The last few weeks, I feel like I have been in a perpetually grumpy mood. My classes are in full swing, work is getting more stressful each day, and sometimes I just don’t have time to be social. Maybe my grumpiness is a result of all the stress, or maybe I just have a bad attitude. I do think that stress is a part of it, but I also think my mood can be attributed largely to my bad attitude. It is a bit hard to admit because that means that I have to take accountability for how my life is. But it also provides a solution that I have total control over: change my attitude.

Have you ever come across one of those people that are just like a little ball of sunshine? They somehow manage to always have a good attitude. Everywhere they go people around them tend to cheer up. I admire those people because they are somehow able to always look at the brighter side of any situation. Have to be at a staff meeting at 7 a.m.? They look at it as a chance to get things done earlier than they would have. Plus, you’ll get to see the sunrise on the way to work. Your boss gives them a crazy project with a tight deadline? This is a chance for them to work on their time management. Didn’t get enough sleep last night? That means tonight they are going to sleep like a baby. It is actually inspiring to see people prioritize a positive attitude.

The best thing about these people is that their positivity is infectious. When I go to work and want to gripe about what a long day I have ahead of me, I feel almost guilty when someone else is instead looking at all of the good things to come. Here I am, complaining about my day, while they are getting excited about theirs. I want to be excited about my day too! Instead, I am choosing not to. It is such a simple choice that we have to make: complain about something or find the positive. Complaining might be easier to do and make you feel better momentarily, but I think finding the positives is worth it in the long term.

I don’t know why it can be so easy to complain, but it is. Complaining is almost like second nature. If you are meeting someone new, sometimes complaining can be the best way to strike up a conversation. Oh, traffic was terrible this morning. Or, perhaps a complaint about how lousy the weather is. And for students, we can always throw out complaints about how tired we might be. Complaining is so easy, and people can generally relate to complaints. But I hate complaining, and I hate listening to other people complain. So why do I keep doing it then? I think at this point it is a habit that needs to be broken.

Complaining makes me grumpy, and it has been affecting my mood for the past few weeks. I am ready for a change. I want to radiate light. I want to be one of those people who might be stressed and busy and tired but always tries to be positive about it. I have to start being accountable for how my life is, and a change of attitude is the first step that I can take. Maybe with a bit of work, and a new attitude, I will be able to inspire someone else to radiate light. Because in the end, if we all cut down the complaining and increase positivity, we are going to end up with much brighter lives.