On Sunday, curled up with a big cup of coffee and the latest issue of Glamour, I read an article that really resonated with me. Anna Breslaw gave up bitching for a week - no complaining, whining, trash talking, or negativity for seven days. The result was that she felt happier, healthier, and more aware of her persona and the things that occupied her thoughts daily. I often find myself guilty of complaining and being negative, and lately I've realized how tired I am of hearing myself talk in that way. Has that ever happened to you? You're bored with the things you have to say? I attribute that mostly to the fact that I know I have more interesting thoughts and conversation topics, but in an effort to vent, share, or find a commonality with someone, bitching can take over. I spend a lot of time thinking and writing about living positively, being grateful, and seeing the little, sweet things in life. The article reminded me that despite my best efforts, I have a tendency to allow myself to get carried away instead of focusing on being grateful.
For the next week, I'm going to take a page out of Glamour and banish the negativity. And I don't mean I'll banish emotion - when frustrating and disappointing things happen, it's essential to allow yourself to be present and able to deal. I'm focusing on the petty things that are in my control - how I react to traffic, after getting an annoying email, when I want to gossip. It won't always be easy and I might not be completely successful, but I'm looking forward to seeing how I do and what I learn. I'm planning to keep a running list of the things that I don't communicate during this experiment, and how I help myself get over them. I'll be back next Monday with a full report - wish me luck!
Good luck!
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