I bought a pizza and left it in the fridge at work. I figured I would have food there, so I did not pack anything. I got to work only to realize that something despicable had occurred.
My pizza was eaten, ravaged by a pack of scavenging co-workers. Who has the gall to eat another man’s food? I complained for almost half my shift. It threw off my entire morning.
Stupid, right? Thinking about it now, I let half a pizza ruin my entire morning.
We complain about the weather, traffic, and the weeds in our yards. We complain about tight clothing, misplaced keys and the price of gasoline. We complain about our jobs or our lack of jobs. We have become too quick to complain, about everything.
Complaints compound into massive amounts of negative energy. It fosters a negative attitude, which makes you focus on the negatives in every situation. The negativity impacts those around you and will eventually repel people. It doesn’t change the current circumstances. I would not get my fallen pizza no matter how much I complained.
Managing complaints is necessary to a trouble-free life. Here is how I do it.
A) Embrace the Imperfect World
Life is not always going to serve up what we would like (or even expect) at every turn. Life is filled with troubles, trials and pain. But, honestly, that’s okay. Everyone is experiencing the same imperfect world.
The sooner we stop holding the notion that the world revolves around us, the easier it will become. Discomfort should not surprise us. It is a naturally occurring phenomenon.
My pizza was robbed. Sometimes, in life you just have to say screw it. Sometimes things just happen.
B) Things Can Always Get Worse
When things seem at its worse, I sit down and think. Could it get any worse than it already is?
The answer is always yes.
Instead of my whole pizza missing, my co-workers could have eaten all the toppings and left the plain dough.
There is always room for more negative energy. Consequently, it works true for positive energy. Be grateful that it isn’t worse.
C) Out of Proportion
Most complaints are over trivial things. We make small problems into big problems. It starts to consume our thoughts and leads to other terrible thoughts. Eventually, your body is dragged down into spiraling negativity.
I was definitely blowing it out of proportion. I found myself thinking about all my co-workers conspiring against me. I pictured all of them huddling around, consuming my pizza. I saw one of them manically laugh.
Your brain enjoys playing tricks on you. It makes small situations larger than it is because it wants you to be consumed with negative thoughts.
D) Notice the Triggers
Is there a specific time where you complain more than others? What about a specific place? Maybe when you are around co-workers? Or maybe when you haven’t had much sleep?
Notice these triggers and seek to remedy or avoid them. Be extra vigilant when you see them arise.
E) Complaining for the Sake of Validation
We often use our complaints to validate ourselves to others. “I’m so busy,” is a classic example of this. We often say it as a means to subtly communicate our importance. You do not need to validate yourself to others. You do not need to impress others.
It is to often that we drown ourselves in complaints. In today’s world, complaints are rampant. They drown your body and mind into negativity.
Challenge: Do not complain for a full day. Start now! Keep it on your mind the entire day. If you do, be vigilant. Catch yourself halfway through and stop it. You will be amazed at the profound effects you will feel at the end of the day. There is enough negativity circling around you. Be the change and do not contribute to it.
2HelpfulGuys 