Looking within

Today, a teacher walked into the library and asked me how my foot was. I shared with her how discouraged I was that it was only incrementally better after a month of wearing the orthopedic boot. We continued talking and she began to share how overwhelmed she was with the never-ending demands at school.

She then paused and said, I don’t like to be a complainer and I don’t want to become a person who is always complaining. I knew what she meant.

So what do we do when we are experiencing hardships, difficulties, stress, and daily life feels like a lot of effort? There are times when sharing our struggles with one another, and giving and sharing compassion definitely eases the burden. And then, there are times, when we need another approach.

So when is it more supportive to be  mindful of our attitudes and ask ourselves: What could be a different response?

Lately, I have found that the more I can let things go and remind myself what is important, then I don’t have the same intense habit to complain.

Just tonight, I noticed that I wanted to complain to my husband the moment he came home about how hard it was for to go grocery shopping with the boot, and park the car, and carry the groceries up the stairs. I was in the garage, putting some laundry in, and I stopped in my tracks.

I didn’t want to hear myself complain.I realized I wanted to feel more peaceful, but I just didn’t. Then I realized that I could just accept myself, and trust that deep inside I was peaceful, even if I didn’t feel it at the moment. Instantly I felt better, knowing that I might not be feeling peaceful, but I was still peaceful deep inside of me. No matter how much I was struggling, there was still a joyful person in me. What a relief! What a treasure.

When I went upstairs, I decided to let go of wanting to complain. Instead, I focused on how delicious our dinner was —  salmon, roasted potatoes, and french green beans. And in the end, my husband and I ended up enjoying sharing a meal together at the end of long and busy day.