“Ugh, I cannot believe I have to submit this newspaper article by Sunday. Not to mention I have so much other work like the gym, an interview, going to my job and of course the…” That right there is horribly negative. But is there really a positive way of complaining?
Well that depends on your interpretation of complaining. There are those who build up stress and tension and hold it all in, just to not complain or speak negatively; but, in return they are holding negative thoughts inside which is just as unhealthy, if not unhealthier.
Complaining can be damaging to your health, relationships, and final decisions on events you have in your daily life. Nonetheless, like everything, a little bit of moderation can go a long way.
The way you phrase your words while complaining could be vital for your own health.
One can vent and instead of splurging negative words such as “I can’t,” “this is the worst,” “why am I always so unlucky,” you can say things such as, “this may be difficult, but I’ll do my best,” or “this is an unlucky situation but time will pass as will this.” We, as a society, must realize there is always somebody who has it worse, and there is always something worse that could happen.
But that does not mean you should not be irritated or frustrated; after all, it is human nature and human right. It isn’t so much about complaining, it is more about how you complain and to what extent.
Rocco Puzzo, a freshman student and member of the Military Bridge Program said, “I do believe people complain too much, but its apart of life. Coming from the military all we ever did was complain: ‘I don’t want to go,’ or, ‘My back hurts every time I have to carry my weapon.’ It goes on and on, but like I said, it’s part of how we live our lives. I feel complaining is a sort of motivation to get something done.”
“As soon as whatever task you just complained about is over, you realize it was never that bad to begin with,” he continued. This can be an important tactic that is commonly used where the complaining is used as fuel to allow time to pass by faster and notice the situation was not as brutal as it seemed.
Catie Mazzella, a freshman psychology student, stated, “I believe people complain too much in general. I myself am a culprit of having too many complaints. My high school tried to promote not complaining by calling Friday ‘complaint free Friday.’ I find that most people are too concerned with life going smoothly and having no ups and downs to it.”
She continued, “By complaining you are just adding stress and unwanted anxiety. Sometimes you complain for the wrong reasons too. I think we should all try to complain less and be generally happier people.”
The first step in fixing the problem is realizing how it is negatively affecting you. Your life is bound to have complications, it’s what you do with those problems and how you overcome them that matters.
Kelly Zimmerman, an adjunct biology professor, shared, “Do all people complain too much? I believe it depends on the individual, their motive for complaining, how well informed they are about the subject they are complaining about, and whether they are biased or suffering from hypocrisy and double-standards.”
Zimmerman continued, “Honestly, there are some people who could stand to complain a bit more about certain topics and others that do complain too frequently without a goal in mind or an action to back up their complaints. Screaming into the void does no one any good.”
Complaining has become so common that it’s become common ground as a conversation starter, as opposed to boasting about themselves and sounding obnoxious. Instead of complaining and letting yourself down, however, you can just express your feeling of state, such as stating that you feel fatigued or overwhelmed, rather than the typical “This is so annoying” or “I cannot believe my luck right now.”
In truth, it is much simpler to be negative than positive. We are all aware that life isn’t perfect, and if we all agree on this fact why do we keep complaining about it rather than finding the abundant number of great things in this imperfect life?
There will be times where you will be confronted with injustices, pain, and heartbreak. But don’t forget, everyone has something, that something is their problem. What’s on their plate is for themselves to finish, but one who complains must realize it could always be worse.
Keep in mind that having a negative attitude will not change the circumstance of whatever may be your problem. On the bright side, actions will.
So, although it’s easier said than done, wouldn’t we much rather use positivity rather than negativity to finish our tasks and difficulties? In a world of beautiful imperfections, a positive outlook can do wonders.
