While most people have been known to complain and grumble from time to time, it is not an effective mode of change. When people tend to see the “cup as half empty,” we mean they look at life through a lens that is prone to seeing the negative. (By the way, I try to see the cup as neither half empty or half full but refillable and hope you can see the world the same way!) Negativity begets more negativity. And once we go down that path, it is hard to pull ourselves up and see the positives. While grumbling about something may result in surrounding yourself with others who agree, it does not solve or better the situation.
I’ve come to the conclusion that GRUMBLING IS CRUMBLING. When we grumble, we crumble the path to change. Sure grumbling and complaining might feel good as we verbalize what we are struggling with, but it does not change our situation. Grumbling involves words. We need to do something different to change our situation. Instead I offer PLANNING IS PROVIDING.
While we cannot control all the negative, challenging, traumatic situations we are confronted with in life, we can control how we approach them. When people are battered down by the challenges of life they often tend to assume and even see the worst case scenarios. Those are the very people we need to show that while it is okay to verbalize our frustrations, we need to do something different for our circumstances to become more positive. This involves SEEING life differently. Looking for the “silver lining” out of any given situation. Learn a lesson. Grow from the experience. Have a Plan B or at least be prepared to provide yourself the flexibility to go off track and still move forward.
Along your path may you recognize that grumbling is crumbling but planning is providing for change!