Swapping Complaining for Swearing

I hate it when I moan. I really do. I’ll find myself, by default, complaining about trivial things that I can’t control as if that’s the only option to a problem. When in fact it doesn’t help at all, annoys people around you and probably makes things worse.

I’ve had a lot of perspective thrown my way in the past few years with my parents ill-health. If there is anything good that has come out of my mum’s depression, dad’s cancer and now Alzheimer’s is how it has helped me realise to be smart with my time. To make the most of every experience, to be bloody grateful and to make changes instead of complaining about things.

I’m not suggesting you quit moaning, nor am I judging you if you like a good grumble, go fill your boots. Simply put, one less person moaning in the world is a positive thing I think. In the spirit of full disclosure, I will be swapping my complaining for swearing instead; I figure it’s a short and sweet alternative to moaning and ALWAYS makes me feel better. That, and gin of course.

I know these motivational quotes can be a bit preachy at times but this one really stuck with me, and Mo Gawdat, after the unexpected loss of his son, knows what he’s talking about (read about his Happiness Equation here).

So, to get me started on my swearing only adventure, here’s 3 things I’m going to quit moaning about:

Age | In truth, age has never been an issue for me but I’ll hear friends/ family talk about it with dread and that makes me sad. Turning 40 in 3 years feels more surreal than scary. I used to worry that I’d never make it past 35 when I was diagnosed with epilepsy as a teenager. Both my aunt and great-grandmother died in their twenties/thirties because of epilepsy related issues and for years I presumed I’d have the same fate. Luck would have it I’ve been seizure free for 15 years now. Life is terribly short, so I now embrace and celebrate every year I have on this planet of ours. And if you’re not a fan of the wrinkles then there’s plenty of creams for that. Celebrate those birthdays, chums.

Bills | “As soon as I’m paid, the bills go out and there’s hardly anything left” – we all say it, I know I do. But I’m choosing to change the way I think about our monthly outgoings whilst I’m fortunate enough to be able to pay them.  Nothing is ever guaranteed, and those bills that I curse every 1st of the month put a roof over our head, keep us warm, heat our food, power our computers (and my film addiction), protect our home and pets and boil the kettle too. I might struggle again one day, so for now it’s time to feel a bit more positive about those Direct Debits.

Weather | This might be a mistake but I’m diving straight in. With the exception of flash foods, (we’ve had our fill of those in Calderdale), I WILL NOT MOAN ABOUT THE WEATHER ANYMORE. Firstly, I’m northern and am used to bad weather and am weirdly quite partial to a dreary Yorkshire day. Secondly, in all my 37 years I’ve never experienced a proper summer of wall to wall sunshine – it doesn’t exist in the UK. Finally, I have a dog and there’s no getting around bad weather when you have an eager pooch to walk – you just get used to it. What will my small talk chat be now, I wonder?

Are there things you want to quit complaining about or do you love a good grumble?