What's There To Complain About

Here it is as promised! Our first guest blog. I'm excited to introduce Lynne Workman Hutchings, mother of five, Grandmother of 15. She is an avid reader, a very talented musician, gifted in numerous ways, a self motivator, and a positive role model. She really is this amazing! Here is what she has to say. . .

I’ve noticed something lately, about people, in general.  We complain.  A lot.  We complain about the government. We complain about health care. We complain about our jobs, or lack thereof.  We complain about our spouses.  We complain about our children.  We complain about the shape of our bodies, we complain about the pain in our bodies. We complain about the food we eat.  We complain about terrorists, we complain about airport security.  We complain about the cost of fuel, really about the cost of everything.  We spend a lot of time complaining.

Years ago, not too long after I got married, my Dad gave me a book.  The first line of this book was:  “Life is difficult.”  Then the author spent the rest of the book explaining about the misconceptions we have of life.  Somehow, someone has indoctrinated us to believe that we shouldn’t have troubles, or challenges, or pain in our lives.  I have not, in my 57 years found that to be the case.  I have learned that working through the challenges and trials and pain in my life has made me what I am.

Admittedly, there have been times in my life that I thought I may never get through.  There have been times of disappointment and pain and I have learned that all this is temporary.  I have also learned a few things that make all the challenges easier.

#1.  Count your blessings

In my experience, concentrating on the great blessings of my life makes my problems seem very minor.  Things as simple as a comfortable bed to sleep in, a warm shower, a laughing baby, a spouse who holds me when I’m sad, or rubs my legs when they hurt, children who call me and still want to visit me.  My blessings far outweigh my challenges.

#2.  Be of service to others

Giving of myself to others is a sure way to take my mind off of me and put it on someone else.  It always makes me count my blessings when I see the challenges of others.

#3.  Decide to be happy and content

Some days are just hard.  Sometimes weeks and months and even years are just hard.  But hard is relative.  I have found that if I decide that my life is fine, my life is fine and I can be content.

#4.  Work hard and continue to work hard

Nothing produces nothing.  And something always produces something.  If I am anxiously engaged in trying to better my life, it always gets better.

Life really is not easy, but life is wonderful!