Saturday 26 September 2009

Time to stop all the complaining weighing you down? Try the 21 Day Complaint Free Program Challenge

It’s all too easy to live a life whereby complaining and commenting negatively about others (Gossiping) and being sarcastic comes naturally to you, but it doesn’t have to be. This bad habit feels ‘normal’, but you can turn this unhelpful habit on it’s head and benefit enormously at the same time. Here's how...

Pastor Will Bowen started a fabulous movement known as the “Complaint Free World” in 2006 with a visual reminder of a Purple bracelet worn while you create a non-complaining habit and move it from wrist to wrist as you get the knack of catching yourself when complaining. When you find yourself complaining you simply swap the purple bracelet to the other wrist until it has stayed on the same wrist for 21 days. Sound easy!!??

Reprogramming your mind (or organizing your thoughts you could say) can take months but once you have reached the 21 days straight the new whinge free/complaint free attitude will put you ahead of the rest, with a much more positive outlook and therefore more positive life. Oprah has jumped on the bandwagon too - promoting the idea via her show – can’t get much bigger endorsement than that!

If you have found that you are stuck in a complaining, whinging mode of life, then consider it is affecting all areas of your life – including your personal and professional organizing effectiveness. Complaining equals 'victim mode' which when it comes to organizing usually equals excuses about why you haven’t done what you know you should have which equals inaction. The opposite is 'solution focused' and propels you to where you want to be…

Some people may argue that venting is a good thing – with a ‘Get it off your chest’ type attitude, but Studies say this isn’t the case. Venting or complaining about anything (and everything in some cases) just keeps anger and negative emotions alive. Imagine for example talking to a friend about something negative that has happened to you. They are more likely to show sympathy and ‘bag’ them too, rather than offer constructive feedback about what to do to solve the issue, which only makes the situation worse. So not talking about it is often a better alternative, which actually allows you to learn to trust and follow your 'gut instincts' rather than having a knee jerk reaction.

As Pastor Bowen says “Most of the complaining we do is just a lot of ear pollution detrimental to our health and wellbeing."

Over 6 million purple bracelets are already in circulation all over the world. What a great uplifting proactive idea. Thanks Pastor Bowen!

What are your thoughts? Do you think you could do it? Do you think it would make a difference to your life and the world around you?

Happy Organizing
Claire McFee
Organize Your Life Organizers

No comments: