CloseFacebookInstagramPinterestTwitterLogoPath 1 The Strategy Subscribe

Want More TS?

Sign up for our newsletter.

@TheStrategyStories

Want more TS?

Sign up for our newsletter.

Stories Diary Picks About Press Contact
Newsletter
Diary

I Will Not Complain

I Will Not Complain

Written by Katrina Garofalo

Okay, here’s the deal: I complain a lot. It’s difficult to talk about how much one complains without complaining, so bear with me. I’m not good at conversation. Never was and never will be. Small talk makes me sweat, and I will avoid having a conversation with people I don’t know like the plague. Somewhere along the road of trying to be social, complaining became the easiest way to get by.

I’ve gotten so good at complaining that I don’t notice that I’m doing it anymore. It’s no longer a passing comment on the weather and shrinking into nonexistence while others jump on the complain train. It’s full blown, everyday, something new, this-or-that complaining. It has become my way of being. I complain. And I know you do it, too.

It has become the way we all talk. Like I said, it’s an easy way to make conversation. When my friends and I are together, we could complain non-stop for hours without boredom. Grace Doré wrote in her book, LovexStylexLife, “If a Parisian starts complaining, it is your duty to complain along with him. That’s how you make friends in Paris.” We might not be Parisian, but hey, at least we’re that much closer to French Girl status. Right?

Don’t get me wrong. A moan or groan once in a while can be good for the soul— I believe that. However, going right to complaints as a conversation default is a problem. It’s not only annoying, it draws negativity into every single word you speak. You deserve a break from that every so often. For one week I attempted not to complain. It was not easy and it did not go well. As you can imagine, getting out of the habit of complaining isn’t a simple one-two-three. It’s making a conscious effort to change how you think on a daily basis, recognizing when you complain, and being able to stop yourself before the words slip out.

If I learned anything while attempting not to complain, it is how much I actually do. It was similar to realizing how much I say “like,” which is a story for a different time.

I may not have kicked my bad habit yet, but I would confidently call it a work in progress. And if I can’t, I might just have to move to Paris.

More Diary

Grown Up Beauty Prev

Grown Up Beauty

Some people say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but a word from the wise says most women would choose...

Let's Talk About Sex Next

Let's Talk About Sex

They’re back for more. You asked, they answered. Hi Walkers, I’m in late twenties, finished with school, and settled in...

All Images Copyright 2014-2024 The Strategy