Do You Want a Little Whine With That?

In the majority of homes in North America, yesterday was celebrated with exchanged gifts, special holiday foods, and some extended-family togetherness. And in many of those homes, there were people who felt left out, under-appreciated, and just plain unhappy about some aspects of what they experienced.

That’s why today is National Whiner’s Day. Established in 1986, National Whiner’s Day isn’t the official day to complain, it’s a reminder that no matter what less-than-optimal situation is happening, there are always positive things to focus on. Before you label me a hopeless Pollyanna and stop reading, please read this:

Nobody likes a chronic whiner. Nobody.

People love whiners. People marry whiners. People create offspring and build lives with chronic whiners. And yet nobody likes a whiner. Chronic whiners are exhausting to be around. Nothing is ever right, good enough, or fair. They’ll ask for your advice and not heed it. They’ll get in a jam, ask for your help, learn nothing, and proceed to get in the same jam all over again, all the while complaining of the unfairness of the world.

And here’s a news flash – some whiners are reading this and have no idea this is about them. They don’t think their negative opinionating is whining, they think it’s truth-telling, or problem-solving, or whatever other coping story they use to not have to recognize the whiner in them.

Whining isn’t an inborn human trait, it’s learned behavior, which means neuroscience and neuroplasticity techniques can be used to unlearn it. The Wellbeing Wisdom Tiny Bites podcast has a bunch of episodes about ridding your life of whining – here are three, each under 90 seconds long:

     Need help dealing with being around a chronic whiner? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!

     Need ideas for stopping the constant complaints? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!

     Are you whining or are you shining? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!

There are five days left in this year. If you have a whiner in your life, maybe you can use the ammo in those Tiny Bites podcasts to help them make a fresh start in 2024. If you are a whiner, you can definitely use the info you’ve read and heard to create a much better, healthier, and more fun mental atmosphere for yourself as the calendar changes.

Because nobody likes a whiner. Nobody. And I want you to be the person that everyone lights up when they see!

PS...know someone planning a conference, retreat, or meeting? Please share this page with them...thanks!