December 13, 2025
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.
Maya Angelou
I have an unwritten rule in my house: No complaining. When my kids inevitably whine or gripe, I listen. I validate their feelings. That is annoying, I hear you. But then I steer them toward action. Toward ownership.
I’m repelled by people who have a victim mindset. The ones who believe the world owes them something, or that they’ve been wronged by fate or foe, or that it’s always someone else’s fault. I’ve been around people who dodge responsibility at every turn, choosing to complain rather than to take action. It’s draining.
I’m drawn to people with agency. Who take full ownership. Who, no matter what happens, find a way to move forward, to look for the bright side, to make lemonade from the proverbial lemons. Life is too short, and if you’re reading this, you’re too fortunate to be a victim. No one is coming to rescue you. Complain if you must — but don’t let it define you. Do something.