I read an interesting article over at Oprha.com (working real hard!) about venting and/or complaining continually about things you find unacceptable. Whether it be work, a troublesome friend or spouse, or *cough* weight, this article has some thought provoking ideas.
Basically it said that contrary to popular belief, venting about a situation is not as healthy as one might think. It basically allows you to release just enough emotional pressure to keep you in whatever situation is causing you stress, but does not actually effect change.
Wow. Kind of a simplistic concept, but it makes some sense, and I’ve honestly never thought about it that way. I feel like I do nothing these days except complain about what’s not right in my life, particularly my weight. Is this constant release of “steam” keeping me just comfortable enough to keep things status quo? Not that I would call my weight comfortable, but it’s safe.
This article challenges the reader to go on a “venting fast” for a predetermined amount of time, and see if that energy can be channeled and used the impetus for personal growth and change. There are rules, of course, and evidently a step not to be taken lightly. The article warns of the possibility for all that unreleased steam to expand and eventually explode. Who knows who could get wiped out in the storm? The rules involve a lot of journaling (hmmm, would blog entries count?), and finding at least one productive way to overcome whatever that day’s frustration was.
This all got me thinking about what I’ve been doing about my weight and my life for the past, oh I don’t know, DECADE or so, and the sad answer to that is – nothing. But man do I complain about it. A lot. It’s almost embarrassing. I’ve been whining about my job, my weight, my status as a singleton, my house, my parents, and my oh my how I do go on. And nothing has changed, in fact, in a few areas, things have gotten alarmingly worse.
Serious food for thought, and not a moment too soon, as today’s blog was going to be yet another spectacular whine about this weekend’s binges and the feelings of guilt and self loathing it produced. Perhaps it’s time for a paradigm shift.
If you want to read the entire article you can, here.
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3 comments:
Well Bea, I'd say your time was better spent reading ORPHA (is that right, or is it dyslexic for OPRAH? LOL), than what you SHOULD have been doing. Provocative thought, and with some things I would agree with it. See now, I was ranting today, and I think it actually helped get the impetus to get going on Christmas stuff, but "me, I'm a fuckin' freak of nature" - Nikki, Times Square
Good post - food for thought, certainly, if you're not a beserker!!
It's true, says the shrink, if you continually bitch, then the negativity envelopes you.
Well, I'm going to take the alternate perspective on this one. While constant whining might not let enough steam out to actually perpetuate change, it does help to 'get it out.' I feel better after chatting with a friend on the phone about what irritating thing my husband has just done, or journaling (yes blogs count) about my recent pizza binge. I just feel as though I'm able to let it go after that. If I don't get it out (maybe in the form of complaining) I hold onto it and stew over it. I think whining and complaining (in moderation - as with everything else) is healthy and productive. There ya go!
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