The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work

Chapter 12. The Complaining Fast

"It's really easy to quit, you know," suggested Joyce.

"Quit what?"

"Complaining, silly. Everyone can do it."

"Even me?"

"Oh, I've seen much worse than you quit in a flash. Cold turkey. It's a simple two-step process. You want me to tell you what it is?"

"Sure," said Hope, knowing she didn't have anything to lose and besides she didn't want to think about the ultrasound for one more second.

"First in Step 1, you do a No Complaining Day. I call it a complaining fast. You quit cold turkey. It's great because it causes you to monitor your thoughts and realize how negative you really are. When I did this, whoa, I was shocked at the stuff that came out of my mouth and thoughts that popped into my head."

"Sounds like I need more than a day of no complaining," Hope said. "How about a no complaining year? Does it work for kids and employees too? That would be a godsend."

"It works for everyone," Joyce said. "You'll get to a year eventually. But start with a day. Then go for a week. Then a month, then a year. Like any bad habit, it's a one day at a time kinda thing, and remember change begins with you. I know because even as I tell you this, I still complain myself but just a whole lot less. Which brings me to Step 2. When you do complain, because you most certainly will—everyone does—use your complaining to your advantage. You see, every complaint has an opposite. ...