I used to complain. A lot. About a lot of really stupid things. And the sad thing was, I had it pretty darn good. But because I was complaining so much, I let the good things slip through my fingers. Then I woke one morning and had real things to complain about. And guess what? I complained some more. More bad things followed. It was a self-defeating cycle.
I still complain but not as much. I read a couple of things this weekend that really made me feel unappreciated. I started to complain about them, too — but instead, I emceed a roast, drew four cartoons, co-emceed an awards banquet, cleaned my house and got to spend four amazing hours with creative kids at the Mississippi Childrens’ Museum. As I sat with my family last night watching the Super Bowl I figured something out:
The next time I feel like complaining, I’ll get busy to change the situation. And then I’ll focus on all the good things. It’s a better use of my energy — and time.