There’s a woman who comes to clean where I work and she’s one of these people who is really good at what she does, but everything that comes out of her mouth is a complaint. She greets you In the morning with a complaint, and proceeds to find something wrong with everything she encounters…and delights in letting you know about it. All of us know somebody like this. They’re very difficult to be around for very long.
Now there’s nothing inherently wrong with bringing to the attention of whoever’s in charge something that needs fixing. Not at all. But the act of constantly complaining can leave one feeling tired, unhappy and victimized. It tends to suck the life energy out of you and everyone around you. It’s also sad to think of all the blessings of life one misses when one takes life too seriously and can focus only on what’s wrong.
Am I guilty of complaining at times? Sure. And when I catch myself doing it (or, more likely, my husband points it out) I attempt to remedy my attitude by following this general rule of thumb…
- 1. For every critical, negative thing I say, I must find 4 things to be grateful for and comment on those. This effectively shifts my energy to a healthier, more life-affirming one.
2. Take action. If something is wrong and needs attention or fixing, simply complaining about it isn’t going to fix it. That just makes me feel like a victim. So, I ask myself, “What action steps can I take to remedy this situation, or that will in some small way contribute to the betterment of something?” If it’s one of those things that you just can’t change , then…
3. Breathe and accept. Some things – however much we can’t stand them – just cannot be changed (politics and natural disasters comes to mind). I need to learn to accept that this is part of life on this planet and breathe through it.
When I can catch myself complaining and follow the guideline above, my energy stays high, and I joyously remember what a blessed life I have. It is my belief that the more positive our energy is, the more blessings we attract into our lives. In fact, this has been the case for me.
Next time you catch yourself complaining, try these steps and see how it makes you feel. Then, let me know by adding your comments below.