This morning I was watching a video chat between my friend Betsy Chasse, who refers to herself as a ‘filmmaker, bookmaker and change maker’ and Aura Imbarus who wears many hats as well, in the form of the publisher of See Beyond Magazine author, and interviewer. Betsy is best known for her iconic work, What the Bleep Do We Know?  Her humor can be irreverent at times and she is a call- it -as she- sees- it person.

I laughed knowingly as she spoke about the impression that people have of spiritual teachers; that our lives are always together and we are perpetually sunshiney and smiling. Not so, I can assure you. She then launched into a litany of complaints under the guise of ‘why my life sucks.’ Even though we are encouraged to look on the bright side and see the glass as at least half full, there are times when we stumble around in the dark as we try to find our way and sometimes we tip the glass over and everything falls out and it plunges to the floor and shatters.

It occurred to me that before we can clean up the mess that our lives can be, we first need to acknowledge the clutter and chaos. I call it my ‘kvetch and moan time,’ but a ‘why my life sucks’ session will do just as well. There are times when I have done it solo and others with trusted friends. Today, I used it a few times in my role as a therapist to clients who really do feel that some aspects of their lives are well outside the realm of what is acceptable to them.  They were able to give voice to the disharmony and then take a look at what is behind it before they could write a new song.

In honor of Betsy’s courage and that of my clients, here is my rant:

My life sucks because:

I had to raise my son as a single parent since my husband died when I was 40 and my kiddo was 11.

I should be earning more income than I do.

I want a committed, loving partnership and it hasn’t happened yet.

I don’t have the slim and trim body I had in my 20’s and can’t eat without impunity.

No matter how much I work out, my belly is rounder than I would prefer.

My lungs don’t always cooperate and breathing can be challenging at times.

I still carry the fear of failure and success simultaneously.

I am an adult orphan.

I had a heart attack in 2014.

I had kidney stones a month after that.

I lost my home to Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

I could go on, but would much prefer to focus on the flip side.

My life is glorious because:

My now 30-year-old son just married the love of his life a few weeks ago. He is truly happy. I get some atta girl good mama points for that outcome.

Every day presents more creative opportunities to increase the prosperity in my life.

I am preparing myself to meet this person as he is preparing for me and when the time is right, we will come together.

I am more conscientious about my fitness routine.

I am accepting that this is the g0ddess body I have had no complaints from lovers.

I am taking activity slowly without ‘overdoing it’.

Holding on from failure and success.

My parents are at peace and free from pain.

The heart attack was a wakeup call that helped me to enter a new life.

The kidney stones caused a massive healing.

Does your life suck?  If so, what are YOU going to do about it?