During stressful times, it’s easy to complain.

Your words have the ability to poison or give life. 

Now, there is a time and a place for “venting” but you must be sure you’re doing everything in your power to speak positively, even during tough times.

Stress management should be productive (exercise) versus destructive (drinking alcohol).

A while back I picked up the book called “The No Complaining Rule.”

It was a super short read, told in story format, so it was nice and quick.

The basic premise of the book is to implement a “No Complaining Rule” within your personal life and/or your work life.

Easier said than done, right?

It’s amazing how much “mindless complaining” occurs nowadays.

You complain when it’s too hot and when it’s too cold.

You complain when you’re busy and when you’re bored.

You complain when someone's driving too fast or too slow.

You get the idea.

How to Stop Complaining

Today is an opportunity to practice mindfulness and audit the ways you may be focusing on the negative versus the positive.

Here are three “No Complaining” tools you can use in your personal life, home life, or work life.

Go ahead and share these strategies to help others remove some of the negativity from their lives too.

1. The "But-Positive" Technique

This simple strategy helps you turn your complaints into positive thoughts, solutions, and actions.

It works like this.

When you realize you are comparing, you simply add the word "but" and then a positive thought or action.

Examples:

“I don’t like driving to work for an hour BUT I’m thankful I can drive and that I have a job.”

“I don’t like that I’m out of shape BUT I love feeling great so I’m going to focus on exercise and eating right.”

2. Focus on “Get To” instead of “Have To”

This was a big one, and I have shared this gratitude philosophy before.

Too often you complain and focus on what you have to do.

You say things like:

“I have to go to work.”

“I have to drive here.”

Instead, shift your perspective and realize it’s not about having to do anything.

You get to do things. You get to live this life.

You get to go to work while so many are unemployed.

You get to drive in traffic while so many don’t even have a car or are too sick to travel.

Focus on what you get to do. Focus on feeling blessed instead of stressed.

Focus on gratitude.

3. Turn Complaints Into Solutions

The goal is not to eliminate all complaining.

The intent is to eliminate the kind of mindless complaining that doesn’t serve a greater purpose and allow complaining that is justified and worthwhile.

Mindless complaining is negative, while justified complaining is positive.

The difference is intent.

With mindless complaining, you are mindlessly focusing on problems; however, with justified complaining, you identify a problem and the complaint moves you toward a solution.

For every complaint represents an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive.

I like that the tools and book overall didn’t just have this “tough guy” mentality that you can never complain, because the title certainly gives that feeling.

However, instead, it drove home the point that you quite often complain mindlessly, and instead need to provide a solution if you’re going to complain.

Overall a lot of lessons you can hopefully apply to your personal life or work life, especially nowadays.

One more thing.

Are you on track to reach your health-and-fitness goals?

More important, do you have a realistic priority-one goal and deadline?

Do you have a proven plan? If not, it's okay.

There's plenty of time especially when you plug into a positive team that's focused on delivering measurable results for our client-athletes.

I feel honored to be around so many amazing and fun-loving people committed to getting results and supporting one another.

My clients have been supporting each other even more nowadays.

It's just super cool and is one of the many reasons I get out of bed in the morning with a smile.

I like to think about it this way.

The way one of my client-athletes describes me: “Coach Joe is a dispenser of enthusiasm.”

Yes, I do my best to lead by example, but my clients are leading by example too.

So today, let me encourage you to dispense enthusiasm.

Do it liberally. Do it generously.

Do it without an expectation of something in return.

And of course, before you start dispensing, remember to be enthusiastic yourself.

Because you can’t give away what you don’t have.

Guess what?

If you are ready for a positive change, I can literally change your life in 12 weeks.

Two basic ways I can help you be lean and strong for the summer.

One way is to join our team and experience a world-class, results-guaranteed fitness and nutrition coaching program.

You'll train with us, in person, and get access to our facility four sessions per week.

You'll also get our popular and proven Nutrition Masterclass for everyday folks with many grownup responsibilities.

In nerd-speak it's a macronutrient manipulation nutrition program.

If you are feeling "enough is enough" and want to get leaner, stronger, and slow aging... go here.

Is there an investment? Yes.

Is it worth it? Absolutely, yes.

The ROI on your health is literally immeasurable.

Take care of yourself no matter what the cost, no matter what the hurdles, no matter what the story.

Nothing is more important. Nothing.

Unable to come to our facility?

I'll guarantee your results from anywhere on the planet.

There is a 100% money back guarantee so you have no risk.

I have used this research-proven method for 25+ years.

Ask around, google around.

You'll see regular people experiencing real results.

Let's do this.

To your success,

Coach Joe

Joseph Arangio helps 40+ men and women get leaner, stronger, and happier. He's delivered over 100,000 transformation programs to satisfied clients around the globe. If you want to lose weight from home, with the best online personal trainer, or you want to visit the best personal trainer in the Lehigh Valley, you can take a free 14-day trial.