“Perwisyo.” We borrowed “perjuicio” from Spanish and tweaked its use to completely alter the definition. In English, we mean “nuisance” or “inconvenience” when we say “perwisyo,” and I usually have a grand ol’ time making a big stink about it.
I was a whiner as a kid, and I grew up to be a kvetch. It’s a draining and repulsive character to be. Instead of being a light that blesses, I was like a black hole of negativity, sucking other people’s good nature. Thankfully, I got tired of my own gripes and sought to stop being such a bellyacher.
Here’s some of the tea about complaining that sages have spilled over time:
“Complaining is finding faults. Wisdom is finding solutions.” — Ajahn Brahm (British monk)
“Champions never complain, they are too busy getting better.” — John Wooden (American basketball coach)
“Complaining is a complete waste of one’s energy. Those who complain the most, accomplish the least.” — Anonymous
“When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation, change the situation, or accept it. All else is madness.” — Eckhart Tolle (German self-help author)
“The only thing complaining does is convince other people that you are not in control.” — Unknown
Complaining isn’t altogether bad. It can help improve situations, rectify wrongs, etc. Still, if your knee-jerk reaction is to complain over every little thing that displeases you, it just might already be a habit, an unattractive trait that already characterizes you. If so, consider the following tips for breaking the pattern:
- Pause and count to three. This allows you to control your reaction and gauge whether your initial reaction is merited, as well as picture where it could possibly lead.
- Adjust your perspective. Problems do offer opportunities for improvement, so shift the focus from your irritation to the possible solutions.
- Affirm things that work. Develop the inclination to acknowledge and highlight things that are going right. This will help curb your tendency to focus on the negative.
- Practice empathy. If you automatically put yourself in others’ shoes, your tendency to immediately complain may wane.
- Make gratitude your default. If you’re truly thankful for what you have in your life, you tend not to sweat the small stuff, and complaining stops being your first response.
I hope this helps. Comment any other helpful tips you may have.
P.S. I’d love for you to check out my most recent story on Medium ~ A Cat on a Shoulder to Lean on. 🙂
P.P.S. Incidentally, my tribute book to the cat in the story’s starring role, is available on Kindle. I would really appreciate the support ~ Onyx’s Outside Adventure.
This Small Life 