Complaining.........

We all complain or "vent" from time to time......sometimes saying the thing aloud that is bothering us begins to strip it of its power, or allows us to put some perspective around it and move on.....but "chronic complaining" or being a "chronic complainer" I think is one of the most detrimental things for a person.....it causes that person to live in a state of looking for the bad??? And then spending time and energy discussing it......and we all know folks in this category right? And it is one of the hard line things for me in this chapter.....I don't want to spend time with people that complain chronically anymore.....I just don't.....I seek to be around the problem solvers....not the ones finding problems......and yesterday I was shown the power of not giving into complaining.....we had our Bog field trip.....and yesterday's weather was intense......pouring rain.....thunder and lightning......just awful out there....and when I got to the school it was peaking....and I had accidentally left my raincoat on the table....so I was gearing up for getting wet......I set out when I got there to finding a raincoat I could borrow from somebody in the building while we were gone. and I found one:) And then I adjusted my perspective.....choosing to feel like we were embarking on an experience....an adventure if you will.....and I was surprised initially that the Bog folks didn't cancel.....I was.....because I thought the weather may be cruddy all morning....and while they go rain or shine, they don't go during thunderstorms....but they called and said the storms were moving out and we were a go......so when my class arrived they were chattering about the weather....wondering about it all too....and I told them we were headed to the Bog and that we likely would get pretty wet.....may be uncomfortable some......but that we were going to have an amazing day and so much fun.....something we won't forget! And that my only big rule of the day was NO complaining.....at all.....that complaining isn't helpful.......doesn't change the circumstance...and isn't worth our energy.....so they excitedly prepared to take my lead......trusting that what I was telling them was right......and when we got there.....the storms had moved out.....and it was one of the most lovely bog days I have had over the last 20 years.....cooler temp.....no bugs......just perfection......and it was a reminder again.....in the power of not giving into our mind.....in not sinking lower into complaining, and fighting what is.....instead choosing to rise above what was happening, and embracing it......and I know I can say this because the rain stopped.....but I believe I would have gotten the same lesson even if it had poured.....life is absolutely what you make it, and your mindset is where the magic is found.....chronic complaining is a habit......that can be, and in my opinion should be, broken......so many beautiful things to focus on in the world....chronic complaining shouldn't be one of them;-) and when you focus on those beautiful things, well you might just find some magic:)