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The PURSE-onality Challenge: 31 Days of Replacing "Baditude" with God’s Word and Gratitude!

by Cheri Gregory

Complaint-Free: Who Me?

When I walked into Barnes and Noble and started browsing through a copy of A Complaint-Free World five years ago, I considered myself the most optimistic, positive, encouraging person I knew.

In fact, I joked to my husband that we needed to buy two (maybe three) dozen copies to give all the negative people in my life who drag me down with their never-ending complaints, criticism, and gossip.

Than I read a little farther. And the author had the nerve to suggest that of all the negative people in my life, I might be the worst of the worst!

That. Made. Me. Mad. 

So I decided to take the Complaint-Free challenge: 21 days with no complaining. Just to prove how wrong this author was, I even ordered his silly little purple bracelet. (Which took forever–like a full week!–to arrive.)

The instructions were simple:  I was to start each day with the bracelet on my left wrist. As soon as I caught myself complaining, criticizing, or gossiping, I was to move the bracelet to the other wrist.

For accountability, I told my students what I was doing.

Did they ever warm up to the “challenge” of letting me know when I complained. In the first class, my bracelet switched arms five times in just three minutes!

The shocker was that each time took me totally by surprise. I wasn’t even thinking critical thoughts, when suddenly, “Mrs. G? Is that complaining I hear?”

I soon discovered that my optimistic self-image resembled reality the way a chick flick resembles marriage: not at all.

Sound Familiar?

___“My life would be much easier without the negative people who drag me down.
___“I speak Sarcasm fluently.”
___“When I see a type-o on a sign, I have to point it out to someone.”
___“I’m surrounded by difficult people at work and/or at home.”
___“It’s not really gossip; everything we say about her is true.”
___“There’s an impossible person in my life who will never change.”
___“I struggle with anxiety, fear, and/or depression.”
___“Negative things people have said keep popping back into my mind.”

If two or more sound familiar, you’re invited to take The PURSE-onality Challenge!

What is The PURSE-onality Challenge?

Quite literally, it’s 31 days of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude, May 1-31 (with a warm-up week starting April 22.)

I’ve tried the Complaint-Free challenge many times in the last five years. But just trying to stop old bad habits was never enough; I needed to start new new ones to replace the old.

So for one month, we’ll be focusing on four positive habits: spotlighting Personality strengths, eliminating complaints, journaling gratitude, and memorizing scripture.

Take The PURSE-onality Challenge if…

  • …you feel convicted to change your thoughts and words.
  • …you’re at your wit’s end with a particular relationship.
  • …you desire more hope, joy, and peace in your life.

Head on over to The PURSE-onality Challenge main page for full details!

 

Your Turn!

What changes would you most want to see in your life from taking The PURSE-onality Challenge?

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Categorized: Reflections

About Cheri Gregory

Hi, I'm Cheri! I'm a collaborator, teacher, speaker, author, and Certified Personality Trainer. I love helping women break free from destructive expectations through a blend of “how to” and “heart, too.” I've been married to my college sweetheart Daniel (who is my opposite personality!) for 30 years and “Mom” to Annemarie (27) and Jonathon (25).

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Comments

  1. Chineye says

    March 10, 2014 at 6:20 pm

    I’m going to present this challenge to my new women’s group in 2 weeks! I think this is a great challenge! Life gets in the way and we don’t even realize when we are complaining and like you mentioned it spills over into our marriages. We even complain to one another about our husbands and then we go home angry. So I’m looking forward to this.

    Reply
    • Cheri Gregory says

      March 12, 2014 at 12:56 am

      Chineye — Sounds like a great idea! I’d love to hear how it goes!

      Reply
  2. sbeachy1 says

    May 13, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    I’m following the 31 Day Challenge and trying hard with God’s help to overcome the bad habit of complaining.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Give Up Complaining for Lent? | Finer Femininity says:
    March 21, 2014 at 10:57 am

    […] January for the last seven years, I’ve taken the Complaint-Free Challenge: one whole month without […]

    Reply
  2. 3 Perks of Being a Complaint-Free Wife + Book Give-Away - Cheri Gregory says:
    March 3, 2014 at 3:12 am

    […] for me to take the Complaint-Free Challenge once […]

    Reply
  3. 3-Day Challenge: The Perks of Becoming a Complaint-Free Wife | Happy Wives Club says:
    March 2, 2014 at 9:36 pm

    […] January for the last seven years, I’ve taken the Complaint-Free Challenge: one whole month without […]

    Reply
  4. How Vision Becomes Prison says:
    July 5, 2013 at 5:32 pm

    […] Then, I tried the Complaint-Free Challenge. […]

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