoyance about something.“
Pandemic woes, the high price of fuel, supply chain issues, these past few years have given all of us plenty to gripe about. I’m in no way disputing that. Nor am I using this post to be complaining about us all complaining. Instead I’d like it to be a positive post.
It is true there is a time to speak up and express our concerns about things. It is how change happens. Nothing can ever change if a problem is not brought to the forefront. Sometimes if we express our concerns, we can make change happen for the good but complaining about it amongst ourselves just keeps us on that hamster wheel. I feel this endless complaining about things we have no control over isn’t helpful or healthy.
I’m not perfect. I’m willing to bet you aren’t either. I sometimes find myself pulled into a vortex of negativity. I’ll be honest, sometimes it almost feels good to complain. Good for a short time, that is. Spending the day thinking about all the things that is wrong in our world or the world in general can be like a disease that keeps spreading…but if we allow it.
I’m not suggesting that life should be this huge big ball of positivity because we all know it is not. But there are things we can do when we find ourselves slipping into that endless vat of complaints. For now, I’ve decided to avoid watching too much about the war in Ukraine because it is so heartbreaking. No, I’m not sticking my head in the sand, but watching the same horrors again and again is probably not so good for my mental health. Yes, I will stay informed. But I need to step back for a time.
So, setting all complaints aside, I’m going to mention something positive about my day. From my kitchen window I can see the wooded area surrounding the lake. After the foot of snow we got from the last snow storm, it was such a surprise to look out and see patches of ground where the snow had melted completely. This all happened yesterday when the temperature got up to +10. Spring, I thought gleefully. Yes, gleefully!
I’d seen signs of it in February, some pussy willows and robins (and for a time the snow was completely gone.) But we all know that while Spring might give us glimpses of herself in February, she does not completely show up until March or even April. So needless to say, the sight of bare ground in March feels like a small win for me today. Because maybe, just maybe Spring is slowly closing in on us.
Since this is a post about NO complaints, if you choose to leave a comment, please make it something positive. I am working toward a goal to have an entire day without complaining. Wish me luck and enjoy the rest of you day in a positive way!
Laura Best 
Darlene
/ March 8, 2022I once read that we complain about things we have no control over, like the weather for instance. Because we feel unable to do anything about a situation, we complain instead. If we catch ourselves complaining, we need to think about what we can do about whatever we’re complaining about. I thought it was a good concept. Of course, I don´t always follow that line of thinking. Glad to hear you have some patches of Spring showing up. xo
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Laura Best
/ March 8, 2022I hope to never become a chronic complainer, but sometimes it is easy to get trapped into that mindset. There is so much to be positive about.
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Angela Wilson
/ March 8, 2022I love spring! Robins, pussywillows! New life, new growth! I have 12 babies on my orchid that will bloom soon. I am eagerly waiting and watching.
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Laura Best
/ March 8, 2022I agree it’s pretty exciting when we see these small signs. I love Spring and Fall for different reasons. Both fill me will hope.
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