Ever notice how many people like to complain? Many people complain about their health or their lifestyle. Others complain about weight issues, their children, or their spouses. Some just like to complain—a bad habit if you ask me—and they complain about everything.

These people can also be detrimental to your well-being. They can actually help make you sick inside and out. So what can you do?

Don’t hang out with these folks! Okay, if they’re family members, you have no choice. But if they are acquaintances, why would you want to talk to someone who is always looking at the glass half or completely empty?

If they do happen to be connected by blood, then of course, you need to find other solutions that make you happy when you are with them. Try to find the positive features of that person and focus on those things, not the negative vibes they send out to the world. Chances are something made them that way, and guess what? It probably wasn’t you.

Why not be grateful for what you have instead of focusing on what you don’t have? Guess what? It works. You will find yourself living with a lot less stress in your daily life, which is good for your health.

Being Grateful Is Easy.

Develop rituals that help you recognize what is good and positive in your life. Keep a journal. Make a list of positive things that happened to you today. Read a book of inspirational poems. Breathe. Put value on everything around you. Be thankful and inspire yourself to live life in this manner. This is just as important as being polite to someone who has helped you, except you are thanking yourself. If you have just finished a workout at the gym, don’t say, “I only ran two miles today,” but give yourself a pat on the back. My neighbor is trying to quit smoking cold turkey this week. I told her to acknowledge the fact that she cut back significantly, rather than beat herself up about still smoking. She is still making positive progress forward.

Feeling Sad? Write it Down.

In a study[1] done by Robert Emmons, and Michael Mc- Cullough in 2003, Emmons & McCullough found that people who kept a gratitude journal on a weekly basis felt better about their lives as a whole and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events. And the results for gratitude lists or by daily gratitude intervention were just as strong. Not only were these individuals in positive states, but they also were more willing to help others. And guess what else? They slept better!

I think this gal, Ellen Castellana of New Jersey, got it right. In a 1990 letter to the editor of the NY Times she wrote, “In a world of famine, disease, poverty, homelessness, violation of human rights and political oppression, I can only look at my children — my son and, yes, my daughter — and marvel at our good luck. Why not be grateful for
what you have instead
of focusing on what
you don’t have?

Guess what? It works. They were born in perfect health, into circumstances that virtually assure that they will never know hunger. They will be able to obtain as much education as their abilities and interests allow, they will have access to excellent medical care, and generally, they will have more choices and opportunities than countless others.”

Now that’s someone who is grateful not only for her children, but for her own life.

So take a few minutes this week, write down what you accomplished, (not what you didn’t) and be grateful for your life. It works wonders for your head and your health. Not only will you notice the changes in yourself, so will your friends and family.

[1] Dimensions and Perspectives of Gratitude Co-Investigators: Robert A. Emmons, University of California, Davis Michael E. Mc- Cullough, University of Miami

Please note: The information is purely the opinion of the author.

Charlene Schosser has a passion for health and nutrition and is wellness consultant. Please visit her website: marketamerica.com/charlenes. Please direct any comments or questions to editor@ hatcityentertainment.com