Step 31 – How About Stopping Complaining…?
What NY taught me is to stop complaining entirely. I have never been a big complainer to start with, but I had my moments. of course. Now, I simply don’t. I would still complain from time to time – when I work a 16-hour shift, sleep for 4 hours and then work another 9-hour shift, for example. I might get cranky then, I admit. But on the regular basis, I just choose not to complain. And you should do the same. I rarely tell you what to do, but this time I will. Just stop fucking complaining! It doesn’t serve anyone and it doesn’t serve you, like, at all. It badly affects your brain and it impacts your body and your health (yes, it does). People who complain are just simply unattractive. Dude, why do you complain…? And especially when the reason for that is standing in a line, waiting for a train or getting the wrong order in the restaurant or Starbucks. Really…? Getting a wrong cup of coffee is a problem and a deal breaker for your day…? This is what will make your day count as “bad”…? What kind of person are you…?
Every morning from Monday to Friday I’m on the subway like most New Yorkers are. And the time slot between 8:30 am till 9:30 am on the subway can be brutal – there’s a flood of people. And I get it – it is hectic (especially since we are squeezed like sardines), but come on. Every morning I almost get a heart attack because of these people. They just run like crazy, their eyes can’t keep up with the movement, they rush, push you, send you a killer looks. And my question always is the same – what is wrong with you? You run like your life depended on it. You’re just going to work! This is how you want to start your day? Like a crazy person? You don’t want to be late – I get it, but how about leaving your house earlier? Have you thought about that? Your day would have looked way better right from the start!
I feel bad for these people because they’re already angry, frustrated and full of bad energy. What I’m trying to say is that it is we who creates this stress for ourselves. Think about it: You will be late for work and what then? , collapse? You’ll die? I don’t encourage you to be late for work, of course (I hate being late for work myself), but I encourage you to use common sense. Start paying attention to what you’re stressing about and maybe start writing these things down to notice how meaningless they are. I will get frustrated when my train stops 15 times or am stuck for an hour underground, but when it happens, I just take a deep breath, say “Fuck” out loud and come back to reading whatever I am reading at the moment. Would it really help if I get pissed off, start cursing and stressing about it? Not at all. My friend once said: Don’t stress about things, because in a month you won’t even remember what was it that you were stressing about. I would change it to: you won’t even remember in a week from now why you got so upset. I think that complaining is a sign of stupidity and/or blindness. Don’t you see how privileged you already are? You have two legs, two arms, a brain that works, friends, a job, you can breathe! You’re healthy, your family is healthy. Isn’t this enough? And even if you think it is not, there will be a day that you’ll be dreaming to be in a position that you’re right now. So how about fast-forwarding it and pretending that this future day has already arrived? How about waking up tomorrow and saying “thank you” for another day that was given to you? Don’t be an asshole and just stop complaining.
