How to stop complaining

Do you find yourself complaining often?

Does your mind tend to dwell on stuff that's not going well or as you think it should be?

Here's a simple gratitude practice to help shift yourself out of these patterns:

Ask yourself: "What's NOT wrong?"

Our minds are naturally drawn to what's wrong. 

The brain is trying to protect us from danger, which usually comes with negative stimuli, so it's constantly looking for them.

But this simple question can help shift the direction of your thinking in just a few seconds. 

I first read about it in a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, a compassionate and wise Buddhist teacher, where he talked about how easily the mind gets caught up in worries and concerns. 

And it stuck with me.

So when you find yourself complaining or stressing about everything that's going wrong (or could go wrong), pause, take a breath, and ask yourself: What's NOT wrong?

I've been practicing gratitude this way for a few weeks and have found it so helpful.