Bracelets For A Complaint Free World

The very first conversation I had today started with someone complaining about his morning commute because he left 15 minutes later than usual. That's funny, I live very close to him, and I'm thankful that I commute against traffic. Last week this same person was complaining that Ruth's Chris Steak House serves a merely average steak. Actually, I think they're even better than Morton's. Also last week, he complained that the architecture of condominium buildings here in northern Virginia isn't as good as in San Francisco, and also a meal costs $2 or $3 more here.

It makes you wonder how much more we could achieve if we didn't devote so much energy to complaining. We do complain way too much, right? Reverend Will Bowen of Christ Church Unity thinks so. In fact, he asked his congregation to go for 21 days in a row without complaining.

21 days may not seem that long, but even Rev. Bowen himself took three and a half months to get in 21 consecutive complaint free days. The Church offers purple bracelets to help remind people to keep their mouth shut. You put the bracelet on one wrist, and every time you slip up, you move the bracelet to the other wrist and start counting the days again from zero.

The Church sends out the bracelets free of charge to anyone who orders them from the Complaint Free World website. The program is funded by donations and staffed by volunteers who have their work cut out for them. So far, nearly 6 million bracelets have been requested from people in more than 80 countries.

The idea behind the 21-day period is that scientists believe it takes 21 days to establish a habit. It would therefore take 21 days to replace the habit of complaining with the habit of not complaining. Rev. Bowen says that complaining, gossiping, and criticizing all constitute breaking the streak, so the bracelet must be moved to the other wrist. You are allowed to point out that someone else has complained and needs to switch their bracelet, but this itself is a complaint, meaning that you have to switch your own bracelet as well!

I've ordered bracelets for my family, and I'm patiently awaiting them. I'm very optimistic about this project. Although it's a very simple idea, it's been spreading like wildfire, with appearances on Oprah, the Today show, and in People magazine. Tomorrow, take notice of how many complaints you hear from people. It may surprise you to see how common complaining really is, and what effect it has on everyone's mood. Now imagine if millions of people are able to stop complaining. Order your bracelets, use a rubber band until they arrive, and do your part to make this a complaint free world.