How to Stay Positive When Everyone Around You Is Complaining

Anna Mae
Sep 28, 2016
1 min read

''It’s already hard enough to stay positive when faced with your own problems. But it can be even more challenging when you’re also living through the everyday frustrations of the people around you, doled out in the form of one-line gripes on Facebook, soliloquy-style venting sessions from family members, and demoralizing complaints at the water cooler.

Misery may love company, but in our culture of complaining, it’s important to balance your empathy—or annoyance—with your desire to remain positive. “When people complain, others tend to join in or get irritated,” says Robin Kowalski, PhD, professor of psychology at Clemson University.

“When you join in, it becomes a one-upmanship. If one person complains about something blowing down in their yard, the other person finds something to outdo their complaint.”

On the other hand, if you aren't in the mood to hear someone else's gripes, you might shut down or get frustrated. Neither strategy is likely to improve your mood; in fact, chances are high that both you and the complainer will feel worse than before...''

by Jessica Cassity