Stop Complaining

I’ve noticed a correlation between the amount of complaining people do and their level of happiness. The more people complain the more miserable they usually are. It’s easy to determine why this occurs. Every time you complain you are reliving a bad situation. If you are a constant complainer your life becomes a continuous stream of misery. There is a very simple solution…Stop complaining!!!

There aren’t too many weeks that go by where I don’t find myself on an airplane. People always ask me how I do it. Then they proceed to complain and tell me how difficult it is to deal with security lines and how bad the airlines are. I am convinced if you look at air travel (or anything else for that matter) as a negative experience, that’s exactly what it will become.

I prefer to look at it positively. Air travel is not only safe relative to other modes of travel, but also very efficient. You can fly from New York to Los Angeles in 6 hours. It would take you days using any other mode of transportation. I get a tremendous amount of work done when I fly, both in the airport, and during the flight. There are few interruptions so it allows me to be incredibly productive. If I finish my work I am able to read or watch movies on my ipad. I have everything I need to keep myself occupied for hours on end. Sure flights get delayed and people are inconvenienced, but the question is, when it happens to you, how do you handle it?

The realization is that there are things in life that you cannot control. Air travel is one of those things. You must accept what is, evaluate your options, and take the most appropriate course of action. In most cases that means waiting. The key is preparation. Realize that there is a distinct possibility that you may have a prolonged wait and bring things to keep yourself occupied.

In the end, the act of complaining has no benefits and a laundry list of drawbacks. Next time you find yourself about to complain, stop and find something to appreciate, see an opportunity or find a reason to be grateful. Not only will people around you like you more, you may end up living a happier, more fulfilling life. It’s all very simple, just stop complaining!