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When People are Complaining about the Life you Want

It's not the first time, and I'm certain it won't be the last. Friends, acquaintances, random strangers on the internet are complaining or claiming something is the end of the world. Well, that happens all the time, probably the reason why Al Gore invented the internet (hahah, just a little political joke there). Then all you can think is "if only my life included just one of those things you don't seem to want..."

When I turned 30 I had some issues with expectations (on my actual BDay). I thought I would be a mother with some cute kiddos by then, or at least a wife. Not that I would be living alone, single, still long-term relationship-less. I had those same issues when I turned 31 this year. So much so I told my friends I didn't want to actually celebrate my birthday - especially not on the day. Which, if you're thinking "that's a bad idea" - then you'd be right. It was really hard the actual day of when the one day of the year when it can be all about me, wasn't. And I was still single, living along, long-term relationship-less, AND newly heartbroken by a jerk - that was rough.

I've got friends turning 30 this year who are freaked out by not being in their twenties any longer for the exact opposite reasons and I'm striving to be compassionate, sympathetic, and supportive. It's hard to do. But it's completely necessary to do.

I have to remember that everyone's concerns and issues in their life is relative to their living situation. I have to know that there are things that I have (gainful employment, job I love, own a home, car paid off, great friends, two parents married to each other) that others done and think that if they did, life would be amazing. But I still complain about my co-workers, my HOA, issues with my car, my parents, etc... AND I expect people to have compassion, be sympathetic, and supportive of me when I'm struggling.

Sometimes we refer to these issues as "first world problems" but I think they might just be "general people problems" and we all need to be less 'complainy' AND more 'compassionate' with our friends. Working on this each and every day!

Comments

  1. Everybody has their own struggles, and to be honest, it IS hard sometimes to understand a struggle when it isn't our own. Yes, maybe it seems like a "first world problem", but an empathetic person would still recognize the struggle (I mean, as long as it's not ridiculous). It would make me feel as if a person wasn't listening if they disregarded my struggle just because someone else in the world has it harder. Somebody will always have it harder. Some will have it easier. But that doesn't change our reality of struggling! Sorry people haven't been super empathetic to you, and kudos to you for working through this. You are loved!

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    Replies
    1. I'm working on being a more empathetic person with my friends and the closest people in my life.

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