Feel free to complain somewhere else.

I’ve recently instituted a no complaining rule in our house. (It applies to me and Joe, too, in case you’re wondering.) Actually, it’s not technically a NO complaining rule. In fact, if you want to complain, go right ahead.

It’s just that, if you DO complain, you lose it – the thing you complain about.

Complain about dinner? Boom. Dinner’s gone. See you tomorrow at breakfast, have a nice night.

Complain about not enough ice in your drink, your pile of candy too small, your coloring book not as pretty as somebody else’s? Bye bye drink, candy, coloring book.

Harsh?

Maybe.

But what a limited life we have, what a terrible perspective, when we just settle into our complaining. Ew.

I do it, too, and I hate the sound of my own voice, rattling on, whining, grumbling, bringing absolutely nothing of value or help into the universe. Just adding more negativity, more whine, more victimization, more self-pity.

Let me just tell you something, in case nobody else in your life has been kind enough to be straight up with you: NOTHING positive comes from you being a whiny, self-obsessed, self-pitying, victimized, weepy windbag.

Why do we feel the need to verbalize our complaints, anyway? I mean – really – does anybody LIKE or ENJOY a headache, or a fender bender? No. No one is surprised that we’re upset or ticked off or irritated by that stuff. It upsets all of us. Apparently the best response we have is to further the negative emotion by yammering on about it?

Brilliant.

No wonder we still have problems like world hunger, lack of clean water, and easily preventable diseases spreading rampant. Because we waste our brain cells on things like complaining about the phone being dead, the traffic being bad, the spouse being late, or the calendar being full.

If I lost the things I’ve complained about in the last week, I would no longer have a husband, my kids, or our home. Yes, I’m admitting it: because I’ve complained, in some way or form, about all of them. Along with a host of minor irritants.

When you choose NOT to complain, it doesn’t mean you’re saying that your world is perfect. Of course it’s not. It doesn’t mean you’re condoning whatever situation is unfolding, or bizarre behavior is happening. Of course there are idiots in the world, and unpleasant circumstances, and sometimes you can’t avoid them.

This is life.

Since this is a productivity blog (at least in theory), let me try to bring it back around to productivity.

If you want to be more productive in life, quit complaining altogether. It’s ruinous. It’s detrimental to your health. It’s childish. It’s unproductive. It’s a waste of your time, your energy, your brain power, your breath.

Use yourself on something better: go for a run. Admire the sunset. Call a friend. Write down something you’re thankful for. Heck, start a blog of your own so people won’t be stuck reading this one.

Do something POSITIVE. Action is positive. Movement forward is positive. Making a decision is positive.

Complaining? It’s a black hole, a vacuum, a giant life-suck. Don’t let it suck your life away.