Carol Moehrle
Retrain your brain to stop complaining.
Is there a complainer in your life—perhaps someone at work who complains about everything? If you are a positive person, it’s hard to be in the same space as a chronic complainer.
It’s easy to complain. In fact, some people enjoy complaining, because it makes them the center of attention. Whether they are portraying the persecutor or poor-me syndrome, some people seem to complain about everything.
Complaining brings everyone down. The person who is the Eeyore in the group, who is always the negative one, brings everyone else down to that level as well. Even if you are a positive person, being around a complainer is exhausting, and soon you too may slip into negative mode.
If you are faced with a complaining person, you have an obligation to help them recognize that they are complaining. You have the ability to remove yourself from their negative circle and not share or be a part of their complaining.
If you find that you tend to complain and be negative toward life, it’s time to do a self-check. It’s time to retrain your brain to be more positive, which starts with adopting positive self-talk.
Positive self-talk is the pep talk we give ourselves to keep our attitude and spirits positive. We need a daily reminder to focus on the positive, because it’s easy to slip back into complaining mode.
What we really need is to retrain our brains to think positive. Being positive even during troubling, difficult times will help you be mentally and physically healthier.
Turning yourself around from being a complainer takes practice, but you will be healthier, and your friends will appreciate being with you more.
Here’s one tip to help you refocus and stay positive.
Write out daily affirmations (your self-talk) on note cards or sticky notes, and place them where you will see them. Put a positive note on your bathroom mirror to see while you are getting ready in the morning. Put one on the refrigerator door. Put a positive note on the counter by your keys so you’ll see it before you leave the house. Place a note on the dashboard of your car. Change your phone screen to say something positive. Write a different positive statement to include in your lesson plans each day.
If you can’t think of anything positive to write on your notes, consider some of these statements:
Today I am happy and healthy.
I am blessed to be a teacher.
I can deal with this day.
My thoughts and words are positive.
I am confident.
I am thankful for the new day.
I value my fellow teachers.
I am good at what I do.
Focus on changing your thoughts and words into positive statements. Catch yourself when you are thinking negative thoughts. Take a deep breath and tell yourself something positive. Repeat it over and over, if necessary.
Changing your attitude takes practice. Practice being more positive and complaining less often. Your family and coworkers will appreciate being around a more positive person.
b-Resilient