13. Quit Complaining
Complaining is toxic for a variety of reasons. This section is going to go back into some neuroscience as well, so brace yourself. Whenever you complain, you're training your brain to complain even more. I'm not saying to never complain again (because that'd be impossible), but pick your complaints. When you complain about everything all the time, you're wiring new neuropathways for you to complain more in the future because your brain believes it's rewarding. This is wiring your brain for negativity.
The other issue is that complaining affects your social life. Have you ever had someone not hang out with you anymore because all you do is complain about things? I have. For those who aren't smart enough to get away from our complaining selves, we're actually bringing them down. Complaining is like second-hand smoke. You don't have to do it to be affected by the consequences.
Lastly, those who complain are more likely to have depression and anxiety. When you're constantly complaining, you're training your brain to believe that you're in danger. If all your brain sees is problems, it releases more cortisol, which is a stress hormone. This hormone triggers your amygdala, which is the part of the brain responsible for anxiety. This anxiety and complaining combination can lead to social isolation because you assume everything is going to be awful when you leave your house, which then fuels your depression.
Do I need to give you any more reasons to quit complaining so much?
