Well, things sure change fast sometimes.
I had a great weekend- that fun yet productive summer day and night on Saturday, and then a sort of lazier day yesterday filled with a good amount of relaxing time, Chipotle for lunch, a couple of TV shows, catching up on some work out on the deck and a workout. I actually commented on someone’s Instagram post yesterday something along the lines of, “I’m really feeling genuinely very happy this weekend.” Despite the craziness and negativity occurring in the greater world around us, in the little cocoon of my home and yard, everything felt quite right in the world.
Then around 6:30 pm, a couple things “happened” that instantly turned my mood upside down. Nothing terrible, really- one was something I read online that deeply upset me, and one was a disappointing/ stressful text message that I received. I won’t delve into the exact issues- they don’t really matter here on the blog.
But I felt all the positive energy that I was carrying through the weekend just drain right out of me. I felt a little pit develop in my stomach, just a general sense of discontent. I basically went to bed like that, and when my alarm went off at 5:00 this morning, I lay there in bed thinking on it all some more.
I had a few thoughts rolling around in my foggy little brain as I pondered how to “clear my mind”, if you will, of these negative issues that came up. I really don’t have control over either of them, so perseverating on them will do little good.
The first thing that popped into my head was:
“There’s no use crying over spilled milk!”
I like this quote because whenever I hear it, I imagine some robust, grandmotherly-like figure saying it, with her grey hair tied up in bun, hastily mopping up a little child’s spilled glass of milk with a white rag, clucking her tongue assuredly at the sniffling child to “stop that nonsense now, child”. (I’m not making this up- I really do have a particular image that comes to mind when I hear this quote! I think she’s kind of a spin off of the fairy godmother from Cinderella. 😊)
The second thing that came to mind- and I really have NO idea how I even thought of this, since it’s literally been years since I’ve heard it- was a children’s song we used to sing when I was in Sunday School at church many years ago:
“Why Complain”
My class performed this in church one Sunday back when I was probably like, 7 or 8 years old. I have no idea. But I loved the song then, and I actually still remember all the words to it now.
I think it’s a fantastic reminder for all of us. I will link the You Tube video below (if you are reading this blog post in your email, you may need to click through to my actual site in order to see the video). If you have kids, show them this today. Or even if you don’t, take 2 minutes out of your day and have a little listen. I might listen to it a few times, to continue working on my attitude adjustment. 😊
Why Complain – by Evie from “A Little Song of Joy for My Little Friends”
Why complain about your clothes & your shoes
Why complain about your teacher & her rules
Why complain when so many have no home
Why complain when you have one of your own
Just be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
Oh be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
The good things that you’ve got, are for many just a dream
So be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
Oh be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
The good things that you’ve got, are for many just a dream
So be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
Why complain about the way that you look
Why complain about the scolding that you took
Why complain when so many cannot run
Why complain when you’re having so much fun
Why complain about the scolding that you took
Why complain when so many cannot run
Why complain when you’re having so much fun
Just be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
Oh be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
The good things that you’ve got, are for many just a dream
So be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
Oh be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
The good things that you’ve got, are for many just a dream
So be thankful for the good things that you’ve got
Daily Gratitude:
This right here is why I do this. I didn’t wake up this morning feeling particularly grateful (see above post for why!). I’m coming around, but I’m still struggling a little bit inside. So, this gratitude practice helps me with my perspective- everyday, but especially times when I’m just not feeling it. I’m grateful for the sun outside my window. I’m grateful for the cup of tea I am drinking. I’m grateful that I’m healthy this morning. I’m grateful that my family is healthy today. I’m grateful that my Mom came to stay for a few days to help me out with a few things. I’m grateful that Ivan took my van to get the brakes fixed last Friday. I’m grateful that I have a job to work today that I enjoy and I will get paid. I’m grateful that I can go for a walk in my neighborhood with my husband. See? Look at all the good stuff I just found. 🙂
GRATEFUL KAE 
i can totally understand what you mean… one moment everything seems perfect, you are in a happy calm state, and then something snap and take you out from it. it happens to all of us, especially in the evenings. somehow I find in the evenings our physical and mental exhaustion makes us more vulnerable to switch to negativity quickly. when that happens, I acknowledge it and choose to sleep it off. More than half of the time when I wake up, what bothered me seems irrelevant. But when it doesn't, it requires more conscious decision to do what you did, change perspective instead of hoping to change the history. glad you snap out of it quickly! Will play the video to my girls too. They complain way too much!!! hahahaha
LikeLike
This was me on Friday. A conversation with a coworker resulted in a whole lot of anxiety and while I told myself not to worry because things are out of my control, I tossed and turned and got the worst night of sleep on Friday. It can be easy for a great day to be sort of ruined by something you read or hear or a conversation you have. Which is too bad. Good for you for snapping out of it! My weekend ended up being pretty busy so that was a good distraction and now that I'm further distanced from that conversation I feel more calm and less worried.
LikeLike
Not sleeping makes everything worse!! I saw on your post that you at least got a nap in on Saturday- that's super smart. It's awesome when that works out. The toughest thing is having a a bad day like that but having it be jam packed/ full with no downtime to rest up.
LikeLike