In case you didn’t know, I’m British. So it goes without saying that I enjoy a good complaint, rant and all-out moan, particularly when served with a nice cup of tea. And there’s nothing wrong with this. Until there is.
Years ago, when my life was my job and my job was miserable, I got into some very nasty habits with my complaining. My words became an ever-flowing and powerfully vicious waterfall of gloom and despair. I was drenched in it. So were those around me. I had become a Dementor!
It was Mr. G, who pointed out to me that my incessant whinging might not actually be doing me (or us) much good. He suggested that my time might be better spent, if I instead looked to ways to improve my situation and crawl out of my misery, rather than embracing the misery itself.
If you read yesterday’s blog about the power of focus, then you’ll know that I did really work to re-focus my mind, resulting in a much sunnier outlook on life and a huge surge in daily happiness.
That isn’t to say that I never complain needlessly. And as I said before, there really isn’t a problem with this. Where it does become problematic and unhelpful however; when I’m ruminating over the same anxieties/situations/problems/scenarios; then I remind myself of this awesome quote from Anthony J. D’Angelo:
Imagine that you’re trying to lose weight. Your only exercise every day is a single walk around the block and you spend the rest of the day eating handfuls of cheesecake. Are you going to lose weight? Or are you going to stay fat and miserable?!
It’s not rocket-science, but it’s something that many of us forget to do all the same.
If you find yourself ranting and raving on a regular basis, have a really good think about what the hell you’re so upset about, and do something about it.
Do you enjoy a good moan about the weather/traffic/rude check-out girl who left her manners at home? Have you used the principles here and enjoyed success? Are you a reformed chronic-complainer turned problem-solver? I’d love to hear your views:
Anxious-Ambition.com 