Are you a complainer?
Posted by Unknown | | Posted on 10:22 AM
Are you a complainer? Ask anyone that question and the answer you will get is probably ‘no not me’. None of us think we are complainers, but we all know people who are. You know the folks I’m talking about. You are probably thinking of someone right now. In fact, someone reading this column is probably thinking about you. The truth is we all complain. I have always known that I do my fair share but it wasn’t until recently that it occurred to me that I was a chronic complainer. I am not proud of it. I actually want to stop. The problem is I think I am addicted to complaining. Like many of you, I think I actually enjoy complaining. Fortunately for me and the people around me who have to listen to my complaints, I think I found some help. A few months ago Reverend Will Bowen, a pastor in Kansas City, Missouri, asked his congregation to make a simple pledge to not complain for 21 days. Each participant was given a purple bracelet as a reminder of the pledge, and with each complaint, the bracelet is switched to the other wrist and the 21-day count restarts.
The no-complaints movement has quickly become mainstream, and so far over a million no-complaint bracelets – which the church offers free of charge - have been ordered. People from all over the world are contacting the church to request their bracelets.
Some participants of the no complaint movement tried up to seven months to achieve 21 complaint-free days, but even with relapses, all efforts have resulted in millions of stopped complaints. As Rev. Bowen sums it up, “that’s a lot less ear pollution.”
When I heard about this I thought to myself that this is just what I need to break my complaint addiction. I sat down at my computer to order my bracelet and typed in the wrong web address. Naturally, when I realized that I had the wrong website I did what any normal complainer would do and I called the person that gave me the website and complained. It is at that exact moment that I knew my problem was worse than I thought. You know you have hit rock bottom when you complain about getting help to stop complaining.
Well eventually, I got to the right website, ordered my bracelet and I am patiently waiting on its arrival. In the meantime, I have placed a blue rubber band on my wrist and now I am at least noticing when I complain. To be honest, I am not doing too well. I have had to switch the rubber band to a different wrist three times while writing this column.
Can you do better than me? Could you last 21 days with no complaining, criticizing, gossiping or sarcastic remarks? Take the no-complaints pledge, and encourage those around you to do the same. You can order your bracelet on the Internet by going to http://www.acomplaintfreeworld.fobby.net/.
Imagine how much better the community we live in will be if we all limit our complaining. Good luck. Just remember if it doesn’t work, don’t complain to me about it.
The no-complaints movement has quickly become mainstream, and so far over a million no-complaint bracelets – which the church offers free of charge - have been ordered. People from all over the world are contacting the church to request their bracelets.
Some participants of the no complaint movement tried up to seven months to achieve 21 complaint-free days, but even with relapses, all efforts have resulted in millions of stopped complaints. As Rev. Bowen sums it up, “that’s a lot less ear pollution.”
When I heard about this I thought to myself that this is just what I need to break my complaint addiction. I sat down at my computer to order my bracelet and typed in the wrong web address. Naturally, when I realized that I had the wrong website I did what any normal complainer would do and I called the person that gave me the website and complained. It is at that exact moment that I knew my problem was worse than I thought. You know you have hit rock bottom when you complain about getting help to stop complaining.
Well eventually, I got to the right website, ordered my bracelet and I am patiently waiting on its arrival. In the meantime, I have placed a blue rubber band on my wrist and now I am at least noticing when I complain. To be honest, I am not doing too well. I have had to switch the rubber band to a different wrist three times while writing this column.
Can you do better than me? Could you last 21 days with no complaining, criticizing, gossiping or sarcastic remarks? Take the no-complaints pledge, and encourage those around you to do the same. You can order your bracelet on the Internet by going to http://www.acomplaintfreeworld.fobby.net/.
Imagine how much better the community we live in will be if we all limit our complaining. Good luck. Just remember if it doesn’t work, don’t complain to me about it.
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