Lesson for Life
Mumma, why did you cook this? I will not eat.
Why do I have to study chemistry? It’s so dull.
Dada isn’t buying me a new phone.
My friends always do this to me.
Hey you, Pajero driver speeds up. How can you drive at 118 when the speed is 120?
My boss is very mean.
Well, I was talking about me, but this article is for you if you could see yourself.
I have never believed in fairy tales but always expected my life to be one of those like Cinderella, silly me.
But I could always relate to Cinderella because my family thought just like hers.
Forget thinking; they told me upfront on my face. Jenny, you’re good for nothing.
Why don’t you be intelligent like your sister?
In my head — Is there a course to be intelligent?
Your brother is so smart. Learn something.
Look at your friend; she does so much more than academics. Why are you useless?
Imagine a 13-year-old girl who has experienced criticism every day for six long years.
Result?
I became just like them.
So here I was, 28 years old yet jobless, living as a paying guest(I couldn’t afford anything more) and busy binging on the packet of chips.
My health was a disaster.
My Career was a disaster, my relationship was a disaster, this PG was a disaster, and most importantly, my thoughts were a disaster.
I felt immersed in pollution both externally and internally. I was ready to die of suffocation that night when I suddenly remembered my mother used to remind me multiple times a day “ God’s always there with you, and for you, and that night I kneeled, closed my eyes, folded my hands, looked upward and said, “ I am not sure if you can hear me. I am not sure if you want to listen to me, but please help me.
Till then, alcohol had already taken over me, and I fell asleep.
Ting Tong
Ting Tong
Who’s here at 8 am.
Where is my pant?
Ting Tong
Ting Tong
Have some patience, man, I am coming.
I opened the door and grinned
What do you want?
Good morning, I am Mrs. Brigette. If I am not wrong, you are Jennifer.
How do you know my name?
Oh, I will share this room with you as instructed by the owner.
Oh no, why?
I am not sure, but I remember him mentioning that you have not paid the bills for quite a few months.
Yes, sadly.
Anyway, feel free to use whatever you want, and I don’t like people interfering in my life.
She was just, I know
Silly woman.
We met for the first time; how does she know, and I started snoring again.
At 1:30 pm, when I woke up, I heard someone say
Come, let’s have lunch
I’ve cooked grilled chicken and made some salad.
Crazy Woman!
In this expensive city, she’s feeding me Grilled Chicken.
I stood next to the table and said, I am not going to pay for any of these
She smiled again
You don’t have to pay anything. Freshen up and come for lunch; I’m hungry
When I took the first bite, I felt mesmerized. I don’t remember eating such tasty grilled chicken after leaving home.
I didn’t feel it necessary to tell her, so I continued with my meal.
Post lunch, I said thank you very softly without waiting for the response because I didn’t want to initiate any conversation.
This routine continued until she accidentally fractured her hand, and now it was time to pay back.
I tried to cook something simple so I didn’t mess up, but I ended up messing up.
So, I went to her with disappointment and said, “Look, I tried making porridge for lunch, but it’s a pile of absolute rubbish. What can I order for you?
With a smile, she said, I’ll happily eat porridge.
But it tastes Yukkk.
No worries, please give me some.
I left the bowl on the table and tried to walk off when she held my hand and, said Sit, let’s eat together.
After the first spoon, she sprang in excitement.
Wow, this is so different.
I’ve never had a porridge-like this.
I was completely Confused.
What magic happened between serving and eating?
I had a spoon of it and
Aewwwwwww
That’s when she looked deep into my eyes and said, Jennifer, you complain way too much.
Try to minimize, and you’ll see for yourself how life changes.
I faked a smile, blinked my eyes, and walked off the table.
I was trying hard not to think of what she said, but she was right. I complain immensely about people, situations, traffic, the internet, God, and everything else that’s possible.
So, I experimented with her advice and decided no chips for the day I complained.
I craved chips every single day for the first few months. There were times when I felt like quitting, but something in me was not letting me.
Gradually things started to change.
I could see a healthier me, my energy levels increased, my partner came back, and I landed in a tiny company at a very high position, though.
Life improved, and I improved as well.
One tiny change changed my entire life.
And if I could do it, you can do it as well. The power lies within you, and for those who are busy wondering what’s wrong with complaining, here’s some data to ponder on.
- Complaining rewires your brain for negative thinking.
- Complaining increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol in your body.
- Constant complaining can shrink the hippocampus, which is responsible for your intelligence.
These are just a few to note, but there are many more in reality. Next time you complain, make sure you remember this article.
Happy Reading and Happy applying!
