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…

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?