Well the experiment is almost over. Yesterday I committed to going for 24 hours without complaining and if I did complain or was tempted to complain I had to write down what I complained about and how I was tempted. I started at 2pm yesterday and I'm finishing up my last few minutes blogging about it. I hope I don't complain while I'm writing up this post.
So no major shockers here about the level of my thankfulness. Obviously, like all the other red-blooded Americans out there I am extremely entitled, spoiled, and ungrateful. Go me! Yes, I have to say I am thankful though for this exercise because it really taught me a few things:
1. Having children is both a reason to be thankful and a reason why I failed this challenge and was tempted all day long to complain.
2. The evening hours when I had another human being with which I could have an actual conversation with(My husband Nathan), was when I was complaining the most. Question is:Was his presence a cause or an effect of my complaining...hmmm....
3. I complain the MOST about being tired. I think I need to schedule a nap time in my day somewhere.
4. When I complain over and over again, I realize that documenting said complaints actually lowers the amount of overall complaining that comes out of my mouth.
Overall I'd say the experiment was good for me. I know what my triggers for complaining are now, and I know I need to get to bed earlier. However, documenting my complaints is only the first step. The real change happened when I started replacing my complaints with a few positive phrases that I could actually get myself to believe to be more truth than the original complaint.
Example: I'm Tired!
Instead I said: I'm so glad I have a bed to sleep on tonight.
Easy huh? Truth is I pretty much can ALWAYS find something to complain about, even though I have so many blessings coming out of my ear I should be spending my whole day being thankful.
The truth is, complaining for me is a cycle, and once I start I can't seem to stop, but the opposite is also true of saying positive statements- the more I do it, the easier it is to look on the brighter side and see the glass half full. (Unless some little munchkin spilled it and now it really is empty)
Stay True,
Alicia
Complaining primarily to Nathan - What an interesting observation. I also find that I complain the most to the people I am closest to/spend the most time with. I, too, have been trying to speak more positively recently, but it's so easy to let simple frustrations grow to hours of stewing! Sometimes, I find that I don't even know what to say to others when I'm stewing inwardly (in making an effort not to complain) b/c I'm focused on the aggravation, whether I'm voicing it or not. For me, it's going to have to be an entire heart change, not just a change in words (though that needs to happen, too).
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