Turn Complaints into Solutions

“Nothing feeds the negative dog inside you like complaining,” Bubba said.

“I know,” said Matt. “I'm a pretty good complainer.”

“Pretty good? If complaining were in the criteria for the Westminster Kennel Club's Best in Show you would be the winner,” Bubba said, before letting out a big belly laugh.

“But I'm complaining a lot less,” Matt said.

“Yes, you are, and as we talked about with get to instead of have to it's important to focus on gratitude rather than complaints. But here's the deal: I don't want you to get rid of complaining completely.”

“Why not?” Matt asked.

“Because, let's face it, there are times when complaining is helpful and, with the right perspective, you can turn complaints into solutions.

“How's that?” asked Matt.

“Well, instead of mindlessly complaining and venting to yourself and others, you can think of solutions to your complaints. You can make a pact with yourself that you are not going to complain unless you identify one or two solutions to your complaint. Jade called it the ‘No Complaining Rule,’ and she read it to us when she was here. Since then, I've adopted the rule and found that instead of letting complaining generate negative energy, we can use it for a positive purpose. We can use our own complaints as a signal, letting us know we are feeding the negative dog, and then, in the next moment, we can think of solutions and feed the positive dog instead. Each time we catch ourselves complaining, we can say, ‘Okay, I don't like this. I'm not happy about this. So then, what do I want? What will make me happy? What thought will bring me peace instead of frustration? What positive actions can I take to rectify this complaint? What solution will address this problem?’ Every complaint represents an opportunity to turn something negative into a positive and we can use complaining as a catalyst for positive change and positive action in our own lives, at work, and in the world.”

“So, you are saying that there are times when I need to replace my complaints with gratitude, and there are other times when I should turn my complaints into solutions,” Matt said, as he grasped the different strategies Bubba taught.

“Exactly,” said Bubba. “The strategies I share are different foods to feed the positive dog and you can choose what food is right for you in that moment or situation.”

Bubba then paused for a moment and looked up at the sky. The rain had stopped and a ray of light found its way through an opening in the clouds. He had shared several strategies to help Matt change his story and feed the positive dog, and wondered if he should share the last two strategies now or wait until tomorrow. He looked at Matt and saw the hunger for knowledge and change in his eyes and knew that he couldn't wait to share the most powerful strategies of all.