January 8, 2010
A Day with No Complaints

Posted at 10:26 am, in: Uncategorized

So, I realize I haven’t been blogging that much as of late. I guess a part of me just doesn’t have anything left to say. But, that’s a defeatist attitude that I can’t stand. I think I won’t be blogging as often as I used to, but I still want to continue to blog so I hope that you will all bear with me and keep coming back and checking in every now and again.

Since I have finally finished my master’s degree and find myself out of school (well, kind of, I’m still completing a Master’s Certificate in Education program for my job, but I don’t really count that as anything) for the first time since I was about 5-years-old–unless you count pre-school, which means this is the first time I’ve really been without school since I was three!–I’m feeling kind of lost. School has been a huge part of my life and my identity for so long.

Everyone keeps asking, “What’s next?” I’ve talked about this in a previous post. The never-ending chase for the next best thing that inevitably robs you of any opportunity for true happiness. That’s why I have nothing planned next. I promised myself five years of no school once I finished at JHU, and as hard as it is for me to keep that promise to myself (I promised myself three years of freedom after undergrad and started applying to grad programs in less than a year!), I’m going to do it.

I have been so busy with my career and education that I have neglected my personal life. My success has come at a great personal cost. I’m not getting any younger and I owe it to myself to work on building relationships and improving myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. That’s what’s next for me. And, that brings me to the point of my blog post today.

I have been having some issues in my personal life that need to be addressed. My best friend suggested I read a book that should help me. It’s a self-help book of sorts, I suppose. The best part of being out of school is being able to read whatever I want, again (currently, this includes 1776, The One Year Decision-Maker’s Bible, and this other book that shall remain nameless because I’m embarrassed even by the title!). Last night the book that shall remain nameless talked about an exercise some professor runs with his students every year. He challenges them in class one day to go 24 hours without complaining. Not one single complaint.

The next day, when the students return, he has them guess how many people lived up to the challenge. In the 20-40 years (can’t remember exactly and I don’t have the book with me) he has never had anybody who made it the full day without a single complaint. The exercise is good, though, because it makes the students think about what they complain about and how silly it is, which leads them to be happier and complain less.

The book doesn’t ask the reader to take the challenge, but I decided to do it. Today, I’m trying to make it through the day without a single complaint, fully realizing that I will not be able to accomplish this goal. I mean, if you read my blog regularly, what is my blog other than one big complaint? Occasionally I have something positive to say, but it’s mostly complaints and criticisms. Not today, though.

With that in mind, I would like to say that I love this country. I don’t think there is anything we can’t do if we really want to. We can accomplish anything and we can return her to the greatness that catapulted her to the number one spot in the world and allowed her to remain there for all of these years.

The book 1776 is a great book and I think everyone should read it. If you ever think we’re in a fight we can’t win, just remember what George Washington and our Founding Fathers were up against back then. What we face today is nothing compared to what they faced back then. The only difference is that they had the confidence that some of us might be lacking. Today, I am not lacking that confidence. Part of American greatness is accomplishing the impossible, which means for America nothing is impossible. Our sacrifice and determination will be rewarded.  Instead of complaining about what sucks about America right now, I challenge all of you to go out and remind people of what makes her great.