Do you complain a lot? Maybe a harmless comment about the driving ability of the average commuter and some comparison to epileptic monkeys? Or perhaps the weather wasn’t what you expected so you let forth a stream of profanities that made Zeus curl up behind his throne on Olympus high. We all do it from time to time.
It’s in our nature it seems. Also science says it is bad for us. And since I do anything science says (he’s so dreamy) I joined the 21 day no complaint challenge.
No complaints for 21 consecutive days
That is the name of the challenge. There is a non-profit organization called A Complaint Free World that sells bracelets and stands behind the goal of stopping the epidemic of complaining going on. I first read about it in The Four Hour Work Week and thought it might be a good idea, or at least an interesting blog article.
I kind of have a reputation as being a complainer. Most of the time it is masked in “humor” but a complainer nonetheless. This seemed to be an excellent opportunity to show how awesome I am and work on some personal improvement at the same time. Modern behavioral theory (there’s that darn science again!) tells us that it takes around 21 days to ingrain a new habit, good or bad, so that is where the duration comes from.
Define complaint
The first thing we have to do to stop complaining is define complaint. Dictionary.com says it is:
com·plaint
noun
The definition I am using in the field is a bit less formal: a negative statement that does not in some way hint at a solution. Note: although not mentioned gossip totally counts. I don’t have a bivvy of coworkers to banter with so this is less an issue for me than some. Example time.
“I am cold” is a complaint.
“I am cold and am going to put on a jacket” would not count but I would put it in the gray zone really close to a complaint and should be avoided.
“I am going to go put on a jacket” is not a complaint but an action to correct a problem. Phrasing things from passive (complaints) to actions will train your brain that you can make bad things better. Sounds silly but it does work.
The Challenge
The rules are simple:
- Start off with a bracelet on your right wrist.
- Complaints in your mind don’t count but be aware of them and don’t repeat them over and over. If it passes your lips, move the bracelet.
- If you complain out loud any time during the day you move the bracelet to your left wrist and restart your count at one the next day.
- You win when the bracelet has stayed on your right wrist for 21 consecutive days.
It really is a simple challenge so going to hop right into it. I will keep track of my progress and post it at regular intervals. The foundations says that it takes the average person 4+ months to make it to the end so this should be entertaining at the least.
Post your opinion of this experiment and if you want to do it too in the comments below, looking forward to hearing from you!
