Luck & Laundry
As college students, we quickly fall into the habit of complaining, whether for small talk or to express the frustrations we feel from heightened stress. We vent in many ways, whining that the dining hall food is the same as always, that we have so much laundry to do, that we have to walk so far to our many classes, the list goes on. What we often don’t realize is that hidden within each of these complaints is an underlying privilege, such as having so many clothes to wash and the means to have them washed. Joking or not, recognizing these can help us all be a little less negative and instead a little more grateful for the blessings we have each day, finding joy in each task rather than a burden. In this area, we can take a few notes from Zach Bryan.
Theories & Science of Gratitude
We often count our blessings on special occasions, from birthdays, where we can reflect on the blessings and value of these loved ones, to holidays, to spaces of prayer, but what about the ordinary every day? With this practice, we can find moments to be grateful outside of the monumental. I’d like to start this by acknowledging that I was able to come up with such complaints not just by hearing them, but by being someone who used to say each of these habitually, I’ve been introduced to a new framework with which to keep myself in check and to be mindful of my privileges. Every misfortune we experience is a blessing in some way or another, whether that be through outlooks such as the Burnt Toast theory, in which inconveniences are viewed to have some redirective and protective result, or simply practices of privilege cognisance.Â
This outlook can also apply to jealousy and envy, in which we overlook our fortunes by being blinded by our desire for the greater fortunes of others. The most popular story I can think of is from my childhood: a person who is envious of another car, all while an individual with a bike is envious of their car, and another is jealous of the bike as they have to walk, until we conclude with the individual who does not have the health to walk. While this may seem dramatic to some, the overall message is valuable, however simple it may be. We are lucky for all that came before that makes us able to groan about privileges we’ve become blind to.
The truth of the matter is that no person on this Earth hasn’t disregarded their privileges in life, or who hasn’t complained about opportunities not many others have, including work, food, and travel. It is this innate forgetfulness, due to the seeming consistency of these opportunities within our lives, that popular belief systems within religion often put emphasis on gratitude and giving thanks so as not to fall into arrogance. However, this isn’t just a practice beneficial in spiritual and theological modes: gratitude mindfulness positively affects the chemical balance in your brain, stimulating dopamine release. In moments where we may quickly turn to frustration or complaint, this intervention both prevents negative responses and instead provides something more on top.Â
This is not to disregard the difficulties that each of us goes through, because we all have our struggles at the end of the day, and this isn’t meant to be a competition of struggle or a suggestion to compare. Rather, this is a suggestion to practice positive reframing to keep ourselves driven through tasks that may otherwise seem frustrating.Â
To conclude this article, I’d like to share some reframed outlooks on my own inconveniences throughout the past week:
How lucky am I to be writing this article on a laptop in the library of a good institution that I have been lucky enough to attend? How lucky am I to wait in line for the several dining options, all food that has been prepared for me, so I have one less thing to worry about? How lucky am I to have laundry to do, a room to clean? How lucky am I to complain that my room is too cold from my AC on a scorching spring day? How lucky am I to have so many items to pack up before moving out of my dorm, that I have to get rid of things? How lucky am I to always have so many options and get to struggle by deciding between them? How lucky am I to have a busy day of classes that challenge and change me, meetings with friends over meals and walks across campus, and too many events to choose from?
How lucky are both of us to take time in our day to access this article and have a moment to reflect? I’m lucky to have readers like you. Thank you.