Burden or Blessing?
Complain…
I’ll be the first to say that I will (often) catch myself complain about…
The weather. Too rainy, too hot, too cold, too wtv!
Work stuff. Computer glitches, deadlines, expectations.
My kids. No comment.
Laundry. Piles that seem to appear overnight ;)
If there’s something that’s too easy to do, it’s to complain about everything and anything.
It can often be our default setting unfortunately.
Most people, in fact complain once a minute in a typical conversation.
Pretty scary stuff when you think about the impact complaining and griping can do to our brain and our overall health.
Repeating a behavior over and over again rewires our brain for efficiency and ease.
In other words, complaining can easily become our default setting. We then only see the negative things around us instead of any positive glimpses that likely also exist. This is called “negativity-bias” when all you see is doom and gloom.
Here’s the thing…
Life can be hard, challenging and difficult… I’ll be the first to say it. Just re-read my blog from last month about my summer months. Complain? I had every opportunity to do so (and did!)
So, it’s not all roses and butterflies. I’m not gonna tell you to “look at the bright side” and to slap a smile on your face. I don’t sport rose-colored glasses.
BUT….
By the same token if all we do is complain… we need to catch ourselves and remember that there is always a blessing or an opportunity to be grateful for SOMETHING.
“Clinical trials indicate that the practice of gratitude can have dramatic and lasting effects in a person’s life. It can lower blood pressure and improve immune function. ... Grateful people engage in more exercise, have better dietary behaviors, are less likely to smoke and abuse alcohol and have higher rates of medication adherence.” (heart.org)
We know that our health encompasses far more than squats or push-ups or the veggies we consume (all good stuff btw!). But our attitude plays a critical role in our overall health. That being said though, let’s remember that all sunshine and daisies is not a way to live. Sitting with all our emotions (the raw, ugly, sad, bitter, etc.) is healthy too.
We shouldn’t feel “guilty” or bad for complaining about life sometimes. Being honest with ourselves means sitting with our feelings wherever they might be.
But staying in that space and always ruminating on the negative is not a way to live.
(SIDE NOTE: In fact, if you always complain about the same thing… over and over again, it is YOUR responsibility to do something about it. Verbalizing a complaint does not solve the problem. Take action when needed instead of whining or complaining about an ongoing situation in your life.)
Do you see the burden or the blessing?
Can you appreciate the space where you can sit in both?
Burdens are real. We carry them. And some are heavy.
But blessings are equally real, if we stop to think of just a few to keep us healthy on the inside out.
Here are a few prompts to help you see some blessings and opportunities to breed gratitude in your life.
Ask yourself…
What did your body do for you today? Did you walk? Workout? Hug someone? Cook a meal? Gratitude looks at the everyday stuff and turns it into something special.
What did you eat today? Was your coffee warm and satisfying? Did you eat a crunchy salad? Taste a delicious treat? Food and its many flavors are amazing and awesome :)
Did you workout today? How was your training? Did your muscles feel the “love”? Were able to push your body a little more? Did you heart rate rise? All these are signs of a miraculous machine that responds to training… a gift no doubt.
Did you connect with someone? Your partner? A co-worker? Your mom or dad? Your kid? These relationships… as complex and challenging as they can be at times, create moments and memories that etch in our brain with a sense of love and belonging.
I believe that grief and gratitude can and often do co-exist. You can gripe and give thanks at the same time. Just remember not to sit in the complaint lane too long.
It’s a place where we can easily stay in and oddly enough “feel comfortable” in.
There will always be burdens in life… but blessings most definitely exist if we take the time to think, count, express and share them with others.
This Thanksgiving… what are you most grateful for?
Share it with our Wow Community and let’s improve our health in body and mind… together!
Coach Lisa 💪❤
