9 Reasons You Should Think Twice Before Complaining Today
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

9 Reasons You Should Think Twice Before Complaining Today

The reality of being human is that we are so much smaller and breakable than we’d like to admit.

177
9 Reasons You Should Think Twice Before Complaining Today
Pexels

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or living in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12

“Rejoicing in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

These are two of my favorite Bible verses.

As I grow in my faith and just in general, I learn so many different lessons about what I really should be concerned with. I’ve been at the bottom of the barrel, wondering if I’ll be able to flip out of it. I’ve been at the top of the clock tower, looking down onto the path I took to get there.

Maybe I even fell back down a few times.

The reality of being human is that we are so much smaller and breakable than we’d like to admit. If we put up the rouge that our heart can’t be broken, we may even fool ourselves. Just because you paint the color of steel onto your heart doesn’t mean it’s bulletproof now.

Some of us are stronger in a sense, in that our hearts take a little more force to break because we’ve seen so much that the fences around them have been reinforced with steel beams, fastened throughout the years.

The glory is that whether your heart has just wood and dirt to keep it grounded, or steel, or concrete, it doesn’t change the effect of one heart connecting to yours to help you see how much better your circumstances are than you first imagined.

We have slow attention spans at times, and we tend to overlook all the good in our lives. The world gives us so much pressure and pushes us to fit into the space of a puzzle-piece. We get the roadmap of life that we’re supposed to follow, and we forget all of the great little things we have around us. There’s a lot of them, but I’ll only list 9.

1. You’re alive right now.

An obvious fact, I would hope, but there is a certain peace in knowing that through everything during the day, you’re still here. A heart pumping and a pair of lungs breathing are a sure sign that things are not as bad as they could be. A victim is someone who doesn’t make it; your heartbeat makes you a survivor.

2. You can read.

Another obvious fact, but the ability to read is not a skill that everybody has. Assuming you have gotten this far in the article, it can be reasonable to say that you can read. Elsewhere, there are people who are far less endowed with a skill we take for granted so often.

3. There’s a song for every situation.

It's true that songs can say all of the things we wish we could say. A lot of the music industry these days is made to be fast-paced and loud. This leaves little room for lyrical creativity; but when your heart finds the perfect songs to read aloud your emotions, it’s a certain kind of magic. A good song can be the company you need at times.

4. Even though you can’t change your circumstances, you can change how you react.

It’s not our words, our hardships, our heritage or our upbringing that define us. It’s not other people and their plots against us, and it’s not even the mistakes we make, where we shoot ourselves in the foot. What defines us is how we choose to face it all, especially when a lot of the world seems to want you to fail. When the world wants you to give up so it can feel better about itself, embolden yourself so you can be a master of your demons, instead of the other way around.

5. A little determination can break through walls, and a little faith can move mountains.

If you’ve decided within yourself that your situations will not break you, you will want to see if you can break them.

A person who wishes for things to happen will sometimes find a miracle, but I’ve learned that miracles happen more consistently when we put our thoughts and words into action. When we think there isn’t enough energy in us to carry through with our day and all the stress we have to deal with, we can choose to be determined and press on, even though it’s difficult.

Even when things seem hopeless and you feel lost, challenge yourself to believe that things will get better.

6. You can control your thoughts.

How many things during the day do you let bother you and, as Joyce Meyer would say, “steal your peace?” Are you easily agitated or easily bothered? Do you let old grudges keep you from enjoying your day?

Well, news flash, you don’t have to entertain those thoughts.

It’s easier said than done, of course, but if you’re constantly stressed out and constantly fired up about insignificant things, then why would you want to keep doing that to yourself?

If you want to control your life and how you can make it easier on yourself, you have to control your thoughts and hold them captive.

7. Nothing lasts forever.

We come to find throughout our lives that the experience of waking up in the morning is a victory. There is so much good to be found if we just keep pushing.

No matter what hail may be hammering away at you, you will come out of the storm if you just keep moving. It will make you so much stronger and so much more confident in yourself because you’ll know that you’ve gotten through something tough before.

You’ll feel like you can take on the next storm without being shaken.

8. Some problems are there to build you rather than break you.

A beautiful aspect of being human is our ability to look at things from a different perspective. We waste so much time, getting lost in the self-pity and the burns we feel as life gets harder. We get caught up and miss the road signs that say so much more about our circumstances than just how they may hurt us.

They say that you’re in such a beautiful part of your life because you’re experiencing the beauty that is a personal experience. It’s not meant to tear us apart because we could easily just throw in the towel and give up on life.

Anything worth having is when we get fired up and suffer and/or sacrifice for it. We have so much good ahead of us, especially if we check out how the suffering will actually benefit us in the long run.

8. There are so many people in the world who would gladly trade problems with you.

This isn’t to discount the realness of your problems, but we live in a world that is changing and advancing so quickly.

Yet, one thing remains the same. The world has far to go when it comes to erasing the bystander attitude that is contagious at times. Within our own country, people are feeling the aftermath of fires that destroyed neighborhoods, of hurricanes that plowed through islands like bowling balls, and of contaminated drinking water that people thought was alleviated a year ago.

If you have some means of getting a hot meal and clothes, or even if you can still walk on your own two legs, please consider that they are not given to everybody.

9. You are so much stronger than you think.

This isn’t cliché and this isn’t some self-help advice from some mental health guru who drinks green smoothies.

This is the truth about all of us, whether we acknowledge it or not. We have such a raw energy in us that we see over and over again in other people. For me, it’s the full arsenal that the Holy Spirit provides me with.

Whether you’re full of hope or not, don’t discount the capabilities that you can see from yourself. The strength to care about others before yourself, to see your circumstances from a different perspective, to push through, to take control of your thoughts, to stay determined, and to acknowledge that your heart is beating and that you are a survivor and not a victim.

These are all strengths within us that we have to reintroduce ourselves to. It’s so important to do that too because when we do, it’ll be like reuniting with an old friend.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

57771
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37228
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

958931
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

191932
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments