Complaining is for Wimps
Do not be overheard complaining, not even to yourself. Marcus Aurelius
Most people never stop to consider that, not only is complaining a waste of time, but it is bad for your physical and mental health. Science has proven that complaining increases your cortisol levels, otherwise known as your stress hormone. The more you complain, the higher your level of cortisol. Essentially, when you complain, you are doing nothing more than stressing yourself out for no reason.
Higher levels of cortisol in your body can lead to several health problems, including depression, sleep issues (which can lead to even more health problems and more depression), higher blood pressure, digestive issues, and even an increased risk of heart disease.
Scientific studies have proven that complaining also makes you more likely to think negative thoughts, which obviously are not conducive to maintaining your inner peace. Basically, the more you complain, the more you train your mind to think negatively.
You are essentially wiring the synapses in your brain to react negatively to whatever you are complaining about. The more you think negatively, the more you increase further negative thinking, which is the exact opposite of what you are trying to do by reprogramming your subconscious mind. Thus, complaining is hindering your progress towards living a life of inner peace.
Furthermore, complaining has been proven to damage your memory by shrinking your hippocampus, the part of your brain that is responsible for your cognitive function. This also negatively affects your ability to adapt and handle other stressful situations in a positive manner. Unfortunately, this can happen very quickly. Just a few days of being stressed out and complaining can actually lead to long-term damage to your brain!
Complaining can also be addictive. The more you complain, the more likely it is that you will continue to complain. Like I said previously, negative thinking will lead to more negative thinking. And your complaining can also spread to the people around you. People are very easily influenced. You will find that the more you complain, the more those around you will jump on the bandwagon and start complaining as well.
To top it all off, psychiatric studies have shown that complaining can actually shorten your lifespan! These studies showed that optimists live longer than pessimists. When you consider all of the negative side effects of complaining, there is simply no reason to complain about anything in your life. If you can do something about the situation, then do it; if you can’t do anything about the situation, then move on and be happy. Bohdi Sanders ~ excerpt from the TRIPLE AWARD-WINNING BOOK, THE ART OF INNER PEACE, available from Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937884279. Signed copies are available from: https://www.the-art-of-inner-peace.com/.
