Stop Mindless Complaining

I recently started listening to a podcast called "The Mindset Mile" by Aisha Zaza.  I highly recommend it!! They are 10 minute podcasts to listen to while you run or walk 1 mile!!  

Today's podcast was on Mindless Complaining.  I admit I have done this many times but I actively try not to.   Yes sometimes we need to vent but complaining about things you cannot change (like the weather), or complaining about the same thing over and over again and never doing anything about it, that is mindless complaining.

The podcast gave six suggestions for overcoming Mindless complaining  
 
1) Find something good in every situation - Recently my two girls and I have jumped into horse riding, and by jumped I mean within a year purchased a horse and now spend over 16 hours a week at the barn.  This comes with a lot of time spent driving and being at the barn and not at home.   Some days I get caught up in this and stress about all the things I need to get done and how am I possibly going to get them done and get more then 4 hours of sleep a night. Then I remember all this driving is time I get to spend with my girls.  We talk, we laugh, we sing, and sometimes we just enjoy the scenery.  I wouldn't trade that for anything.

2) Focus on the present - we cannot control the future.  All we can control is the here and now and what we do with each moment and day.  A a good friend once said to me "that sounds like a future Tricia problem", she was so right.  This has stuck with me and I tell myself it over and over when I start thinking about days to come.  I know a lot of people who get stressed on Sunday thinking about the work week coming up that they forget to enjoy the day.   

3) Practice active gratitude - the podcasts talk about gratitude a lot and it is something I have adopted since beginning the 30 day challenge.  I write three things I am grateful for each morning.  They do not need to be big things, for example today  I was grateful I set the coffee machine so I had a fresh cup of joe at 4am.  Instead of wishing for this or that, be grateful for what you have and who you are now.
  
4) Change "have to" to "get to".  I did this today!  Someone asked me what the rest of my day looked like and I said "I have to run 5 miles".  I quickly stopped myself and said "I get to run 5 miles".   It sounds crazy but saying  "I get to go to the gym", "I get to go get groceries", "I get to go to work".  It changes your mindset.

5) Periodically practice going complain free for 24 hours - that is my challenge to you

6) Put a rubber band on your wrist and change it every time you catch yourself complaining.  This is about being mindful of what you are saying and thinking.