At last, another trial comes to an end. Though, this wasn’t so much of a trial or even a challenge. It was really an exercise in recognizing my own thoughts. First, some final thoughts on complaining in general.
A Good Vent
Throughout this trial I’ve been pondering the nature of complaints and their impact. Why do we complain? Does a complaint always have to be a bad thing? Can there be good complaining?
I’ve come to this general conclusion. Complaining can be a problem if it’s used to avoid the underlying problem.
I believe talking about an issue with someone can be good and healthy. Sometimes the problem is a thought itself, and talking about it with someone can allow it to fade. Maybe something crappy happened and it’s been stuck on your mind all day. Talking about may help to let it free. That is good.
Simply talking about a persisting problem without action isn’t helpful at all.
Letting Snap Judgements Pass
One of the biggest things I’ve accepted in the last year or two, is that I often have some strange or negative snap judgements and thoughts. My approach to dealing with them has been to acknowledge, dismiss them, and focus on a stronger judgement.
I try to apply this mindset in even the most frustrating situations. For example, if I’m driving and the car in front of me is going ten under the speed limit, I might be bothered at first. Taking a second and appreciating that they are just trying to drive safely takes me out of a bad mood and I tend to stop caring. Applying this the other way, if some maniac cuts me off, my instinct might be to curse him out. I take a moment and think, “well that guy must be in a rush huh? I’m glad I can take my time getting to where I am now.”
Having this mindset in my life certainly makes it easier. It’s something I’m far from perfect on, but things like this trial have really helped to reinforce it.
Time for Some Time Off
For the next few weeks, I’ll be taking a break from writing the blog, making this the last trial of 2019! It was a good year, and I am really happy with what I’ve accomplished so far. I feel that I need to recharge myself after another year of posting. Though, I am not completely unplugging creatively. I’ll be participating in a Game Jam all next week and will likely be streaming it a few days on Twitch.
I also plan to work on redesigning the blog, something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time. I’ll enjoy the time off, but am looking forward to coming back on January 8th, 2020 recharged and ready to write. If you want to keep up with me further, sign up for my newsletter. I recently changed to a monthly email sharing highlights, milestones, and plans for the month ahead.
Thank you for reading and have a great rest of your year!
Trying Out Before Buying In 