Do you catch yourself complaining sometimes? Do you feel like it is a bad habit that affects your mood and outlook? Do you think that you would you be able to stop complaining?

One of the blog writers that I follow came up with a challenge a couple of years ago. She proposed a twenty days of “Complaint Restraint”, which is very simple actually: You make a pact with yourself, and for twenty days, you do not complain about anything. It seemed like an easy one at first right? But at the time, I was in a much different state of mind and after I tried it for a few days, I have realized how difficult it was. I had to restart my challenge again and again. Now I smile when I think about those times…  I just stop myself when I realize a complaint is about to form in my mind or come out of my mouth.

The main goal of this challenge is to direct your attention towards your thought process and to gently force yourself to realize how many complaints pass through your mind or get articulated by you per day. Furthermore, to make you understand what a big waste of energy, how unproductive and relationship damaging the habit of complaining is.

If there is something you do not like, then focus on how to change it, concentrate on what you can do about fixing it, and if you think you will not be able to propose a solution to the problem, then do not bring it up in the first place. Because, as you know quite well by now, whatever you focus on grows. If you focus on the problem, the problem grows, but if you choose to focus on solving it, then that positivity grows and the solution comes to you naturally.

Complaints contain old and negative energy, while solutions contain positive, progressive and new energy. So, why not to give a chance to this challenge and try to be a more positive person? The universe tells me that now it is my turn to pass along this challenge to you, my dear friends. Take it, keep it, try it, pass it along when you feel it is the right time for you.