This week is No Complaining Week. (Ok, I made that up) but I do want you to take the challenge to not complain for the entire week. Are you up for it?
I know we are all guilty of complaining at times, but I believe what T. Harv Eker said is correct, “When you complain, you become a living, breathing crap magnet.”
So why do we complain? Here are three reasons people complain and how to fix them.
1. We are not grateful.
It is impossible to complain when you feel grateful for all that you have. When you feel gratitude you are happy, peaceful and take the ups and downs of life in stride.
– If you find you are not feeling grateful for what you have – change your perspective. Go and visit a prison or volunteer at a homeless shelter, you will quickly become aware of all you have to be grateful for.
2. We focus on the problem, instead of the solution.
When you are complaining, you are spending too much time on the problem, on all the things that don’t work, or on all of the negative aspects of a situation. If you learn to be a solution thinker, then you will work to identify the problem and spend your time and energy on figuring out how to remedy the situation.
– Spend 5% of your time identifying the problem, 95% of your time finding a solution
3. We focus on things that we can’t control.
I love the serenity prayer which says,
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.”
Most of the things that we complain about are outside of our control. Traffic, the weather, our boss, etc… and we spend a lot of wasted time and energy on things that we can’t ever change. This is one of the biggest reasons people complain but it also one of the biggest reasons that most people are unhappy and ineffective.
– Focus your energy on the things that you have control over and you will find that you are more effective, get more done and are happier to boot. Let go of worrying about, fretting about and complaining about anything that you don’t have the ability to change.
Take the challenge with me this week. Are you up for it?
No complaining for one week.
It is going to be a good week!
3 Responses
Boy do I need this one Ty you can teach so much in just a few paragraphs
Ty’s articles are always thought provoking. The idea of a No Complaining Week gets my week off to the perfect start! It’s so easy to complain and when we listen to others do it, what a turn off! So, thank you, Ty for this great reminder!
I greatly appreciate your idea on no-complaining-week.
But,more importantly the ‘be thankful always’ idea.Which
I believe will have a positive impact on one’s health too.
Thanks once more.