Secret 4: Stop complaining

Sometimes I’m really amazed by how easily people can get annoyed nowadays. They complain about weather and traffic, about politics and economics. They complain about their husband or wife, about colleagues and boss. They complain about “lousy” service at some restaurant then complain that their customers complain too much! Basically people can complain about whatever and whoever under the sun. Tsk tsk, does it sound familiar to anyone?

Why do people have to complain? Because they are so unfortunate that life always ill-treats them? And bad things always happen to them, never happen to others? No, I don’t believe so.

So why do we have to complain? Let me ask you a question. After throwing your complaints to someone else, how do you feel?

Complaining to the restaurant manager, he will come and massage your mood, giving you some free dish or drink maybe. Now you feel good because you’re the “king”.

Complaining to your friends and they will start: “oh ya, public transport nowadays is terrible! Buses always come late! Got traffic jam some more!” Now you feel good because now you’ve got others’ agreement and sympathy.

Hanging a complaint on your Facebook’s status, people will “like” and “comment”. Now you feel good because you’ve got the attention.

So complaining make us feel good. Hence we keep complaining.

I’ll tell you a story. There was a handsome man called Joe. Once Joe was bored or stressed, he lighted up a cigarette. Then he felt good. Another time, when Joe was bored or stressed, he lighted up another cigarette. Then he would feel really good again. Another time of another time, when Joe was bored or stressed, blah blah… Slowly he became addicted to the nicotine. Joe knew it was unhealthy. However he kept ignoring it, since smoking could make him feel so good. Until one day, his doctor told him “Sorry handsome Joe, you’ve got an incurable lung cancer.” He died 3 months after that.

Did cigarette kill Joe? No, cigarette doesn’t know how to kill. Simple, if you get shot by a robber, it’s not the gun but the robber that kills you. In other words, Joe killed himself by his smoking habit. Joe is not alone. Around the world, there’re about 5.4 million people choose to kill themselves by smoking habit each year.

Similar to smoking, complaining about whatever and whoever might make you feel better at the moment but will inject chronic poison into your life. Every time you complain, you’ve lighted up a cigarette to kill your happiness. Do you notice that the more you complain the more bad things and bad people you seem to hook up with? Do you know some complainer who has a pretty normal life but to him/her, life is like hell?

 And unfortunately, there’ll be no doctor to tell you: “Sorry, you’ve got an incurable happiness cancer!” This “cancer” is intangible. Even when you feel miserable about your life (that’s the symptom), you might not know the root cause.

So,

Happiness or misery?

 It’s your choice. You can choose to be “Joe” and other 5.4 million people who choose to kill themselves every year. And you’re responsible for your own decision.

“It’s not what happens that makes you happy or unhappy. It’s how you perceive it.”

From Ruby,

For your happiness

P.S: If you choose not to be a smoker, don't be a second-hand smoker because you've got an equal chance of getting cancer. Stay away from the negativity of complainers!