Complain less. We here this phrase day in and day out, but how often do we actually execute this advice? It is so much easier said than done when someone tells you to not complain. When stressful times occur, problems arise, and life isn’t going the way we want it to, as humans, our first instinct is to complain. Depending on the circumstance, sometimes it is hard not to. Complaining and venting about your problems provides us with a temporary release, as we get to say out loud what exactly is bothering us. This can be healthy at times, as keeping in what is bothering you is not always good for your mental health. However, what most people don’t know is that complaining is very similar to a personality trait; once you get in the cycle of complaining, or a cycle of complaining vigorously, it can be hard to break out of that cycle. It is almost as if it is a characteristic of yourself that becomes a part of you. This is why it is easy to point out negative or pessimistic people, because they have not trained themselves to complain less. Everyone has the ability to overcome being a generally negative person, it just takes time and practice. Here are a few steps you can use as a guide if you feel like you are starting to become a complainer.

This can be especially hard to train yourself to do. The next time you are about to complain to a friend or parent, think to yourself if complaining will solve anything. Most likely, it will not.

2. Practice positive thinking.

When negative situations arise, try to think of the positive aspects of them. Will your life continue to move forward despite this road bump? Will the sun still come out tomorrow? If your answer is yes, it is likely the situation is not going to ruin your life, and therefore should not ruin your day.

3. Write your thoughts down.

In order to become a more positive person, we must be able to evaluate how we feel. Only we know truly how we feel and what we are think. Writing our thoughts down, whether they be good or bad, can be very therapeutic. It allows us to see and evaluate exactly how we are feeling, and have a better understanding about what exactly is going on.

4. Treat people the way you want to be treated.

Do you enjoy being around negative people? Most likely not. I am not saying that friends should not listen to your problems or give you advice, but there comes a limit between confiding in someone, and being a damper on their mood. Your mood and state of being are directly influenced by who you surround yourself with, so most likely, surrounding yourself with negative people is not healthy.