Complaining is positive. I can wager that was a statement you never expected to see in one of my blogs.
When a 17-year-old learns that complaining is the first sign that you are stopping YOURSELF from the actions you need to take to succeed, it is time for us to listen. Da’Naia is my newest young-adult contributor from the Benedictine Academy. She will be contributing twice a month to the conversation of how to apply positivity and positive psychology to your life – no matter what your age.
The quote that came to mind when I read her post was:
View complainers as passive smokers. Would you sit next to one? Author Unknown
Complaining is Positive by Da’Naia Holden
Having a positive mindset ensures the ability to attain success. At least, that is what I have learned as a newly optimistic seventeen-year-old. Being seventeen years old and a senior in high school, I have encountered several events which have caused me to think negatively. Everyone expects senior year to be one of the easiest years of a high school career, but I have found that there are still challenges to overcome. One challenge in particular that I had to overcome was the difficulty I was experiencing in my Honors Pre-calculus class. Math has always been the easiest subject for me, so it was hard to accept that I may actually be struggling in one of my favorite subjects. I wasn’t grasping the concepts as quickly as I used to and it was taking me longer to solve problems that were considered “simple”. For a while, I was convinced that the problem had nothing to do with me. I was convinced that the root of the problem was my teacher and his teaching methods. I was convinced that my teacher possessed ill feelings towards me and was deliberately trying to push failure in my direction. Reflecting back on the situation, I realize that my beliefs were irrational. When attempting to achieve success, I learned one important thing: “Stop complaining and just try harder.” Complaining breeds negativity and negativity does not assist in achieving success. With my Honors Pre-calculus class, I realized that I was never actually trying to succeed. I realized that the only thing I was doing was complaining about my lack of success within the class. When I took responsibility for my lack of effort to succeed and seized to complain, I actually began understanding the lessons. Instead of thinking about how I was more than likely going to end up failing the class, I prompted myself to have a positive mindset. I reminded myself every day that I was destined for success. Furthermore, when report cards were released at the end of the first semester, I discovered that I actually passed the class! While there are still times when the class becomes difficult, I never focus on the negative, I never stop trying and I never complain. I have learned to remain positive and optimistic and with these aspects comes beneficial outcomes.
Meet Guest Blogger Da’Naia Holden
Hi, my name is Da’Naia Holden! I am seventeen years old and a senior at Benedictine Academy. At thirteen years old, I aspired to become a Clinical Child Psychologist and upon graduation, I am excited about studying Psychology as a freshman at Rider University. To further peak my interest in Psychology, I decided to take an Advanced Placement Psychology course in my junior year of high school. While Psychology is one of my major interests, I do shift my focus between my additional hobbies: writing, photography and dabbling in digital film making. I believe in developing a well-rounded repertoire of skills in the arts because this makes for an expressive individual. It took me a while to realize that I would perform best in a career that enabled me to help and inspire others, while still having full creative control over certain aspects. I am excited for what the future holds for me because I am sure that I will be doing something that I love!
