Random Thoughts on 3 Negatives

I've been thinking lately about three negative habits/thought patterns that rob us of our potential for growth and progress:

"Playing the Victim" Whenever we feel that we are a victim then we are not taking responsibility for our own life and progress. Victims are busy blaming others, life, "the universe" for their troubles instead of being accountable for their being. So, note to self: whenever you feel like a victim, let it go, move on and take control of your life.

"Worry" I love the old saying: "Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere." Sometimes we have a lot on our minds: our own challenges and problems, other people's problems, overwhelming to-do lists, but frankly, worrying about them doesn't really accomplish anything. Personally I finding writing down everything that is weighing on my mind, (journaling) and then recognizing the things I do have control over, and planning what to do about it (prioritizing to-dos) and then letting go of the things I don't have control over (or just making them a matter of prayer) frees my mind of worrying - what a relief!

"Complaining" The quote about worrying can apply here as well. Unless the complaining is leading to a constructive problem solving action, then it really is useless, a waste of time and energy. There is one caveat: I believe everyone has permission on occasion to complain to their spouse and/or one other BFF, because we all need to keep our sanity, and sometimes you just have to get the complaining out of your head. But that having been said, keeping it to a minimum reduces the amount of negativity in your life and leaves more room in the relationship for fun and happy moments.

Okay, I'm climbing off my soapbox now. But it felt good to get all those thoughts out of my head on into words on "paper." Maybe they'll help someone else, but at least it helped me to verbalize it and hopefully will lessen my future moments of being a worrying, complaining victim.